Hail, Caesar! -2016
Director Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring George Clooney, Channing Tatum
Scott’s Review #377
Reviewed February 16, 2016
Grade: B+
Hail, Caesar! (2016) is a quirky film created and directed by the Coen Brothers, who are known for offbeat films such as Fargo (1996), No Country for Old Men (2007), and Raising Arizona (1987).
Hail, Caesar is a satirical comedy about the Hollywood film industry during the post-World War II period of the 1950s.
The film features a bevy of current Hollywood talent, including George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Josh Brolin, and Scarlett Johannsen, including singing, dancing, and scandalous matters.
All give fine performances and add humor and wit to the film.
The plot centers on the character of Eddie Mannix (Brolin), a celebrity “fixer” and real-life person who works as an executive for Capitol Pictures and whose primary responsibility is to ensure that famous Hollywood stars remain out of trouble.
The period is 1951, a particularly scandalous time in pictures. One of the biggest stars of the time, Baird Whitlock (Clooney), is suddenly kidnapped and held for ransom while completing a big epic film for the studio.
Mannix must race to keep the crisis out of the news and safely get Whitlock back.
Indeed, there are interesting subplots, including handsome yet talent-less Western actor Hobie Doyle, hired by the studio to appear in a sweeping period piece directed by suave Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes), and DeeAnna Moran (Johannsen), unmarried and with a “bun in the oven,” determined to keep herself out of the tabloids.
I loved the look of the film, as numerous films occur within it. The 1950s set pieces and designs are exquisite, particularly the period piece set, lavishly designed with classic doors, a staircase, flowers, and a cast dressed to the nines.
It brings back an extravagant time.
The film is a satire, to be sure. Still, it also addresses the serious subject of communism (especially for that period), Russia, and Russian defectors, all involved in a plot to prove a valuable point.
Despite the film being a comedy, this is worth serious consideration. Many Hollywood writers make money for the studios and are rewarded with underwhelming salaries.
The same holds true in Hollywood today.
This point can spill over into other walks of life as well, and the point of the “little man gets screwed” is explored. Communism is also explored throughout the film as the central message- an important message that resonates.
Another interesting tidbit that Hail, Caesar!Mentionss, though only on the surface, is the burgeoning onslaught of television programming.
Suddenly, an increasing number of people were purchasing TVs and avoiding the glamour of films, opting instead for the comfort of their couches.
What a different time it was!
An intriguing, favorite character of mine belongs to Channing Tatum’s portrayal of Burt Gurney, a Gene Kelly-like character famous for singing and dancing numbers. A sizzling sailor dance gives edge and sexuality to the film.
A revealing scandal involving Burt and Laurence is fantastic and delicious.
My favorite scene belongs to Frances McDormand, who shamefully only appears in one scene- quite memorable. As film editor C.C. Calhoun, she diligently shows Mannix film dailies in the hopes of discovering a clue in the disappearance of Whitlock. When her scarf gets caught in the projector, hilarity and grotesqueness ensue.
It is a classic Coen Brothers comedy.
Hail Caesar! (2016) succeeds as a witty, comical throwback to a wonderful time in film history, with a political edge that historians will appreciate and Coen Brothers fans will relish.
Perhaps not their most creative or memorable, but enjoyable all the same.
Oscar Nominations: Best Production Design