By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
Melanie Laurent, Baumbach: New Netflix Film, & Will Merrily Really Roll?
On Dec. 2, AppleTV+ will premiere “The Hunt,” a French language thriller series (with subtitles) that was filmed in France. Two episodes will air on the 2nd, followed by an episode every week until Dec. 31.
MELANIE LAURENT, 42, a French Jew, has a starring role. Her father’s family is Ashkenazi (Polish Jewish), and her mother’s family is Tunisian Sephardi.
She had large roles as a Jewish woman in two hit American films: “Inglourious Basterds” (2009) and “Beginners” (2010). She’s won two César Awards, with are essentially the ‘French Oscars’.
If you’ve ever watched “Inglourious Basterds,” a Quentin Tarantino film, you would never forget her “career break-out” performance as Shosanna Dreyfus, a French Jew who seeks revenge on the Nazis. Top critic Owen Gliberman wrote: “[Laurent] is radiant and, in a unique Tarantino way, heartbreaking. Sexy and luminous in the heat of her valor. Putting out fire — and setting it. It becomes an anthem of noirish dread and excitement, a sign that Laurent, as Shosanna, has found her destiny.”
“Jay Kelly” is a comedy/drama film. It opened in a few theaters on Nov. 14 (to be eligible for the Oscars) and begins streaming on Netflix on Dec. 5. Reviews of the film were mostly “really good” or “pretty good.” Only a few critics didn’t like it.
The stars of the movie include George Clooney, ADAM SANDLER, 59, Laura Dern and Billy Crudup. The film follows the friendship between Jay Kelly, a famous actor (Clooney) and his manager, Ron Sukenick (Sandler). As they travel, they reflect on many aspects of their lives.
The film was directed by NOAH BAUMBACH, 56, and he also co-wrote the film. He grew-up in Brooklyn, the son of a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother. He’s not religious, but he recognizes how his career was greatly influenced by his Jewish background.
He previously made two outstanding films for Netflix. He wrote and directed “The Meyerowitz Stories” (2017) and “Marriage Story” (2019). Adam Sandler gave a fine performance as Danny Meyerowitz, and SCARLETT JOHANSSON, now 40, received a best actress Oscar nomination as Nicole (the wife character) in “Marriage Story.”
Baumbach’s own “marriage stories” are interesting. His first wife was actress JENNIFER JASON LEIGH, now 63. They married in 2005 and they had a son early in 2010. Sadly, she filed for divorce later that same year. Leigh co-wrote “Greenberg” (2010) with Baumbach. It was a comedy/drama film starring BEN STILLER. It got good reviews, but it didn’t earn too much money.
Leigh’s late parents were Jewish: actor VIC MORROW and BARBARA TURNER, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. But Leigh never talked about being Jewish. Then the attack on Israel by Hamas (2023) lit something inside her. She reacted by being very strong in her public support of Israel.
In late 2011, Baumbach began a relationship with actress/director Greta Gerwig. They had two sons (2019 and 2023) and they married late in 2023. The couple co-wrote “Barbie” and Gerwig directed. “Barbie” (2023) earned an astonishing 1.5 billion (!) at the box-office.
In 1934, “Merrily We Roll Along,” a play, opened on Broadway. It was written by GEORGE S. KAUFMAN (1889-1961) and MOSS HART (1904-61). Both had stellar careers as playwrights (hit comedies, dramas, and musicals).
But “Merrily” flopped. Audiences didn’t like the play even though reviews were pretty good. The lead character is Richard Niles, a playwright. “Merrily” was staged in an innovative way: the play begins with Niles as a 40-year-old playwright making money by writing silly comedies. The play takes his life in reverse in a series of scenes further back in his life — to the days when he was a young, idealistic writer.
In 1981, a musical version of “Merrily” opened on Broadway and it flopped, too. The songs were written by STEPHEN SONDHEIM (1930-2021). The lead character was re-named Franklin Shepard and he’s a songwriter and producer.
Eight revivals were staged after the closing of the 1981 run. Most revivals were in prestige venues, like the Kennedy Center. Sondheim wrote some new songs for some of these revivals. In 2023, the 8th revival finally returned “Merrily” to a Broadway theater.
The 2003 revival, which ran until 2024, was a critical hit and theatergoers turned out in big numbers. Jonathan Groff, a Broadway star, played Shepard. DANIEL RADCLIFFE, 36, co-starred as Charley Kringas. As the show begins, Kringas is Shepard’s former best friend and musical collaborator.
Groff got the Tony for a lead actor, musical. Radcliffe got the Tony for featured actor, musical, and “Merrily” got the best musical revival Tony. A film of the stage production will open in movie theaters on Dec. 5.
