For melodies, he had an innate talent. He composes them, directs them, plays them on the piano, teaches them, writes them. He changed the verb, not the extraordinary result. “I’m interested in everything that is music,” he says himself in the film. Leonard Bernstein only resisted a symphony. The most complex and universal, yes: life. At times, it seemed tuned by angels. Others, however, squealed even in the ears of his wife and his children. It happens to all of us, every day. And even to Teacher, as the film directed by Bradley Cooper has shown today in the Venice festival competition. It will be seen in some rooms in November and, from December 20, on Netflix.
The creator films and plays one of the most admired figures in Hollywood. But he does not focus on the soundtracks of West Side Story either the law of silence, but in his marriage to the actress Felicia Montealegre, his parallel romances and his most intimate existence. Turbulent, excessive, painful. But human. The applause at the end of the projection was prolonged when a concert by Bernstein himself appeared on the screen. And some more were heard before the names of the producers: Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, who wanted to direct the project at first. Four indications, then, do more than prove that it was an important, expected film. Although because of this, and because of how demanding his real protagonist was, it was possible to ask for more. Cooper has orchestrated his length well, of course. But his film remains faithful to a well-known score in Hollywood, which sounds like you’ve already seen. Except when the director dares, in a few moments, to look for his voice outside the choir.
Being unique, for Bernstein, was almost automatic. At the age of 25, a stroke of luck put him in charge of the concert that would change his life. But fortune only gave him a chance: what came after, and today is music history, is due to genius and talent. And a contagious enthusiasm. “I love people”, he never tires of repeating on the screen. Although Cooper ventures behind that grin. It turns out that the man who always laughs can also be depressed. He prefers to see jealousy on all sides, as long as he doesn’t look at his own arrogance. And he pours out his infinite passion on other men, even at the cost of making his family unhappy.
So Teacher he enters fully into the most delicate side of the composer. He himself, while alive, preferred to keep it in the shade, deny it. “We don’t know why he denied everything. Maybe our mother pushed him. In my book I talked about what we went through as a family in relation to my father’s sexuality. He challenges you and confuses you, but the love and connection we have always maintained has allowed us to navigate through the difficult moments, ”Jamie Bernstein, one of the three daughters, said at the press conference. And she sang an ode of thanks to the filmmaker, also on behalf of her two brothers: “We were overwhelmed by the effort he put into telling a truly authentic story about our parents. We were part of how this work came to light. We never dreamed that you would include us in this way. It was very moving.” Although there were also limits: Cooper did not let them observe the filming.
For the second time, on the set, the actor has also been behind the camera. And, in fact, part of the same pillars that supported A star has been born: a spell that time and the ego put to the test; the salvific power of art, music. And, at the same time, the mirage that he can rescue everything. Or even fill a life. “Bradley changed the concept and decided to dedicate himself more to the love story, to the portrait of a marriage. It’s always a good time to tell something like that,” said Jamie Bernstein.
The director couldn’t explain it in person. He did visit the Lido, a few days ago, to witness the technical tests of the film. His perfectionism as a filmmaker is his own business. But a collective battle surrounds the other facet of him: the interpreter in the film. And the strike of actors and screenwriters against the big Hollywood studios and platforms has been clearly expressed: promotion is also prohibited. So Cooper couldn’t talk about the five hours of tinkering to become the oldest Bernstein, either. And with the false nose that he has generated so much controversy, for allegedly reiterating stereotypes about Jews. To the point that makeup artist Kazu Hiro stated, “I didn’t expect it to happen. I’m sorry if I’ve hurt anyone’s feelings. I wanted to portray Lenny as real as possible. […] It was our only intention.” The family and various Jewish associations in the US, from the beginning, defended the production.
The truth is that Cooper looks unrecognizable. And his performance, along with that of Carey Mulligan in the role of Montealegre, is among the most successful notes of the feature. Just like the precious use of ellipses and scene changes, or the containment in some emotional sequences that Hollywood knows how to load with sugar or flood with tears. But, in general, almost everything runs as in many biopics of the style. Romanticism and some fight; the idyll that corrodes, but resists; glory and success, mermaids as beautiful as famished. The formula, in short, of a certain large commercial production in the US: simple, but effective. Let no one ask for dissonances. It is that the concert pleases everyone.
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