Maria
Chilean director Pablo Larrain has now completed his trilogy of films about important women of the 20th century. In 2016, he released “Jackie,” a fascinating account of Jackie Kennedy’s life during the days and months immediately following the tragic death of her husband. Natalie Portman radiantly captured the essence of Jackie’s mannerisms and vocal inflection. It was a great performance in a very good film.
Then in 2021 came “Spencer,” in which American actress Kristen Stewart turned in a nuanced interpretation of Princess Diana during a particularly difficult but liberating period of her in the early 1990s. “Spencer” was darker than “Jackie,” and was anything but the celebratory biopic many viewers were expecting. It wasn’t quite up to the standard Larrain had set with the previous picture, but Stewart’s performance lifted Steven Knight’s original screenplay to the level of a very respectable work.
Latest collaboration
Now Larrain has teamed again with Knight (who did not pen “Jackie”) to give us “Maria,” a sad and depressing narrative about the final week in the life of celebrated opera star Maria Callas, who died in 1977 in Paris of a heart attack at the tender age of 53. Larrain uses a flashback technique as Callas, played by Angelina Jolie, recounts the peaks and valleys of her life and career to a journeyman interviewer, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Imagination vs. reality
Smit-McPhee’s character may simply be a figment of Callas’ imagination, as his name is Mandrax, the name of the quaalude to which Callas was addicted during her final years, and which is the likely cause of her heart attack. Furthermore, Callas’ live-in maid and butler never see or hear Mandrax, but they do overhear Callas narrate portions of her life story to him. But unlike Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind,” in which the Russell Crowe character’s imaginary friends are eventually exposed as imaginary, Larrain leaves us to decide exactly where reality ends and fantasy begins.
Black & white
The flashback scenes are exquisitely shot in black and white, a la the chronologically older scenes in Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro.” Not only is black and white a unique method of shooting a film these days, but it separates the past from the present. And the black and white scenes seem and feel older, in large part, because of the use of black and white.
Too much tragedy
However, I take issue with the over-emphasis on the tragic end of Callas’ life. I registered a similar criticism with Rupert Goold’s 2019 film “Judy,” which focused on the tragic pill-poppin’, drunken soiree end of Judy Garland’s life, rather than the triumphant movie-star, musical darling middle portion. Same here. Most of us know Maria Callas was a brilliant and renowned opera singer whose life was cut short from scandal and drug abuse. But I believe most of us would like to see more time spent on her early career, when she was the leading lady of opera. During the 1940s and ‘50s, Callas was one of the most famous people in the world. (And no, Jolie’s singing is dubbed; she does not sing opera.)
Knight’s screenplay flashes back to a few of those early-career moments, but merely to touch on them; to remind us of her fame, fortune, and once-great voice. Conversely, too much screen time is given to the catastrophic later years. I realize that’s how the narrative is structured, but “Maria” gives us the impression the whole of her life was one big downer. Not only is that incorrect, but it’s something none of us wants to see at the local cineplex.
One-note Jolie
Some of the problem may lie with Jolie herself. Jolie presents Callas to us as a diva. Not necessarily rude to others, but certainly distant, aloof, and self-absorbed. We never learn how she became this way – even during the couple scenes of her childhood. She simply starts as a diva and ends as a diva. There’s no arc to her character. It never develops; it’s just a one-note performance. Perhaps Larrain designed it this way. But after spending two hours with “Maria,” I know no more about her personality than I did before.
Ari Onassis
The one character that softens her, albeit for fleeting moments, is that of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, who had a long extramarital affair with Callas. Played with utmost confidence by Turkish actor Haluk Bilginer, Onassis proves to be the only person Callas is unable to manipulate. In their relationship, he was in charge; not her. Perhaps she respected that set-up. I wish Larrain and Knight had explored the depths of their bond in greater detail – rather than simply skimming the surface, as is common in motion picture biographies. “Maria” should have dug deeper.
For that matter, “Maria” simply should have been a better film. More exuberance. Less self-destruction. More in-depth analysis. Less surface meet-and-greets. There’s a fascinating story here, begging to be told. Unfortunately, “Maria” isn’t it.
Andy Ray‘s reviews also appear on https://townepost.com/