I have recounted on here before my personal relationship with 'Merrily,' going back to the 1981 Original Broadway Production, which I saw twice; I was so enamored of it. I will gladly repeat it if needed. Just say so in the comments, and I will do another post on it.
But right now, I am urging everyone to see this film version of the Sondheim musical. It is more than a filmed stage play; it is a work of cinematic art as I will demonstrate. The entire score has been retained, and is just as beautiful as ever, and it really is a cinematic achievement. The last time I went crazy over a film version of a stage musical was when MERYL did "Mama Mia," back in 2008. Though its score cannot equal this one, which is why I think, over time, 'Merrily' will become a classic in the pantheon of well-done filmed musicals like "My Fair Lady," "The Sound Of Music," "Funny Girl," "Oliver!" and "Cabaret."
So well has Maria Friedman directed this film I would not mind her taking a crack at "FOLLIES." Now that is something worth waiting for.
How did Maria do it? Let's start with an extraordinary cast.
Jonathan Groff--OK, girls, pick yourselves up off the floor, we know he is incredibly good looking. Though the story remains the same, Groff's performance is different from any Franklin Shepard I have seen, because he remarkably manages to humanize a pretty despicable character. Viewers seeing this will not forget Frank's negatives, but when the film closes on this shot of a yearning, youthful Frank, he becomes as human as we have seen and reminds us of all of when we were young and starting out. How do we feel about the way we turned out? Hmm, girls? The film forces us to ask these questions of ourselves, and they may be hard to answer. But Groff's acting and singing are remarkable--screw "La La Land--and his is an Oscar caliber performance
Lindsay Mendez--Just look at this face, and you can see the pain in Mary Flynn. Mendez makes the viewer feel it throughout, and her voice is glorious. In some ways she is the most impacted of the three friends' breaking up, but I always wondered--in the opening scene, when Mary leaves the party, finished with Frank, I know she is going back to New York, but are she and Charley Kringas still friends? I have always wondered. Vocally, Lindsay knocks every one of the songs she is assigned out of the proverbial ballpark. She was robbed of a TONY Award, so where is that Best Supporting Actress Oscar?????????????????
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Daniel Radcliffe--How fitting the film's most recognizable cast member is also the biggest surprise! His, for me, was the most heartbreaking of all the performances. His pain when signing "Franklin Shepard, Inc.," which he nails with razor sharp precision, is so palpable, and his is the most moving rendition of "Good Thing Going" I have ever heard. He is a revelation, darlings, and like his co-stars, deserves an Oscar for his especially gripping performance.
Noticeably, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth sings the hell out of "Not A Day Goes By," and Mary's internal response at the wedding is just devastating. Lindsay scores again. Clarke is also great in the "Bobby, Jackie, And Jack" number. I was sorry when she had to disappear from the story.
God bless Maria Friedman; it took her and 42 years to get this show right. What she has most noticeably done is really pared down the story to being really about Frank and Charley, and the actors play them almost as a team, with Mary looking on in support. This was especially true during the heartbreaking final number, "Our Time," where one is forced to first question one's decisions. In the Original Broadway Production, the trio were backed up by a youthful ensemble, and while they sounded gorgeous, it took away from the intimacy of the lead trio. Friedman makes the number more about Charley and Frank, though Lindsay's Mary joins in, with her captivating voice. As my David says, it is all their time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kudos to Krystal Joy Brown for making Gussie Carnegie stand out more than she has in other productions. Her despicability level, I think, exceeds even Frank. And Reg Rogers' performance as her cast aside husband Joe is both theatrical and sadly touching. This is the first time I have really noticed Joe as a character. Rogers is good; forget Nathan Lane, he is the one who should be doing Willy Loman this Spring.
I want all my readers to get out and see this emotionally gripping musical. I am so glad I lived long enough to have seen it made right.
If only Sondheim and Hal Prince had lived to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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