Hollywood (2020)
I went into the Netflix miniseries Hollywood thinking I was going to hate it. I’ve studied the silver screen era for years, took an entire class on the Hays Code, and have seen far more old movies than new ones. I know names like Paul Muni and Robert Montgomery as well as my own. As the miniseries started, I racked up the flaws in my mind. Halfway through the first episode, I turned it off and instead watched the preview, wondering if it was going to get better. The preview made all the difference in the world, and I was able to sit back and enjoy the rest of the show.
The thing to keep in mind if you want to enjoy this miniseries is that it’s a fantasy. The tagline in the preview is, “What if you could rewrite the story?” This is not a documentary of how certain stars got their breaks in early Hollywood. This is not a realistic depiction of the business. This is a total fantasy that many young people today will probably love. People who don’t understand the massive prejudice from the 1940s or the importance of keeping homosexuality a secret will love to see the leads in this miniseries fight for injustices and public acceptance.
Some parts of the film have remarkably attention to detail, like the beautiful authentic-looking costumes, and some of the casting is careful, like George Cukor, Anna May Wong, Loretta Young, and Rosalind Russell. Other casting choices really didn’t care about looks, mannerisms, or sound. Guy Madison, Robert Montgomery, Susan Hayward, and Vivien Leigh are unrecognizable even after they’re announced. You’re going to have to decide whether or not you want to like this miniseries so you know which parts to concentrate on.
One aspect of the story I enjoyed was the generational variety in the cast. Young rising stars are not the only leads; Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone, and Joe Mantello have characters just as meaty and storylines just as interesting. I was very impressed with McDermott in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and now after seeing his wonderful performance as an aging pimp who still holds onto his Hollywood dreams, I’ll have to watch more of his movies. Feminists (and any self-respecting theatre fan) will love LuPone’s performance as a studio head’s wife who discovers the strength of her character amid troubled times. “If you want something done, let a woman do it,” she proudly states. Mantello broke my heart during almost every scene, but he didn’t hold the monopoly on tears. Jeremy Pope, in only his second screen performance, will certainly have a booming career ahead of him. His delivery is natural and heartfelt, and he can cry at the drop of a hat! One aspect of David Corenswet’s performance really impressed me, but if you’re not looking for it, it might pass you by: the way he talks when he’s on camera is different than when he’s in his regular life. If you close your eyes during his screen test (which I did), it sounds like he’s an old movie star!
While the main storyline will please more modern fans, there are little touches that will make old movie fans realize the creators did their homework. Holland Taylor teaches elocution to a group of starlets, reminding them that the mid-Atlantic accent is made-up for the movies. Rock Hudson’s screen test famously uses 67 takes because he can’t get his lines right. McDermott is given a line of dialogue teasing about working with Edmund Gwenn, probably because he starred in a remake of Miracle on 34th Street. Keep an eye out for Queen Latifah as Hattie McDaniel, Mira Sorvino as an aging starlet who never got a break, Rob Reiner as a tough studio head, and Jim Parsons as a shockingly villainous starmaker. And whatever you do, just remember this is an admitted fantasy. It’s not meant to be accurate.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to nudity, graphic sex scenes, and language, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Queen Latifah movies here!
The thing to keep in mind if you want to enjoy this miniseries is that it’s a fantasy. The tagline in the preview is, “What if you could rewrite the story?” This is not a documentary of how certain stars got their breaks in early Hollywood. This is not a realistic depiction of the business. This is a total fantasy that many young people today will probably love. People who don’t understand the massive prejudice from the 1940s or the importance of keeping homosexuality a secret will love to see the leads in this miniseries fight for injustices and public acceptance.
Some parts of the film have remarkably attention to detail, like the beautiful authentic-looking costumes, and some of the casting is careful, like George Cukor, Anna May Wong, Loretta Young, and Rosalind Russell. Other casting choices really didn’t care about looks, mannerisms, or sound. Guy Madison, Robert Montgomery, Susan Hayward, and Vivien Leigh are unrecognizable even after they’re announced. You’re going to have to decide whether or not you want to like this miniseries so you know which parts to concentrate on.
One aspect of the story I enjoyed was the generational variety in the cast. Young rising stars are not the only leads; Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone, and Joe Mantello have characters just as meaty and storylines just as interesting. I was very impressed with McDermott in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and now after seeing his wonderful performance as an aging pimp who still holds onto his Hollywood dreams, I’ll have to watch more of his movies. Feminists (and any self-respecting theatre fan) will love LuPone’s performance as a studio head’s wife who discovers the strength of her character amid troubled times. “If you want something done, let a woman do it,” she proudly states. Mantello broke my heart during almost every scene, but he didn’t hold the monopoly on tears. Jeremy Pope, in only his second screen performance, will certainly have a booming career ahead of him. His delivery is natural and heartfelt, and he can cry at the drop of a hat! One aspect of David Corenswet’s performance really impressed me, but if you’re not looking for it, it might pass you by: the way he talks when he’s on camera is different than when he’s in his regular life. If you close your eyes during his screen test (which I did), it sounds like he’s an old movie star!
While the main storyline will please more modern fans, there are little touches that will make old movie fans realize the creators did their homework. Holland Taylor teaches elocution to a group of starlets, reminding them that the mid-Atlantic accent is made-up for the movies. Rock Hudson’s screen test famously uses 67 takes because he can’t get his lines right. McDermott is given a line of dialogue teasing about working with Edmund Gwenn, probably because he starred in a remake of Miracle on 34th Street. Keep an eye out for Queen Latifah as Hattie McDaniel, Mira Sorvino as an aging starlet who never got a break, Rob Reiner as a tough studio head, and Jim Parsons as a shockingly villainous starmaker. And whatever you do, just remember this is an admitted fantasy. It’s not meant to be accurate.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to nudity, graphic sex scenes, and language, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Queen Latifah movies here!