08 August 2009

"The Letter"

Somerset Maugham's short story has been adaptd for stage   screen   tv. now it's an opera.

last nite we saw the premiere production of the opera & today the William Wyler film version. in almost every aspect the movie is the superior work of art. Max Steiner's score is more memorable. the screenplay trumps the libretto (altho the latter steals huge chunks of the former). Bette Davis is more engaging than Patricia Racette. Orry-Kelly's costumes are sublime whereas Tom Ford's are a disaster.

4 comments:

Radish King said...

The only time I get to the opera is when I'm playing in the pit. It's a good reason to move to Europe. Opera there is for everyone, tickets are affordable and you can take a train. Opera here is for the women with dangerous shoulder blades to stand in the bathroom in beautiful dresses snorting coke and making the musicians wait in line to pee even though we have to get back first.


There. I've finally said it.

Rebecca

Bill Fogle said...

But Bette
Davis
could not
sing.

cinemage books said...

That didn't stop her from singing. There is a clip of her on a variety show (andy williams?) singing a song about Baby Jane. And there she is again singing they're either too young or too old in I think stage door canteen.

Bill Fogle said...

I knew somebody was gonna say that about Baby Jane Hudson!