Mikes Film Talk

Jessica Lange is killing us in The Great Lillian Hall. The film, just released on Max is based on a true story apparently. The “real Lillian Hall” was in fact based on Marian Seldes, the screenwriter’s (Elisabeth Seldes Annacone) real life aunt.

*Disclaimer: ScreenRant has posted the writer states that Lillian Hall is an original character and that any similarities are (sic)coincidental.*

Star

Jessica Lange gives us the performance of all performances here. In the titular role she runs us, the audience, through the ringer. All the more so if the viewer is a fan.

I first saw Ms Lange in The Postman Always Rings Twice with Jack Nicholson. The film offered a steamy extramarital affair between Cora (Lange) and Nicholson’s drifter. A somewhat explicit sex scene between the two (On a kitchen table.) led to rumours of the two doing it “for real” on the set.

dry spell

However much I loved Lange’s work, there was a long hiatus between her stints for me, as a fan. The King Kong remake came first, 1976, and then a strew of films including Tootsie and All That Jazz; the latter films exceeding the big monkey remake first mentioned.

After that nothing. If you check on IMDb she was working. I just wasn’t watching for a variety of reasons.

Then came American Horror Story. Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Halley Feiffer this grand guignol masterpiece took the world by storm. It featured solid performers who got to show their versatility anew each season. No one more than Lange. This talented woman rang the changes with every new character she played.

The End

Lange played 4 seasons of the show. Freakshow, season 4, was her penultimate appearance. She did reprise an earlier character in Season 8, it was a short cameo. This did not entice the actor to return full time. She told People that she would not work in the series again.

Freakshow was a small screen tour de force for Lange. Playing the manager of the said show her character was above par for a “sort of villain.” “Sort of” because, incredibly, for all her shortcomings as a person, we cared about Elsa. The highlight of the season was her rendition of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars,” as Elsa Mars. I cannot watch this without breaking out in goosebumps and, if truth be told, getting a little misty eyed.

Here it is:

The Great Lillian Hall

If you. have not seen this film yet, have a look at another trailer clip, courtesy of One Media Coverage. Anyone who has “trod” the boards will recognise the anxiety inducing scenes where Lillian forgets her lines. *This was a nightmare I had repeatedly when I was in a production.*

Lillian’s issue is Lewy Body Dementia. She struggles with life and her work as an actor brilliantly. Why dementia attacks so many actors is a mystery. It is sad, however many funny anecdotes (See Sir Michael Redgrave.) one can find.

Anecdotes aside, watch this HBO Film and bask in her performance. Prepare to fall in love with this versatile actor all over again.