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Nicole Kidman As Grace Kelly? Good Choice, I Say! Tuesday, July 30, 2013 by Liz Smith “YOUR GOAL was to be an actress, not a cheap stripper.” “My sister is the actress, mother. And I’m not a ‘cheap stripper.’ I’m the highest paid in the business.” “You won’t be ready for vaudeville when it comes back.” “Huh! No. I’ll be dead!” So it went between Gypsy Rose Lee and Mama Rose, in “Gypsy” as the pair begin the countdown to the classic musical’s epic last act argument. |
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LAST year we saw some good actors — Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer and many other hot men take it off it in the stripper movie “Magic Mike.” I loved it! And many felt it was about time, too. They felt it was past time for men on film to be objectified — for an entire film! Not just the occasional glimpse of Michael Fassbender’s impressive goodies, or waiting for Daniel Craig to remove his shirt briefly. (Of course, “Magic Mike” was relentlessly heterosexual. In the world of “MM,” there appeared to be no gay male strippers.)
Now, really — no offense to Miss Paltrow, who is certainly an attractive woman — the world’s Most Beautiful, according to People magazine — and the mother of two children. But she seems a highly unlikely stripper in my book. We’ll see. I guess that’s why they call it acting. (And Pilates!) As for Jennifer, now in her early 40s, she looks fabulous and fit and despite all the tabloid gossip, always looks happy, too. Jennifer is hardly the tragic figure she is made out to be, just because she has not re-married yet and does not have children. We’ve come a long way, baby, not long enough for so many to conclude that unless a woman is married and the mother of at least one child, she is “unfulfilled.” "We’re The Millers” is a comedy. Along with endless ruminating about her personal life, people constantly ask, “Will Jennifer ever get out her ‘rom com’ movies and do some ‘serious’ Oscar-caliber acting?” I say, "Why should she?" Yes, she was excellent in the downbeat “The Good Girl” and has had convincing dramatic moments in other movies — even her comedies. Why does she have to move out of a comfortable, profitable niche? Her movies are not always hits but they have made Jennifer Aniston an extremely wealthy woman. (People keep hiring her — others beside Jennifer are making money off her work!) And, apparently she likes doing those movies. It’s still “acting,” even if she isn’t playing a serial killer or a nun. Or a serial-killing nun. I’m sure her fans will enjoy Miss Aniston’s adventure in burlesque. |
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Recently, we’ve seen Michelle Williams Oscar nominated for her turn as Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn.” (Don’t get the real MM fans started on Michelle’s interpretation or the incredible irony of her Oscar nod, seeing as how Hollywood never saw fit to so recognize Monroe.) Cate Blanchett won a Best Supporting Academy Award for cleverly capturing the essence of a young Katharine Hepburn in “The Aviator.” (I don’t think anyone could really impersonate the older Hepburn without falling into parody. The star herself seemed to enjoy self-parody, as her legend grew.) And Reese Witherspoon won a Best Actress Oscar portraying June Carter Cash in “Walk the Line” opposite Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash. I can’t say that Reese was really anything like June, but she was terrific in the part. It seemed to be a distillation of all the other upfront, no-nonsense women she’s played — often Southern. It was Miss Witherspoon at her best. Fans of June Carter Cash might have had quibbles. (When Susan Hayward— Oscar nominated, played Lillian Roth in “I’ll Cry Tomorrow,” her performance was so powerful, but so different from the real-life Roth, that Lillian changed her onstage style, so as not to disappoint fans of the movie and Miss Hayward!) |
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AND SOON we’ll be seeing willowy Nicole Kidman as Princess Grace Kelly in the feature film, “Grace of Monaco.”
Tim Roth will play Prince Rainier, the unlikely Serene Highness who swept Grace off her feet. Or did he? How well I recall an interview Grace gave to Barbara Walters many years ago. The Princess was still a beauty, but seemingly ossified by her duties. Under the polite replies and gracious smiles one sensed a deep ennui and perhaps a fair share of bitterness. It was the people of Monaco who forced Grace to reject the role of “Marnie” for Alfred Hitchcock. Not suitable, said her subjects. She was not amused. (Of course, had Grace accepted the role, we’d never know today what a horrible person Hitchcock was, according to Tippi Hedren— who eventually played Marnie.) Kidman will probably be very good as Grace. Especially as the real-life woman had no “big” mannerisms or vocal quirks for Nicole to attempt to imitate. Grace was rather regal during her days of stardom — she and Audrey Hepburn were the ladylike antidotes to the more fleshy charms of Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe and Kim Novak. But Miss Kelly was rumored to have had quite a lively love life before she wore the crown. And why not? Now, Nicole Kidman can do “regal” standing on her elegant head. It should be fascinating, this coming movie, “Grace of Monaco,” from the great Harvey Weinstein. |
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