Olympia Dukakis, I would imagine, is a much more famous name in the USA than she is here in the UK. Here we had to wait until 1987 and the release of the film, 'Moonstruck' before we knew who she was. Now, at the grand old age of 89, we are given a film documentary, about the life and career of this badass "octagenarian motherf*****", which seems out of date, coming across as insubstantial and extremely obsequious.
Running at 100 minutes, this saccharine-coated documentary follows Dukakis, a first generation American from Greek immigrant parents, through the first couple of years of her 80s; meaning that the film is now at least 7 years' out of date. And even more annoyingly, the documentary chooses to mix varying styles from rehearsed couch interviews, archive footage, photographs, and the style of documentary known as 'vérité'. (a kind of fly-on-the-wall). Many subjects are covered, from her early beginnings, starting her own theatre company in New Jersey because no-one would see past her name and ethnicity, to carving out a career as a brilliant stage actress. Sadly, this part of the film, the basis of her life and acreer was left tantalisingly short and was accompnaied by no moving footage, just promo photos of the plays she was in.
But it was the film, 'Moonstruck' which gained her universal public attention and appeal, and her subsequent portrayal of the first transgender television character to make it on US mainstream TV in the now iconic series, "Tales Of The City" earning the love and respect of the world's LGBTQ community.
The film goes from things like this, to the mundane and banal in a single stroke. Watching her shopping in a supermarket and asking a fan where the green tea is, for example. The writer and director of the film, Harry Mavromichalis, is obviously so starstruck with Dukakis that he seems unable to distinguish pertinent, relevant and insightful snippets from those which should perhaps never have even been considered for the film. Even the questions that the unseen interviewer asks on occassion seem rather strained, direct, and out of the blue. Fortunately Dukakis seems able, if perhaps not wanting, to answer them. There's no gentle builr-up to sensation or relevation, and Dukakis is presented as a forceful, matriarchal, strong, driving force, indefatigable and passionate. It has to be the final few moments of the film though, when she takes a trip back to her Greek homeland that we finally sense the real Olympia Dukakis underneath all the razz and backchat. There's a peace and a longing exposed here which even then was never exploited and all we are given is a tantalising glimpse of the private and perhaps more real person she is.
As an introduction to Olympia Dukakis, and her career, then this documentary ticks all the boxes, but as an in-depth profile, nuts-and-bolts warts-and-all look at what actually drives her and what she actually thinks, then the film is more than superficial.
Reviewer - Chris Benchley
on - 10/7/20
No comments:
Post a Comment