Girls, I am telling you, last night's Part One broadcast of "Madoff," on ABC, was the campfest of the season!!!!!!!!!!! Blythe was at her best, in a series of stunning outfits that made her look better than Ruth Madoff ever thought of looking. I don't know who designed Blythe's wardrobe, but what a choice assignment. I should have so much, on my resume.
As played by Blythe, Ruth was no shrinking violet or Stepford Wife. She was a tough cookie, and the scene between them in the car, arguing over the children, just after one had been diagnosed with leukemia, was on a par with Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger in "On The Waterfront." I am still on the fence about Ruth's culpability--I don't think she was quite as naive as many were led to believe--but at least Blythe fleshed out and shaded Ruth enough to allow viewers to decide for themselves. And, unlike Dreyfuss, whom I am sure the director tried to direct, but simply gave up, allowing him to do what he always does, Blythe humanized Ruth in a way Dreyfuss did not, with Bernie.
Central Casting plucked every recognizable male actor who could dress in a suit to embody the Manhattan business community of Bernie Madoff. While Richard Dreyfuss, the hammiest of actors, always, hammed up Bernie in a style unmatched since early 19th Century American actors playing Simon Legree. From shot one on, he was despicable, with nary a trace of humanity. If only the writers had supplied some kind of explanation or examination of what triggered this behavior, or lack thereof. Bernie is simply Greed and Evil Incarnate. And maybe he was, but why??????
Blythe, of course, is the best thing in this, but she almost had the show stolen from under her by Liz Larsen's tour de force as the Hadassah tramp, who sleeps with Bernie. It fascinated me how, in scenes of romantic intimacy--Bernie and Ruth, Bernie and Sheila Weinstein (the Hadassah tramp!!!!!!!!!!) none of the actors look at each other. Richard, how can you be in a scene with Blythe Danner--BLYTHE DANNER, for God's sake!!!!!!!!--and not want to look at her???????
Liz, I get it; maybe you (and Blythe) simply could not stand the sight of Richard, who has aged and is pretty uglied up as Bernie. Or is he?????????????/
In any case, I cannot wait to see the next installment. What a cautionary tale for America--don't get above yourselves, if you were born in Queens, and do not sleep with Hadasshah tramps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oy vei, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I watched both parts last night. Overall, its about what I expected: Blythe was great putting some life into the weirdly lifeless persona of the actual Ruth, while Dreyfuss as usual couldn't resist all his "Goodbye Girl" tics (I kept waiting for one of the outbursts with his sons to end in "I don't - like - the - panties - hanging - on - the - rod"). But I do give him credit for mostly pulling off the sociopathic essence of Bernie, despite having none of the imposing physical stature. The peripheral characters were all well cast, and the explanation of how the scam succeeded for so long was the most comprehensible version yet.
ReplyDeleteYesterday's newspapers mentioned an upcoming HBO movie in the same vein, with Robert De Niro (of all people) playing Bernie and Michelle Pfeiffer as Ruth. In the photo, I was struck by how much more De Niro looked like Bernie than Dreyfuss did, despite being instantly recognizable as De Niro. And as Pfeiffer has aged, she's looking more and more like Blythe (a compliment): its impossible to tell their respective appearances as Ruth apart.
ReplyDeleteNow, everyone wants to play Bernie and Ruth! I say, let this version stand. I beleive Richard Dreyfuss has never taken a bit of direction in his life; the director says what to do, and he goes and does whatever he wants. In the case of Bernie, it worked. In other places, no. And, yes, I waited for that panties line, too. I mimicked it all through the 70's, into the 80's.
Thanks to BLythe, Ruth now fascinates me. They should do a movie on her, now, where it is Blythe's show all the way!