Why didn't more people see this film? Tim Robbins made an assured if unconventional film director debut with Bob Roberts, and his follow-up could barely be more different.
Taking his stylistic cue from Robert Altman, with whom he worked on The Player, the story is about a play, the eponymous The Cradle Will Rock, to be directed by the up and coming Orson Welles. Set against the political and artistic upheaval of the late 30's, at a time when "Commies" and "Red" were perhaps the two most feared words in middle America, Welles stumbles upon the writing of playwright Marc Blitzstein. He has written a play about the impoverished workers rising up against corruption, screaming and singing about their right to earn an honest buck. We are witness to every step of the artistic process, from Blitzstein (the incomparable Hank Azaria) writing the words and music alone, haunted by his former lover and his nemesis, through the political difficulties of putting on such a play at the time for all involved, along with the actors - both accomplished and untested - making their mark for different reasons, as well as observing the struggle of those working for the government, the theatre and the art world in general. Thrown into the mix are a ventriloquist fighting the end of vaudeville, artist Diego Rivera holding onto his artistic scruples in light of a commission from businessman Nelson Rockefeller and a homeless, penniless singer who can't sing, but has a pure heart.
With so many elements - the artistic, the narrative, the political and the historical - thrown together, it could have been a hard film to "get into", yet Robbins wastes no time in showing that if you immerse yourself in the world he is illustrating, there is much entertainment and education to be taken from the finished product. His masterstroke is in making the film both heavily theatrical, as most films about theatre are, yet purely cinematic. While many of the performances are so theatrical as to be almost over-the-top - notably Angus McFadyen as Welles and Cary Elwes as his producer - those outside the theatre world are more measured - Emily Watson has never been more beautiful or effective than here as the poor outsider; Susan Sarandon is both funny and touching as a frustrated art dealer stuck in a crowd of high-society money men - and the technical elements of the film are handled perfectly. The camera glides through corridors, streets and windows from one scenario to another, tying all the strands together; the period detail is spot on without being in your face; the editing and music are by turns calm and frenetic, tightening as the film progresses and events get more desperate.
And then there is the cast. Perhaps the biggest influence of Altman is evident in the casting, perhaps one of the finest ensemble casts ever assembled. While everyone acquits themselves wonderfully, special mention must go to Azaria and Watson, the film's heart, from different ends of the spectrum, each dealing with their own demons and shortcomings with tenderness and pathos, easily holding their own against a cast of screen luminaries. Sarandon is as good as she has ever been, nailing a difficult accent and drawing a truly interesting if politically ambiguous character. Vanessa Redgrave is having more fun than she ever seems to have had on film as someone with a lot of swing, who is just going along for the ride. Ruben Blades - nice to see him in such a notable role after an unfair number of years in the wilderness - is a joy as Rivera, displaying the conviction and lack of morals which marked out Rivera's personal life and the greatness of his professional life. Likewise John Cusack, having a ball as Rockefeller, and coming across as likeable at first, unforgiveable by the close. And finally, Bill Murray, showing once again that no-one can mix sharp one-line humour and tragedy as well as he. He is hilarious and pathetic at the same time, a man out of time with his finger no longer on the pulse of the common man's tastes or politics. In recent years he has gained notoriety for his tragi-comic performances in films such Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and the forthcoming Lost in Translation, and he is as good here as in any of these.
Perhaps an understanding of the period depicted would make the film more enjoyable, but it is by no means essential. I knew next to nothing of the events of the film and i found it to be hilarious, touching and educational, an intellectual gem in a sea of retarded kiss-kiss, bang-bang. Treat yourself on a rainy day and dig this one out. You won't regret it.
Taking his stylistic cue from Robert Altman, with whom he worked on The Player, the story is about a play, the eponymous The Cradle Will Rock, to be directed by the up and coming Orson Welles. Set against the political and artistic upheaval of the late 30's, at a time when "Commies" and "Red" were perhaps the two most feared words in middle America, Welles stumbles upon the writing of playwright Marc Blitzstein. He has written a play about the impoverished workers rising up against corruption, screaming and singing about their right to earn an honest buck. We are witness to every step of the artistic process, from Blitzstein (the incomparable Hank Azaria) writing the words and music alone, haunted by his former lover and his nemesis, through the political difficulties of putting on such a play at the time for all involved, along with the actors - both accomplished and untested - making their mark for different reasons, as well as observing the struggle of those working for the government, the theatre and the art world in general. Thrown into the mix are a ventriloquist fighting the end of vaudeville, artist Diego Rivera holding onto his artistic scruples in light of a commission from businessman Nelson Rockefeller and a homeless, penniless singer who can't sing, but has a pure heart.
With so many elements - the artistic, the narrative, the political and the historical - thrown together, it could have been a hard film to "get into", yet Robbins wastes no time in showing that if you immerse yourself in the world he is illustrating, there is much entertainment and education to be taken from the finished product. His masterstroke is in making the film both heavily theatrical, as most films about theatre are, yet purely cinematic. While many of the performances are so theatrical as to be almost over-the-top - notably Angus McFadyen as Welles and Cary Elwes as his producer - those outside the theatre world are more measured - Emily Watson has never been more beautiful or effective than here as the poor outsider; Susan Sarandon is both funny and touching as a frustrated art dealer stuck in a crowd of high-society money men - and the technical elements of the film are handled perfectly. The camera glides through corridors, streets and windows from one scenario to another, tying all the strands together; the period detail is spot on without being in your face; the editing and music are by turns calm and frenetic, tightening as the film progresses and events get more desperate.
And then there is the cast. Perhaps the biggest influence of Altman is evident in the casting, perhaps one of the finest ensemble casts ever assembled. While everyone acquits themselves wonderfully, special mention must go to Azaria and Watson, the film's heart, from different ends of the spectrum, each dealing with their own demons and shortcomings with tenderness and pathos, easily holding their own against a cast of screen luminaries. Sarandon is as good as she has ever been, nailing a difficult accent and drawing a truly interesting if politically ambiguous character. Vanessa Redgrave is having more fun than she ever seems to have had on film as someone with a lot of swing, who is just going along for the ride. Ruben Blades - nice to see him in such a notable role after an unfair number of years in the wilderness - is a joy as Rivera, displaying the conviction and lack of morals which marked out Rivera's personal life and the greatness of his professional life. Likewise John Cusack, having a ball as Rockefeller, and coming across as likeable at first, unforgiveable by the close. And finally, Bill Murray, showing once again that no-one can mix sharp one-line humour and tragedy as well as he. He is hilarious and pathetic at the same time, a man out of time with his finger no longer on the pulse of the common man's tastes or politics. In recent years he has gained notoriety for his tragi-comic performances in films such Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and the forthcoming Lost in Translation, and he is as good here as in any of these.
Perhaps an understanding of the period depicted would make the film more enjoyable, but it is by no means essential. I knew next to nothing of the events of the film and i found it to be hilarious, touching and educational, an intellectual gem in a sea of retarded kiss-kiss, bang-bang. Treat yourself on a rainy day and dig this one out. You won't regret it.
