Displaying items by tag: Bill Pullman

HALSTON

US, 2021, 5 X 45 minutes, 2021, Colour.

Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Dayan, David Pittu, Krysta Rodriguez, Gian Franco Rodriguez, Bill Pullman, Jason Kravitz, Mary Beth Pell, Rory Culkin, Kelly Bishop, Vera Famiga,  Sullivan Jones.

Directed by Daniel Minahan.

In 2019, there was a documentary on Halston, biography, a portrait, his impact in the fashion world, his downfall. Recommendation for those who have not seen either film, the documentary of this television series, is to watch the documentary first, an overall view of Halston, the person, his work, the drama of his life before looking at this dramatic interpretation, gauging the drama against the background of the more factual account.

This drama moves around in time, different emphases on Halston and his personality, his talent, his success, his business failures, the era of his highs, the era of his lows.

Attention is given to his family background, from the midwest, his emerging as a designer. The film does highlight his abilities, with fabric, cutting, the material draping, his designs and the range of his shows. For audiences interested in fashion, a great deal to look at. Particularly significant is the show at Versailles, his being pressurised by Eleanor Lambert, participating in the American show in Paris, snubbed by the French, acclaimed by the audience, the contribution by Halston’s close friend, Liza Minnelli (a strong performance and impersonation from Krysta Rodriguez).

Alston was preoccupied with his work, obsessed, working long hours, making demands on his associates, including a young designer, Joel Schumacher, who was later to become a significant Hollywood director. There were also the business difficulties, the dealings with David Mahoney (Bill Pullman) and Halston, sometimes arrogant, sometimes short-sighted, finding himself in financial positions, takeovers not to his liking. Ultimately, taken over by companies not interested in fashion, controlled by executives who did not understand fashion.

There was also Halston’s lifestyle, not so much emphasised in the documentary, his relationship with Ed who was to become a designer in the company, his prowling for partners and encountering Victor Hugo, would-be artist, a companion for many years, but ultimately tangled in disputes and financial deals. And, the link with Studio 54 and Steve Rubel.

Halston was not a likeable character, talented, obsessed, the series tracing his successful years and his being the victim of his own arrogance, his downfall.

1. Audience knowledge of Halston, his talent, fashion achievement, personal life?
2. The contrast between the documentary, the dramatising, personalities?
3. Ewan McGregor, his portrait of Halston? The supporting cast, being actual characters, especially Liza Minnelli?
4. Characters, drama, Halston and his relationship with his staffs, with the models, friendship with Liza Minnelli, Elsa Peretti and her jewellery, Eleanor Lambert and Versailles, David Mahoney and his wife?
5. Sexual orientation, the meeting with Ed in the bar, the relationship? Ed later working for him? On the prowl, the encounter with Victor Hugo, their time together, the attraction, the falling out, Studio 54, the financial confrontations?
6. His origins, ambitions, talent, his experience with fabrics, his eye, the cut and the draping of the material, Jackie Kennedy and the pillbox hat, women’s clothes and comfort, his working for Bergdorf-Goodman, the contracts, JC Penney?
7. The episode at Versailles, Eleanor Lambert and her insistence, relying on Liza Minnelli, the treatment by the French, the performance, the success and applause? Status of American fashion?
8. His personal life, relationships, tempestuous, his reliability, arrogance, expenses, the layout of his office, the luxury, the flowers, his extravagance? Alcohol and drugs and their toll?
9. The world of Studio 54, Steve Rubel, the guests, the behaviour, club, sexual? The arrest of Rubel? The issue of the design of the party, his being shunned?
10. Halston, business, David Mahoney, decisions, not considered, impetuous, regrets? Failure, the companies and their ignorance, overseers?
11. AIDS, his being silent about his having , AIDS San Francisco, his death?
12. His talent, overreaching himself, success, but also consequences?

MURDAUGH MURDERS: THE MOVIE

US, 2023, 185 minutes, Colour.

Bill Pullman, Lauren K. Robeck, Curtis Tweedie, Donavon Stinson, Vanessa Walsh, Tanja Dixon-Warren.

Directed by Greg Beeman.

This is a Lifetime production, a recreation of actual characters and events, crime and trials. Adapted for the wide popular audience.

The action takes place from the late 2010s, the crimes at the centre in 2021.

The film introduces us to a South Carolina family, long tradition of lawyers, comfortable living, pride. The focus is on Alex Murdaugh, middle-aged, two sons (one film is never seen but referred to), but seemingly subdued because of his stern father and the tradition of father and grandfather with his legal company. With their place in society, they have quite a lot of influence, connections, favours given, even with judges for places in country clubs…

Alex is married to Maggie, their teenage son, Paul, living at home, the servants, Gloria, drinking heavily, with his friends, and clashing with his father. There are financial difficulties, Alex has an opioid problem, taking money from accounts, getting behind in repayments, and, as the film reveals, making all kinds of payments, pretending to be sympathetic for injury cases but siphoning off the grants.. There are also scenes with him visiting a young woman, a violent sexual encounter.

This all builds up to an evening where somebody in a hooded raincoat shoots his son and his wife, Alex calling the police, the explanations – especially in connection with his son who has been involved in a boating accident with consequent death of a young woman, his being under the influence of drink.

The audience looking at the story makes the assumption that the hooded killer is Alex himself. What follows is police investigation, interventions by the authorities, Alex in denial, playing the macho, but eventually going to court, his use of an expert lawyer to defend him, but his being found guilty. And there are a few complications throughout, even with Alex asking a former client indebted to him to do a bypass shooting and injuring him.

Comments say that Bill Pullman has all the mannerisms of the actual Alex Murdaugh. He is a smooth character on the one hand, and completely unlikable as well. Many praised Bill Pullman’s performance, others not persuaded – and this reviewer had a similar reaction to him and his mannerisms, let alone his denials.

1. Screened in two parts on television? Based on actual characters and events? Comment that this re-creation stays close to the facts?
2. American audiences, familiar with the case? The impact on the audiences outside the US? The credibility of the characters, the plot, the crimes? The final information about sentencing?
3. South Carolina setting, the style of life in the south, reputations, the law and lawyers, John Grisham territory? The lawyers themselves, ethics, long family traditions and pride, influence in society, favours, cutting corners? Reputations, pride, falls?
4. Alex and his situation, finance, debts, as wife’s cheques bouncing, his meeting up with his drug supplier, taking of opioids? Other cases, the crippled man, his offer of compensation? The maid and her tripping on the step, her death, allegedly tripping of the dog? The funeral, Alex offering compensation for the family? The series of these sympathetic grants, the long delays, the money not coming through, his being taken to court?
5. The revelation of the deals, his associate questioning him, missing money, false accounts?
6. The young woman, his attraction, visit to her, the Savage sexual encounter and his injuries?
7. Clashes with his son, drinking, the surly attitude of the son, his mother support? Drinking with his friends in Alex’s office, the scope of the opioids, his son’s hold over him? The drinking outing, the girls, the dispute about driving the boat, the crash into the bridge, the girl disappearing and drowning, Paul in denial? Police investigations, Alex and his ambiguous role, his son being charged? Offer of protection, the court, the lawyers?
8. The buildup to the killings, the visualising of them, Alex and his reaction, the investigators? The continued investigations, the inconsistencies, Alex and his continued lying, apologies, allegedly visiting his mother, his father in hospital, the carer and trying to force her testimony, her telling the truth in court? The continued backtracking, the episode of the drive-by shooting, the man giving testimony? The issue of looking people in the eye and lying? His practice sessions of absolute love for his family?
9. The court proceedings, the prosecution, the artful defence, the jury, guilty?
10. The repercussions for Alex, the taking down of his grandfather’s portrait in the court, the prison sequences? Continued denial?

THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN

US, 2017, 111 minutes, Colour.

Bill Pullman, Kathy Baker, Peter Fonda, Stephen Alan Seder, Joseph E Anderson, Lewis Pullman, Joe Anderson, Tommy Flanagan, Jim Caviezel, Diego Josef, Michael Spears.

Directed by Jared Moshe.

With a title including the word, ballad, this is a Western with a difference, a celebration of the past, a critique of the past, the song of a legend. However, the legend is a very limited man, Lefty Brown, played so expertly by Bill Pullman, always on the side, shot in action, a limp which led to the nickname Lefty.

Montana, 1889, a film with beautiful landscapes.

The frontier is changing, Peter Fonda playing a candidate for Congress, Jim Caviezel playing the governor, Tommy Flanagan playing the Marshall, all of them riders in the past together.

When the Congressional candidate is killed, he and Lefty apprehended horse thieves, Lefty is blamed by the Congressman’s wife, Laura, Kathy Baker. Lefty then goes on a mission to apprehend the killers only to find that he is being blamed for the death.

So the ballad continues as Lefty rides through Montana, in search of the killers, coming across an eager young shooter with talent, Jeremiah (Diego Josef) and the two bond. The Marshall goes in pursuit of Lefty to save him from breaking the law – but is persuaded by Jeremiah to become part of the search.

One feature of the action here is the arrival of the killer, Frank Baines (Joe Anderson), gunfights, Jeremiah saving Lefty, other horsemen arriving and the link made with the governor.

This builds up to a final confrontation, Lefty confronting the governor, the governor explaining the situation why the Congressman had to die, his opposition to a railroad deal – and Laura overhearing it, wanting vengeance but Lefty taking the treatment of the governor into his own hands to save Laura from the law.

Something of a slow burn, very good cast, the top performance by Bill Pullman – an underrated Western.

1. The tone of the title, the western story, but a legend in ballad?
2. Montana, 1889, the visuals of the mountain landscapes, the open plains, the town? Interiors, homes, bars? The rugged terrain? The musical score?
3. The Western frontier, the 19^th century, the frontier lessening, politics, deals, the railroads? Yet the gunfighters, guns for hire, lynchings, murders?
4. The situation, Lefty and his friendship with Ed, Ed moving to Congress, relationship with Laura, the missing horses, the two going to find them, the ambush and Ed’s death? Lefty surviving, returning, Laura blaming him for not protecting Ed? Yet Ed, and his ruthlessness, hangings?
5. Lefty and his decision to find the killers, his always being a second, illiterate, meaning well? Bill Pullman’s performance? Riding the range, searching for clues, the encounter with Jeremiah, Jeremiah and his age, ambitions, Western traditions, bonding with Lefty?
6. The governor, the Marshall, the past, the riding with Ed and Lefty? The Governor and his smooth manner, supporting Laura? The Marshal, his drinking, riding to protect Lefty, the interactions with Lefty and Jeremiah, Jeremiah and the stories, persuading him to help?
7. Frank Baines, the killer, his gang, for hire, motivations, the attack, the wounding of Jeremiah, the fights, the escapes, Jeremiah shooting Frank?
8. Jeremiah, his wounds, Lefty looking after him? Jeremiah moving into action, saving Lefty?
9. The riders, the recognition of a rider from the Governor? Lefty and the decision to return?
10. The confrontation with the Governor, his confessing the truth, Laura overhearing, the deals with the railroads, Ed’s opposition, the Governor hiring the killers?
11. Laura, her antipathy towards Lefty, wanting him to die? Discovering the truth, wanting to take the law into our own hands concerning the Governor?
12. Lefty, Justice for the governor, rituals of hanging, Lefty not wanting Laura to be involved, executing justice – going on his way, expecting to finish in prison?