I have a special interest in this film because of its subject, Gloria Grahame, about whose performances my 2011 book discusses in detail. I must admit that this movie caused me trepidation, partly because I have a very complete picture — perhaps more of a hologram — in my head of Gloria Grahame, and I’m not sure I want to see it challenged, but also because this movie, and the book upon which it is based, deal with Gloria in the last stages of her life, when she was fading away. It’s certainly not the image of Gloria I like to recall or think about.
Paul McGuigan’s film seems pretty faithful to Gloria’s character, a life-loving, rather insecure woman who loves acting but who isn’t always comfortable with the trappings of fame. Gloria is portrayed by Annette Bening, who, with the suggestion of a kewpie-doll voice and a mysterious flightiness, does a respectable job of bringing her to life. In 1981 Gloria falls ill while in England to do a play, and reconnects with young actor Peter Turner (Jamie Bell), with whom she had a fling a couple of years earlier. The story flashes back and forth to demonstrate how much Gloria reveled in life even as she heads toward death.
The most impressive aspect of the movie is Jamie Bell’s performance as Peter Turner, a man tortured by his inability to help the woman he clearly loves. Peter’s family takes care of Gloria while he acts in a play in the evenings, because Gloria refuses to go to a hospital. He doesn’t know what to do, other than to remember their times together, and to try to persuade someone from her family in America to come and get her. And time is obviously running out.
The movie expands upon Peter Turner’s book by showing why they broke up in New York; the book only has one line which hints at the reason. And neither the book nor the movie really convey what Peter thinks of Gloria the actress, the famous star. He loves her as a woman, yet he rarely seems to acknowledge her public fame, nor care about her acting, even though he is an actor himself. The book is very guarded about his feelings for her, and the movie follows this tendency.
What both book and movie illustrate very well is how disrupting it can be to suddenly have someone stay in one’s home — especially someone ill who desperately needs care. The Turner family life is turned upside down, yet they rally around Gloria in an uplifting fashion. Gloria was lucky to have them to turn to when she became ill. The ironic twist is that both Gloria and Peter are reduced to the roles of spectators in this milieu as her health quickly fades and he is powerless to help.
The film left me sad and melancholy. I came to appreciate Bening’s portrayal even as I found her somewhat miscast (I’ve long thought that Lesley Manville is a closer match to Gloria, at least physically). The script includes a couple of bitchy lines from Gloria’s sister Joy (Frances Barber) which didn’t need to be included and which seem totally out of character for Joy. And it erroneously implies that Gloria could sing, which is not true. She was tone deaf and her singing in Naked Alibi, which is shown, was dubbed by Jo Ann Greer. But apart from those inconsistencies and errors the film is worthy of respect, and respectful of an actress who has beguiled me for many years. ☆ ☆ 1/2. 22 May 2018.