JERSEY BOYS
US, 2014, 134 minutes, Colour.
John Lloyd Young, Eric Berghen, Vincent Piazza, Michael Lomenda, Christopher Walken, Mike Doyle.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
From 2006, audiences in the United States and then all around the world, have been introduced to the story of Frankie Valli and the band, The Four Seasons in the Broadway musical, Jersey Boys. They do not have the status in the popular music world as, say, Elvis Presley or, their contemporaries, the Beatles. But, they did have a lot of hits, on the top of the charts, playing in popular venues all over America, and building up a huge following. Jersey Boys appeared on Broadway and won 6 Tony awards, including one for the lead actor who played Frankie, John Lloyd Young who Eastwood invited to portray Frankie Valli on screen).
If one were to surmise who would be the director of the film version of this Broadway musical, Clint Eastwood would not necessarily be the first one to come to mind. He saw the production several times, was impressed by the book, the performances and several of the actors that he saw, particularly John Lloyd Young. Eastwood directed the film, released just after his 84th birthday. Which means that Eastwood is four years older than Frankie Valli. Eastwood was best known as Western star in Rawhide (a glimpse of which is seen in this film, what he calls his Hitchcock moment), then the spaghetti westerns and a range of films, including the musical, Paint Your Wagon. Eastwood directed his first film, Play Misty for Me, when he was 40.
After more than a 40 year career in directing, let alone acting, he has two Academy Awards for Best Director, Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby. The breadth of his film themes since he turned 70 and the skill with which he made them, including Mystic River, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Gran Torino, J Edgar, have made him more than a Hollywood legend. And he was in production with another film at the time of Jersey Boys release.
Eastwood has retained a lot of the structure of the play as well as the style of performance. Each of the four has the opportunity to look to camera, take the audience into their confidence, and the rate part of the story. As might be guessed, Eastwood is interested in the background of the boys, their growing up in New Jersey, especially in the 1950s, the Italian Catholic family background (Eastwood once again showing an interest in depicting Catholic aspects of American life), the links with the mob, the gangster bosses being part of the family, helping out in times of difficulty – of which there were many with the young men and their escapades, especially in stealing, going in and out of jail.
But Eastwood has also had a career in music, often composing in making arrangements for the sound tracks of his films, as well as filming Bird, the story of Charlie Parker, and Honky Tonk Man. He has also made documentaries about jazz.
Being a contemporary Frankie Valli, he seems to have resonated with the singer, the band, the songs and their lyrics. Audiences will not be disappointed as so many of the songs find their place in the narrative, some in performance in clubs or television, some as part of the plot. Non-fans may be surprised to hear quite a number of songs they are familiar with but had not connected them with Frankie Valley: Sherry, Big Girls, Walk like a Man, Oh What a Night, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You…
Frankie and his friends were always interested in music and sang at various clubs. Their friend Joe Pesci (that’s right, later the other actor) introduce them to Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen who took this role on stage), lyrics writer with whom Frankie clicked. With a hurry in composing the lyrics for Sherry, they impress their old friend from the past, Bob Crewe (Mike Doyle), now a music producer, and he arranges for a record. It is a huge success, the rhythms, the lyrics, Frankie is singing voice and his falsetto. On to American Bedstead, Bandstand, the Ed Sullivan Show.
Not all plain sailing, The manager of the group, Tommy DeVito? (Vincent Piazza) is rather self-centred, not as bright as he could be, borrowing money from loan sharks in increasingly large amounts, not paying the group’s taxes – which they do not know but it all comes to a head with the help of the local mob patriarch, Gyp (a rather engaging Christopher Walken). The band breaks up, Frankie and Bob have worked together but it seems better for Frankie to have a solo career. To him, being on the road, provides many difficulties with his marriage and, especially, dealing with his oldest daughter, Francine.
While the action ends with Frankie’s success singing Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, it does move forward to 1990 and the group, meeting together after a long time, being installed in the Rock and Role Hall of Fame (interestingly, although not mentioned in the film, 1990 was the year the Joe Pesci won an Academy award for his performance in Goodfellas).
And how to bring the film to an end – use the style of the curtain call with all the cast onstage all singing and dancing, an exuberant end to the film. (Of interest, Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudior were executive producers of the film.)
And the film is quite a night!
1. A successful stage presentation, six Tony Awards, including John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli? The story of Frankie Valli, The Four Seasons, music, songs? The transition to the screen? Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio as executive producers?
2. Clint Eastwood, his career in music? His age, four years older than Frankie Valli? His work as an actor, director, his perspectives? His blending drama, songs, stage and performance? The final credits like the final curtain call on the stage?
3. The title, New Jersey itself, the 1950s, post-war American suburbia? The Italian suburbs, the Catholic atmosphere and traditions? Language, and manners? Associations with the mob, Protection? Mobsters as friendly, part of the family, helping out in crises? The memories of Frank Sinatra from New Jersey and Mafia connections?
4. The use of the stage device of having the four main characters speak directly to camera, informing the audience, confiding in them? The effect of each of them revealing their characters and thoughts? The effect, the development of the screenplay and narrative?
5. The blend of drama, songs, performance? Interesting themes, musical and visual excitement?
6. New Jersey, the muted colour, suggesting the period? Boys, after-school, at school, at home, respect for parents, permissions? The significance stealing the safe, Frankie on the lookout, the safe too heavy for the car, the touch of humour, the failure, the police and interrogating Frankie on the street, knowing who did the job? Tommy and his leadership, the criminal touch? His brother, music, prison? Taking prison for granted, six-month sentences? The role of Gyp, going to him for influence and support? The place of Nick in the music group, going to the church to practice songs, the nun drinking the altar wine, calling the police? Before the judge, Nick going to jail? The warning for Frankie? The bond between the young men? The range of audiences, pizza parlours, cafes? Frankie and attraction to Mary, Tommy’s philosophy of women coming on, taking it slowly but still destructive? Frank and Mary at the cafe, the talking, her toughness, the wedding? Life in New Jersey, Frankie as a hairdresser, as part of the group, his love of singing, his ambitions?
7. Joe Pesci, part of the group, promoting Bob, (the energy association with Pesci during his film career),Frankie liking Bob, the financial discussions, Bob and his wanting to be a part of the band, equal member, the later partnership with Frankie? With a handshake rather than signing? Tommy, wanting to be boss, the vote, accepting Bob?
8. Bob and his lyrics, his rhythms, writing at home, his writing Sherry very quickly? Sing it over the phone? the relationship with Bob Crewe, as producer, friend with the group from the old days, his response to Sherry? The recording, its success, the comic scene with the DJ and his being besieged in his studio because he liked it?
9. Tommy, borrowing $3500 from Norman, the later repercussions, his gambling, spending the tax money? Norman coming to the Ed Sullivan Show, the demands? The group being in the dark? Nick narrating the two years in the flashback, Tommy and his deals, the difficulties, leaving a hotel without paying, the four being arrested and put in jail? The effect on each of them? The decision to go to Gyp? The $150,000 debt? Nick, sick of the whole situation, deciding to leave, pleading with him not to, his driving off? Frankie accepting all the debts, grateful to Tommy for getting him off the streets? Bob and his reaction, supportive of Frankie?
10. The style of music of the 1950s, ways of singing, crooning, falsetto? The different names for the group? The different musical roles for each, guitars and keyboard? Playing the clubs? Eventually going to American Bandstand, to the Ed Sullivan Show? The beat, the rhythms, styles, movement? Audience response? The music of the period in the US, Beatles…?
11. Tommy as a character, self-confident, organiser, gambling, managing, not paying, the consequences, his hygiene, using all the towels, Nicky’s reaction, getting sick of things? Not particularly intelligent? Things having to be explained? Gyp and his presiding over the discussions, the deals with Norman? The fight amongst the four and the discussions, Gyp taking over, Tommy being assigned to Las Vegas?
12. Nick, impulsive, his musical style, arrangements of the music, his talent? Going to prison?, playing, his deep voice for singing, the sequence with Tommy in the room, too much, hygiene, leaving?
13. Bob, younger than the others, personal style, music, yet financially shrewd, with Bob Crewe, their many compositions? The recording, the success, his role in the performance on the keyboard? The party, his narrative, the men getting him the girl, the birthday, sex? His bond with Frankie, the plans, the duo, the handshake the contract? his retiring, at Nasheville, producing music?
14. Frankie, meeting with Mary, tough? the wedding, home, the children, focus on Francine, Frankie and his absences, not a successful father, Mary and her drinking, collapses? Trying to deal with Francine? The fight, Frankie packing and leaving? Time passing, Francine’s disappearance, Frankie getting mob associates to find her? Getting Crewe to record her songs? The news of her suicide, the funeral?
15. Gyp, the mob in New Jersey, his personality, patriarchal, genial, wanting good manners, putting Tommy in his place, liking Frankie’s voice, Frankie singing the song for his mother and his giving him the title Bill to contact in any time, Frankie taking it up with the $150,000 debt? His hard stances, the discussions with Norman, the deal?
16. Frankie, life after leaving his family, the journalist, Veronica, the interviews, his relationship with her, the years, and not being able to sustain his absences, having her own life and work to live?
17. The range of songs, their familiarity, top of the charts, the interspersing of the drama with the songs, singing to Francine to put her to sleep, the songs commenting on the action? Frankie on his own, supported by Bob, the further songs and his success?
18. His opting out after Francine's death? Bob urging him to come back to performance? Writing the song, getting him to look at it?
19. The setting up of the performance? Frankie and his singing Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, the different style, the orchestra, the response of the audience?
20. 1990, he Rock and Rule Hall of Fame, the group gathering together, letting bygones be bygones, especially with Tommy? Acclaim? The performance?
21. Each of the four talking to camera, something of the past, what was going to happen to them?
22. The film's success as a drama, with serious issues about life in New Jersey, ambitions in the entertainment world, on financing, on tensions within the group, break-ups? The film as a successful vehicle for the songs? With the particular performances, the success of the films and music – and especially with everyone on stage, in the streets, singing at the end?
