When Patty Hewes went crazy, and Captain Jack and Wolverine were her pool boys...
Back last autumn when I did my Sunset Boulevard rewatching for my Yuletide story, I also checked out various bits and pieces of the musical based on the film because I was interested in how other actresses and actors interpreted the part. It's also interesting in what it says about adaption to another medium. I don't think I could stand a Sunset Boulevard remake: it's one of these films where a remake wouldn't just be unthinkable heresy, but also extremely impractical. Back in 1950, Billy Wilder made a contemporary film, not a costume drama, as any remake would invariably be. He also, and this is an advantage no one will ever have again, had actual stars from the silent age avalable to let them play against then-contemporary actors, and the clash in styles is as much part of the story as anything else. But a) theatre, and b) a musical is such a different form of expression that I don't mind in the same way I would a film remake.
Plus: watching the likes of Glenn Close, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey et al having a go at Norma Desmond, or Hugh Jackman and John Barrowman try their hand at Joe Gilles is immensely entertaining, I have to admit.
First, a clipse from the scene in the movie Norma's first big solo is based on. This is the first encounter between Joe Gillis, our narrator, out of work screen writer and future boy toy, played by William Holden, and Norma Desmond, very much against her will retired silent movie goddess, played by Gloria Swanson, actual silent movie goddess. Holden is all low key and cynical amusement when he delivers Wilder's zingers (spoiler: which none of the musical boys manages to be), while Swanson is expressionistic gestures but also more anger and less pathos than the musical singers show. Okay, the original, the one and only:
Now here's Glenn Close in the musical's equivalent of the same scene. The Gillis actor sounds way too impressed when he says "you're Norma Desmond! You used to be big!" for my money (if Joe really venerated Norma, the story would happen differently), but Close is fine, with the necessary larger than life ness and narcisissm. As I mentioned, I think the musical gives Norma more pathos and less anger, which I don't think was such a good choice for this particular scene, but that's the music, not the performance:
Glenn Close was the first American Norma for the musical version, but the first British one was Patti LuPone, and the fact she didn't also open in Los Angeles was one of those theatrical feud stories. Supposedly her voice was fine but her acting missing. I believed that because I had no trouble believing Glenn Close outacting Patti LuPone; however, then I saw this clip, which can't be embedded, on YouTube, which shows LuPone in the work shop before the musical even debuted, and for my money, her acting is actually better there than Close, because she's not modelling her peformance on Gloria Swanson (which Glenn Close is), she's finding her own interpretation. Maybe this was the problem. Because in the clip below, from the actual stage version, she's modelled on Swanson and not quite there (though her voice of couse is great):
The second big Norma solo is based on the scene in the film where Norma is visiting the Paramount studios again. It's Norma at her most happy - she thinks Cecil B.DeMille (played by himself, Wilder asked him whether they could shoot that scene while DeMille was making Samson and Delilah) wants her and the script she offered, she's back at her old place of work - while the audience is aware the truth is actually very different. Note the details: Norma's silent reaction to the sound mike that accidentally swings her way, for example:
Now the same scene in the musical. The song in question - As if we'd never said goodbye became the closest thing to a breakout hit Sunset Boulevard the musical had, and a favourite for singers in concert (I'll get to that) who sing it as a genuine triumph song. Meanwhile, Glenn Close in her performance below foreshadows what will actually happen in the line where Norma sings she never had so much to live for; it's an aching moment of vulnerability. Also, I'm not generally a fan of Don Black's lyrics - the poor guy has to compete with Wilder's legendary script, of course - but now and then he excels, and I think this song is great on conjuring up the atmosphere of a movie studio:
Elaine Page, queen of Broadway, peforming the same song. I think the desperate longing for this to be a genuine return to her world of film is even more intense in her Norma:
On to the boys. Norma Desmond is one of those larger than life characters who became instantly iconic; the same could not be said for Joe Gillis, the hero of the saga. This, however, does not mean any version of Sunset Boulevard does not need a good actor to play Joe. William Holden, who plays Joe in the film, was one of Wilder's favourite actors and along with Jack Lemmon supposedly the closest thing to a muse. It's probably not a coincidence that both Holden and Lemmon play characters who sell out in one way or the other in the most famous roles they play for Wilder, who was interested in the subject even as a young scriptwriter in Berlin making additional cash as a "Eintänzer" (read: gigolo) and writing an article about it. (Said article notes that one mistake you should never make is giving the woman who hires you the impression you feel sorry for her. The most unerotic and insulting thing of all, pity, writes young B.W.) Joe's big number in the musical has no concrete basis on a film scene; it comes after the break, when Joe basically sums up the plot so far and explains to the audience his current state of mind. However, the occasional extremely unWilderian lyric about those brave pioneers who founded California aside, the song does a good job of capturing the tone of Joe's voice over in the film ("now I have suits, and she has hope, it seemed an elegant solution" just about sums it up).
I was intrigued by finding both Hugh Jackman and John Barrowman tackling Joe Gillis. On the one hand, it made sense; they both have musical experience, and they have played characters trading on their charm before. On the other, they also tend to do for the larger than life approach, and in Sunset Boulevard, this doesn't work because Joe is supposed to be, well, Joe Normal, confronted with Norma and Max as the relics from another age living in a bizarre world. Modern low key acting and quips versus silent expressionism, in terms of performance. So, wondered I, how would they resolve that? Decide for yourself:
Hugh Jackman as Joe Gillis:
John Barrowman as Joe Gillis:
Jackman shows more restraint until the last verse when he just belts it out, Barrowman comes closer to Wilderean cynicsm, but neither can resist the star approach. :)
Speaking of stars: Sunset Boulevard is very much the deconstruction of one while also being a celebration and rejuvenation (but for that role, Gloria Swanson would have hardly gotten another shot at the Oscar, though frustratingly she didn't win). Not surprisingly, quite a few larger than life singers seem to have skipped the irony, deconstruction and satire part and picked the songs as a purely "Yay me!" vehicle. Being larger than life, they can actually carry it off. Barbra Streisand singing As if we never said goodbye:
Shirley Bassey singing both of Norma's big numbers as a big medley, and here's my finale:
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/858286.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
Plus: watching the likes of Glenn Close, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey et al having a go at Norma Desmond, or Hugh Jackman and John Barrowman try their hand at Joe Gilles is immensely entertaining, I have to admit.
First, a clipse from the scene in the movie Norma's first big solo is based on. This is the first encounter between Joe Gillis, our narrator, out of work screen writer and future boy toy, played by William Holden, and Norma Desmond, very much against her will retired silent movie goddess, played by Gloria Swanson, actual silent movie goddess. Holden is all low key and cynical amusement when he delivers Wilder's zingers (spoiler: which none of the musical boys manages to be), while Swanson is expressionistic gestures but also more anger and less pathos than the musical singers show. Okay, the original, the one and only:
Click to viewNow here's Glenn Close in the musical's equivalent of the same scene. The Gillis actor sounds way too impressed when he says "you're Norma Desmond! You used to be big!" for my money (if Joe really venerated Norma, the story would happen differently), but Close is fine, with the necessary larger than life ness and narcisissm. As I mentioned, I think the musical gives Norma more pathos and less anger, which I don't think was such a good choice for this particular scene, but that's the music, not the performance:
Glenn Close was the first American Norma for the musical version, but the first British one was Patti LuPone, and the fact she didn't also open in Los Angeles was one of those theatrical feud stories. Supposedly her voice was fine but her acting missing. I believed that because I had no trouble believing Glenn Close outacting Patti LuPone; however, then I saw this clip, which can't be embedded, on YouTube, which shows LuPone in the work shop before the musical even debuted, and for my money, her acting is actually better there than Close, because she's not modelling her peformance on Gloria Swanson (which Glenn Close is), she's finding her own interpretation. Maybe this was the problem. Because in the clip below, from the actual stage version, she's modelled on Swanson and not quite there (though her voice of couse is great):
The second big Norma solo is based on the scene in the film where Norma is visiting the Paramount studios again. It's Norma at her most happy - she thinks Cecil B.DeMille (played by himself, Wilder asked him whether they could shoot that scene while DeMille was making Samson and Delilah) wants her and the script she offered, she's back at her old place of work - while the audience is aware the truth is actually very different. Note the details: Norma's silent reaction to the sound mike that accidentally swings her way, for example:
Now the same scene in the musical. The song in question - As if we'd never said goodbye became the closest thing to a breakout hit Sunset Boulevard the musical had, and a favourite for singers in concert (I'll get to that) who sing it as a genuine triumph song. Meanwhile, Glenn Close in her performance below foreshadows what will actually happen in the line where Norma sings she never had so much to live for; it's an aching moment of vulnerability. Also, I'm not generally a fan of Don Black's lyrics - the poor guy has to compete with Wilder's legendary script, of course - but now and then he excels, and I think this song is great on conjuring up the atmosphere of a movie studio:
Elaine Page, queen of Broadway, peforming the same song. I think the desperate longing for this to be a genuine return to her world of film is even more intense in her Norma:
On to the boys. Norma Desmond is one of those larger than life characters who became instantly iconic; the same could not be said for Joe Gillis, the hero of the saga. This, however, does not mean any version of Sunset Boulevard does not need a good actor to play Joe. William Holden, who plays Joe in the film, was one of Wilder's favourite actors and along with Jack Lemmon supposedly the closest thing to a muse. It's probably not a coincidence that both Holden and Lemmon play characters who sell out in one way or the other in the most famous roles they play for Wilder, who was interested in the subject even as a young scriptwriter in Berlin making additional cash as a "Eintänzer" (read: gigolo) and writing an article about it. (Said article notes that one mistake you should never make is giving the woman who hires you the impression you feel sorry for her. The most unerotic and insulting thing of all, pity, writes young B.W.) Joe's big number in the musical has no concrete basis on a film scene; it comes after the break, when Joe basically sums up the plot so far and explains to the audience his current state of mind. However, the occasional extremely unWilderian lyric about those brave pioneers who founded California aside, the song does a good job of capturing the tone of Joe's voice over in the film ("now I have suits, and she has hope, it seemed an elegant solution" just about sums it up).
I was intrigued by finding both Hugh Jackman and John Barrowman tackling Joe Gillis. On the one hand, it made sense; they both have musical experience, and they have played characters trading on their charm before. On the other, they also tend to do for the larger than life approach, and in Sunset Boulevard, this doesn't work because Joe is supposed to be, well, Joe Normal, confronted with Norma and Max as the relics from another age living in a bizarre world. Modern low key acting and quips versus silent expressionism, in terms of performance. So, wondered I, how would they resolve that? Decide for yourself:
Hugh Jackman as Joe Gillis:
John Barrowman as Joe Gillis:
Jackman shows more restraint until the last verse when he just belts it out, Barrowman comes closer to Wilderean cynicsm, but neither can resist the star approach. :)
Speaking of stars: Sunset Boulevard is very much the deconstruction of one while also being a celebration and rejuvenation (but for that role, Gloria Swanson would have hardly gotten another shot at the Oscar, though frustratingly she didn't win). Not surprisingly, quite a few larger than life singers seem to have skipped the irony, deconstruction and satire part and picked the songs as a purely "Yay me!" vehicle. Being larger than life, they can actually carry it off. Barbra Streisand singing As if we never said goodbye:
Shirley Bassey singing both of Norma's big numbers as a big medley, and here's my finale:
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/858286.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.