[FilmReview]TheTrialofChicago7(2020)7.8/10andTheGlorias(2020)7.1/10

TwocontemporaryUSAhistoricaldramasmakeanopportunedoublebill,coveringthesweepingscaleofLandofFreedom’sentrenchedracism,sexism,abortionrights,theVietnamwar,policebrutality,whitesupremacy,Byzantine,institutionalcorruptionandjurisdictionalinjustice.Whatbothmoviesdepictisonlyregretfullytooclosetohomefortoday’sstatesideaudience,yettheyareworthyofessentialviewingonaccountofexactlythesamereason.THETRAILOFCHICAGO7isSorkin’ssophomoredirectorialendeavor(heoriginallywrotethescriptin2007,StevenSpielbergwastheintendingdirector,afteradozenyearsmiredinpreproductionhell,itishighttimethathechoosestotakethereinhimself),asparks-flyingcourtroomdramaaboutthenotorioustrialofagroupofanti-VietnamWarprotesters,indictedwithconspiracyandintentionofincitingriotatthe1968DemocraticNationalConventioninChicago.Thetitularsevendefendantsareallwhitemale,plusoneblackmarkedmanBobbySeale(Abdul-Mateen,atoweringspecimenofstout-hearteddignityandbottled-uprage),theco-founderoftheBlackPantherParty,whoselawyerisinabsentiaduetoillnessthereforeismorevulnerablyopentomistreatmentatthehandsoftheuppityjudgeJuliusHoffman(Langella,backintheOscarconversationwithrivetingbravuraofbigotryandpretentiousness).“Thereisnosuchthingaspoliticaltrial,goodtoknow!”Sorkinregaleshisdramatispersonaewithhisusual,profuseammunitionofverballethalityandexactitude,andamongwhichheisalsowell-disposedtointersperseintermittentlevityandirony.Thewholeenchiladaisashowtrialplainandsimple,forthosewhoareconversantwiththatparticulartime,theverdictisanythingbutuplifting,ergo,wearenotexpectedtofeeltriumphantwhenthecurtainisbroughtdown(flashbacksofkeyeventsaretactfullyinterleavedtopropelthelegalprocedure).Smartly,whatSorkinvigorouslydrawsonistheintenselystructuredconfrontationanddisclosureinthecourtroom,toknockaudiencedeadinprobingintotheunsavorylowdown,ortogetourbloodpumpinfaceofegregiousmisconductandsheervenomfromtheauthoritativefigures(manipulatingthejurypool,gaggingandstraitjacketingadefendant,swingeingpoliceinfiltrationoperation,theperverseobstructionofitsthinly-veiledtruth,etc.).Meantime,theinternalstrifeamongtheseptetisanothertouch-paper,chieflybetweenTomHayden(Redmayne),whorepresentsthelaw-abiding,non-violentmainstreamdemocrat,andAbbieHoffman(Cohen),theracialpinko,subculturalhippie.TheirideologicaldiscrepancyisrammedhomesmacktothefelicityofSorkin’srazor-edgedwording,onceitisgottenoutoftheirchests,hostilitycandissipateintomutualunderstanding,therefore,offeringachancetofindmiddlegroundofco-existenceorcooperation,theultimatesolutiontoourworld’srampantpartisanship.Encompassingalarge,almostsausage-party-exclusiveensemble,thefilmisanembarrassmentofrichesrelativetosterlingperformers,besidestheaforementionedAbdul-MateenandLangella,abodaciousCohenmightgetmanyOscar-voters’ballotsforhisuncharacteristicstraight-actingthatisnotaimedtotickleourfunnybone,thoughhegetssnappywisecracksonceawhile,hisA.Hoffman(categoricallynobloodrelationtotheJudgeJ.Hoffman)isastonedbuffoonwithenoughlucidityandfirmdeterminationofhisnoblecause;whereasRedmayne’spersonageismoreself-righteous(butdefactothewholeblood-lettingdonnybrookcanbepartiallyimputedtohisspur-of-the-momentoutrage)andheisterrificbutoveralltheactor’sdisarmingandaw-shucksveneerisdifficulttoexpunge;Gordon-Levittmakesaconscientiousprosecutionattorney,hisinternalwaveringispalpablewithoutobviousoutlet,soisCaitlinFitzGerald’sundercoverpoliceofficer(thedeficiencyoffemalepresentationisarubthefilmhastocomeinforinitscampaigntrail);MichaelKeatonhasarelaxed,evenfacetiouscameoasthe“starwitness”whosemotiveisrathermurkytodecipher(itisquitesurprisingtoseehimandRedmayneinthesamescene,hemustburythehatchetoflosinghisgoldenstatuettetothelatterinatightbattle);however,asYoursTrulyseesit,ifonlyonepersonamongthecastcanbefingeredforanOscarnomination,myvotegoestoRylance,asthedefenseattorneyWilliamKunstler,whomoderatesasuperblycalibratedperformanceattuningtoanestimablelawpractitioner’sprofessionalismanddisillusion,withoutlosingtouchofadramaticallyhypedrealism.IfSorkinx27;sdemocratic-convention-in-a-police-statehubbubanditsaftermathisaneventfilm,JulieTaymor’sTHEGLORIAS(herfirstfeatureinalmostadecade),befittingthenowmuchmalignedcategoryofOscar-baitbiopic,isariver-longjourneyoftheincrediblestoryofGloriaSteinem(1934-),thetrail-blazingfeministmovementdoyennewhomourworldtrulydoesn’tdeserve.WhileSorkin’spicturewinsravesupthewazoo,Taymor’slaboroflovereceivescoldresponseeversinceitsSundancedebutinearlier,YoursTrulyisveryintriguedtoseekoutwhy?Isitstillthehumbugofsexismintheworks?Icansmellofaghostofthat.THEGLORIASisalmostanantithesisofCHICAGO7onthegenderdisparity,itisawomen’spicturefrontandcenter,andTaymor’sgambitofconveningallfouractresseswhoplayGloriaindifferentagesinthesamescenario,abusperpetuallyontheroad(thethematicsstemfromGloria’sautobiographicbookthefilmisbasedon),isopenlycriticizedbymanycritics,butitisindeedanice,surrealconceitinconjuringuptheintrospectiveruminationwhichweoftenwishwecouldhave,conversingwithone’syoungerselfaboutfeelingsandregrets.IfTHEGLORIASadherestotheusualrouteofatraditionalbio-picnarratively,itismostlychronological,withoccasionaltemporaljumpsthatcouldbeappliedmorepertinently,oneofitsrewardingmeritsisthatthroughfourdifferentperformers,TaymorcarvesoutasubtlebuttotallybelievabletrajectoryofGloria’smaturationasanextraordinarywoman:asayounggirl(Armstrong),sheisspirited,father-worshipping,happytofollowaperipateticlifeespousedbyherfatherLeo(Hutton);thenasateenager(Wilson),shebecomesmorewithdrawn,thoughhippedontapdance,taciturnlyfeelsthepallofanabsentfatherwhenshehastotakecareofherlong-suffering,unbalancedmotherRuth(Graham),whohasgivenuphercareerasajournalisttomarriageandchild-rearing.Thelion’sshareofthefilmisdividedbetweenGloriainhisformativeyears(Vikander)andmiddleage(Moore),inVikander’schapter,Gloria’spilgrimageinIndiaopensanewhorizonandfindshermoreuniversalrapportandscourgethatpreysonwomanhood.Herearlycareerpathisriddledwithchauvinisticimproprietyandsexualharassment,butVikanderbringsaboutanopaqueimpressionthatalmostkeepsheremotionataremove(herambiguousrelationshipwithLeonevermorphsintoanythingresounding).Gloria’sremarkableself-possessioniscrystallizedandconsolidatedthroughconstantdisappointmentsshereceivesfromthestrongersex,itisaratherun-cinematictraitforasubjectinquestion.Indeed,TaymorfirmlykeepshyperboleincheckasregardstoGloria’scharacterization(itismoreorlessconsistentwithRoseByrne’sundervaluedportrayalinDahviWaller’smini-seriesMRSAMERICA,aboutconservativeactivistPhyllisSchlafly),andinstead,toforegroundherrationality,intellectandpenchantforstage-fright.Whenit’sMoore’sturn,herGloriaisseasonedwithmorecompassionandresolutioninhervocation,coursingthroughthelandmarkmomentsofspearheadingERAmovement,authoringandeditorializingMs.magazine,alifelongfriendshipwithWilmaMankiller(Guerrero),thefirstwomantoserveasCherokeeprincipalchiefin1985,togetherwithdivertingappearancesofrenownedactivistslikeBellaAbzug(Midler,aclassact),FloKennedy(amordantToussaint)andDoloresHuerta(Sanchez).DeferentiallypayinghomagetoMs.Steinemandherachievement,itisnoticeablethatTHEGLORIAStriesveryhardtosustainafidelitythatisartisticallyattheexpenseofTaymor’susualvisualflourish(saveforacrimsonsuperimpositionasaresponsetoamalechauvinistquestionandananimatedsequenceofthecoverofMs.magazine’sfirstissue)andnarrativeselection.Thelongandtheshortofit,bothfilmsserveastestimoniesthataquesttoachieveanysortofequalityorprogresshasalwaysbeenaprotracted,treacherousbattle.Afighterperchancecannotsavorthesweettasteofultimatevictoryintheirlifetime,buteveryconcertedeffortmeanshalfthebattle,forUSAcitizens,theyarealsourgentadjurationstovote,asyourlifedependsonit,aufond,thewholeworlddependsonittoo.referentialentries:Sorkin’sMOLLY’SGAME(2017,7.0/10);TomMcCarthy’sSPOTLIGHT(2015,8.3/10);Taymor’sACROSSTHEUNIVERSE(2007,7.7/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。