‘The head has nothing to do with the madness of love…’
Richard Linklater is a patient man. He took 12 years to make Boyhood and he first discussed making Blue Moon, a biopic about legendary Broadway songwriter Lorenz Hart, with Ethan Hawke over a decade ago. When Hawke suggested using make up to age himself up, Linklater said they would wait until Hawke had a few more lines in his face. And, here we are…
We meet Hart stumbling drunk into the gutter where he dies of pneumonia. In reality, however, his death begins months earlier after the premiere of Oklahoma! – the new musical written by Hart’s former creative partner, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott). Hart leaves the production early and arrives at Sardi’s restaurant where he is met by Bobby Cannavale’s tolerant and empathetic bartender and Jonah Lees talented and wide-eyed piano player. Hart’s waxes lyrical to the bartender and piano player about his love for Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley) – a much younger and glamorous Yale art student.
Blue Moon, aside from the opening scene, takes place in real time over one night. The opening 40 minutes in which Hart holds court with his two pals and writer E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy) are truly a joy to behold – like a Tom Waits song come to life. Hawke is spellbinding. It is a true transformation, in terms of looks, voice, gait, everything. As versatile as Hawke has been throughout his career, you’ve never seen him deliver a performance as compelling as this one. Not for nothing that he’s been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for a film that received no other acting nominations. The second half of the film, whilst still enjoyable in a wistful, melancholy way, is not quite as captivating. The arrival of Scott and Qualley allow Hawke to inhabit several different aspects of Hart – his lasciviousness, his hopeless naivety, his cruelty – with Robert Kaplow’s screenplay (also nominated) ensuring that these long scenes of two characters talking never become stale.
While Hawke has received all the plaudits, Blue Moon is a film that is well-acted across the board, looks beautiful and is one of the few musician biopics unafraid to deliver a warts and all portrayal of its subject. Barflies everywhere will love it. Bartenders will nod along sagely to Cannavale’s performance. In the end, Blue Moon is probably unfortunate not have a Best Picture nod to go with the two nominations it’s already received.
