Being Julia
Added 12/21/2009
This thoroughly enjoyable film is an adaptation of Somerset Maughm's equally enjoyable novella, Theater. Set in London, between the world wars, the film is about the life and loves of Julia Lambert. Julia (played by Annette Bening) is a stage actress at the zenith of her career. She is married to her manager (and first love), Michael Gosselyn (Jeremy Irons). The two own a successful theater company, together with a financial partner, hilariously played by Miriam Margolyes. Julia and Michael have a handsome son on the cusp of adulthood. Julia appears to have all that a woman could ask for.
The trouble is that Julia is tired, bored, unfulfilled and in desperate need of a change. There are a number of factors contributing to this crisis - her marriage has evolved into more or less sexless camraderie, she bitterly resents the regimen she must follow to maintain her looks (her idea of nirvana is eating all the potatoes she wants), the success of the theater company is all too dependent upon Julia's star performances, and she is tired of always acting. Whenever Julia is involved in a serious conversation, she starts acting - she grandstands her way through conversations by reciting stage monologues. The theater has taken over her life. It is time for her to be Julia.
Along comes a handsome young American fan. He is both persistent and aggressive. Julia should know better, but she has a diva-sized ego which is feeding off of the young fan's attention. Julia is soon over her head in a relationship with the fan. This mid-life affair jeopardizes her marriage and her relationship with her son, and distracts her from her theatrical performances. To make matters worse, the young fan is trifling with Julia. She is nothing more than a conquest.
Bening is an absolute joy to watch in this film. She has a stage voice and stage presence which reminds me of the great actresses from the first half of the twentieth century. Her stage voice in this film is reminiscent of Zoe Caldwell and Dame Judith Anderson. Her upper crust British accent is spot on. Juliet Stevenson, who plays Julia's dresser, adds depth to this film. She plays a servant/confidant/advisor to Bening's Julia. The viewer is left with the sense that Julia would be lost without her.
This film is also about marriage. Julia has an unconventional, "open" marriage. Julia and her husband clearly love each other; their lives revolve around each other. The passion has long gone out of their marriage, but they are not about to let that get in the way of their long and happy relationship. This film's honest portrayal of a good marriage, with all of its flaws, complexities and coping mechanisms, is refreshing. The dressing room scene between Julia and her producer-husband immediately following her big performance is a highlight of both the book and the film. They share an embrace and a hearty laugh over something which could cause a less stable marriage to founder -- or at least momentarily turn into a royal battle.
The climax in Somerset Maughm's novella is subtle. In the book, Julia's tour-de-force performance is only briefly referred to, and then only after the fact. In the film, viewers actually get to see Julia in her performance of a lifetime. This is one of the few film adaptations where I've felt without a doubt that the movie improves upon the book.
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Probably the best thing Bening has done
Added 9/9/2009
This adaptation of a Somerset Maugham story is probably Annette Bening's best film so far. She plays Julia Lambert, a 40-something London stage actress who undergoes a midlife crisis when she gets swept off her feet and has a fling with an American employee of her producer/director husband (Jeremy Irons) -- who is half her age. The kid is a cad, of course, and Julia eventually has her heart broken -- and then decides on a particularly delicious revenge, involving the kid, her husband (with whom she has an "understanding"), and the young blonde actress wannabe with whom both the men are having separate affairs. There's a lot of pathos and romance and sad reality, but the film is basically a serious comedy. The acting is first-rate by all involved, especially Juliet Stevenson, playing Julia's assistant/dresser/confidant, and Michael Gambon, as the ghost of Julia's acting mentor. I was especially taken by the director's use of fleeting facial expression by all the supporting cast. It's easy to see why this was nominated for an Academy Award.
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A Force to be Reckoned With
Added 8/31/2009
This gem of a movie is based on a short story by Somerset Maughm. It is about a vivacious woman named Julia who is played by Annette Bening. Julia is an actress, an artiste, who is so good at her profession that it's hard to tell where the actress ends and the real Julia starts. She is at the top of her form in English theater but is worried about getting older. She is married to Jeremy Irons and they have an 'arrangement' such that each of them has their sexual independence. Julia is very narcissistic and proud. She likes to see herself being center stage in real life and in theater. She can be a challenge to one and all. However, there is a tender and endearing part to her. The only problem is that it's hard to tell when it's real and when it's being acted.
The characterization in this movie builds slowly, like a good novel. We learn a little bit more about the characters in each scene. Annette Bening gives an exceptional performance, well worth any movie lover's time.
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"Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries" " Don't take it Serious; it's too Mysterious".
Added 6/20/2009
Set in London 1938, the film focuses on a highly successful and extremely popular theatre actress Julia Lambert (Annette Bening). Married with one son, a woman whose got it all, but, there's still a wanting, a yearning, something is missing. Julia's fast approaching middle age, but the fire seems to have gone out, lacking in passion for her talent, tedious of late and stuck on auto drive. Julia's gradual disillusionment has made her feel tired of it all, lost, something has to give. Julia prompts her husband, stage director Michael Gosselyn, (Jeremy Irons) and the financial backer, Dolly de Vries, (Miriam Margolyes) to close her current production in order to take time out and travel aboard, find her perspective, but they persuade Julia to at least take the production to the end of the summer.
Her Husband Michael then Introduces Julia to a young Tom Fennel, (Shaun Evans) an american whose set about enterprising himself in London and has great taxation ideas. Tom can't believe his luck, meeting the famous Julia Lambert, his quick to confess to being a hugh admirer of Julia's work. Julia is also quick to fill a void in her life, her now twenty year marriage has gone passionless and clearly become just quiet something else. So Julia embarks on a passionate affair with Tom but soon falls madly in love with him, she also supports him, so that he too can enjoy her glamorous life style. The relationship revives her vibrant sparkle, while everyone else notices the personality change for the better, what about her control in other areas?
Always watching over Julia is her ghostly mentor, Jimmie Langton, (Michael Gambon) who was a theatrical manager of a provincial theatre. Jimmie gave Julia her start and made her a big star, a brilliant actress, although his long passed away Jimmie remains a fragment of her imagination, when Julia needs help in moments of emotional thoughts, Jimmies' still her driving force. Meanwhile back in the real world, her personal maid, dresser and confident Evie (Juliet Stevenson) keeps her grounded.
But are things about to fall apart! Clearly Tom's social climbing and has now met ambitious young aspiring actress Avice Crichton, (Lucy Punch). Avice, has hatched plans and has her own callous ideas to make higher ground by starring in Julia's next play. Julia's, best friend Lord Charles (Bruce Greenwood) steps in to support Julia's emotional turmoil, but only as a friend! Julia sets about her plans for revenge, contempt for all involved in any betrayal, opening night performance of her new play, let the farce begin.
"The sweet things in life, to you were just loaned"
"So how can you lose what you've never owned"?
"Life is just a bowl of cherries",
"So live and laugh at it all".
There are so many things I loved about this film, 1930's England, theatre life, the music, the joy and although this is set in the 30's the emotions of this piece remain contemporary, falling in love, falling out of love, making a fool of yourself, having a triumphant moment or a feeling like you want to die.
The casting is fantastic in this film, Annette Bening plays Julia Brilliantly, vibrantly, intelligently, giddy, reckless, dramatic and diva showing that in life all people make mistake but you pick yourself up and go forward. Well, matched in family matters against Bening's performance were Jeremy Irons as the sophisticated husband and good looking Tom Sturridge playing the son Roger, there's a very touching scene between mother and son.
Loved Michael Gambon performance as the ghostly mentor Jimmie Langton just brings that sense of fun!
(Julia's in real emotional turmoil, floods of tears) "Now that's the real thing Julia, or my name's not Jimmie Langton, but I've got some notes, You're still going over the top you've got to learn restraints".
We all at times would love to have someone whisper in our ear; lay it on the line and tell us how it really should be.
Not only the cast and writing of this which was great, but a nice touch popular songs of the era They Didn't Believe Me, Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries, Mad about the Boy, I Get a Kick Out of You, She's My Lovely and many more. Directed by Istvan Szabo, Screenwriter Ronald Harwood, overall it worked, I wanted to be entertained and this film is entertaining; a lovely and joyful film to watch.
Great Film Recommended.
Andrea Bowhill
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Behind the curtains of threatre!
Added 6/18/2009
Wow! an amazing piece of cinema indeed. A film about simply the joy of acting and threatre. The lead role played awfully well by the Remarkable Annette Benning, she just stole the whole show. Jeremy Irons as usual gives a performence close to perfection, never fails to potray any emotion beautifuly. Annette, you can never say enough about her in the film. She is just fantastic. She will snatch your heart away. Watch her in the role of a wife, a mother, a lover and a performer!! you will be overwhelmed. Definately worth watching. A wonderull experience indeed. Watch it specially if you love threatres!
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