Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Havin' My Baby





What a lovely way of sayin' How much you love me Havin' my baby What a lovely way of sayin' What you're thinkin' of me...Paul Anka 1974 in case you’re wondering. If I were more tech savvy I’d upload a rendition from YouTube but I have a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t be period correct for this movie.
It is a hot August afternoon, the 15th and I can hear the director talking to the actors in the kitchen. Her Southern drawl and the sultry weather make me yearn for some true fried green tomatoes and mint juleps with top shelf bourbon. Mmmmmm. Once again in the middle of the night the art director and set dressers transformed the Fort Greene bedroom this time into Victoria Thornton’s London bedroom. It is quite an eclectic design. Statues from the Far East---Buddhas and Shivas and Ganesh’s, a mosquito net, sheer drapes flowing everywhere especially around a four poster early American carved bed. Russian orthodox Byzantine paintings along with Courbets and Manets. French country sconces, English lace, Irish linen, Italian Damask bed covers. The crew covered the whole of Europe in one space.
Ms. Damon is in one of half a dozen authentic Victorian Japanese kimonos. I am introduced to Jeremy Peterson who plays, Mrs. Hopkins, head maid/governess in the Thornton home. As the scene(s) unfold it is evident that Mrs. Hopkins has known Victoria since she was a child. There is a surrogate mother/daughter relationship that has evolved over time still keeping the proper class rules intact between the two women.
Tender and nurturing without being saccharine Mrs. Hopkins only steps into her maternal role when Victoria is in need of wise counsel and true feminine affection. Jeremy does a wonderful job keeping in mind the English propriety of the time. She plays Mrs. Hopkins with great complexity. Though her demeanor is business-like and controlled we can see the adoration and compassion in her eyes whenever the two are together. Mrs. Hopkins is quite aware of the arrangement between Charles and Victoria. Perhaps she is living vicariously through her charge when she condones without judgment or even words Victoria’s growing feelings for Richard. Jeremy’s performance is charged with simplicity and yet profundity. ‘Have no regrets’ Mrs. Hopkins says implying that if she had followed her heart she may not be where she is today.
In one particular scene Victoria moves and then stops suddenly with a calm awareness that she may be pregnant. At that moment Mrs. Hopkins has come to deliver tea. No words are exchanged but both women communicate their concerns to themselves and to each other in one silent moment. It is a compliment to the actors and their acuity and to the director for showing not telling us what is going on. This is the kind of film that the audience will have to pay attention to get the clues. It is not the kind of movie that one can sit back on autopilot and cruise thru pretty pictures.
I ask where Whit is and Patrick informs me that he is not due on set until later in the evening. Bummer. I have to tend to my own family come suppertime. During lunch I chat with Jeremy and ask how she knows the other people in the cast. She tells me that she met Whit years ago when she was hired to teach him how to waltz for a play he was doing. Come to find out Jeremy is one of the top ballroom dancers and dance teachers in New York City.
Thom quickly walks in all a glisten and says pointedly, “Is there any way we can turn the AC up? I’m sweating my f**king balls off”. Patrick sits back in his chair and says in his horrible Christopher Guest impersonation, “That one only goes to ten, mate.” To which Thom flips him off and announces that he is taking some of the production money and going to Lowes to buy a bigger air conditioner. He stomps off in a huff as Eddie in between bites of his large deli sandwich says, “It’ll just be a waste. We have to turn them all off when we roll sound anyway.” Patrick chimes in and says he thinks it’s a visual thing. If Thom sees the air conditioner running he’ll think he is cooler than what the room temperature really is. He decides he’s going to rig little green lights on the cover of the air conditioner and gas light Thom into thinking it really is cool. Eddie laughs and then mumbles, “You’ll drive him over the edge…but it’ll be funny.”
I have to say it is truly god-awful hot. And yet I have been on outdoor shoots in twenty degree weather. I think I’d take hot over cold. You can’t get your toes back once they are truly frostbitten. As we finish up eating we can hear Thom in the other room still bitching about the heat to the set dressers, Stephanie and Ashley.
“I’m gonna go and buy him some cigarettes.” Pat says.
“Oh don’t do that!” Rebecca interjects. “He’s been good for six weeks. Don’t get him smoking again.” She is genuinely concerned but Pat seems undeterred.
“Hey Sweaty Balls!” He shouts into the other room. “You wanna walk to the bodega with me?” And like a loyal golden retriever the two are out the door. Eddie Joe begins to clean the kitchen area as thorough as any caterer. Whit wanders in looking for food.
“I thought you weren’t due on set until later.” I say.
“Missed lunch, dude.” Eddie adds.
“Is there anything left?” He asks looking hang-jawed. Rebecca peers up from her script, “What would you like? I’ll get it for you.”
“Don’t mess up my f**king kitchen” Eddie Joe threatens. To which Rebecca replies demurely in a sing-song “Frig you, pay me”. Touchet…
“That’s really nice of you to fix him a plate.” I say.
“Well he was dropped on his head when he was a small child.” Rebecca replies.
“I’m not helpless.” Whit says. “Just sleep deprived.” With a wink.
“I’m shot out for the day anyway.” She adds. “So I don’t mind.”
I can hear Stephanie and Ashley oooo-ing and aaaaaa-ing in the other room and the voice of another woman permeates the space. “Who is that?” I ask. Whit eyes the sandwich Rebecca is making for him, “Oh that’s Sandy. She brought some gourmet banana bread and cookies from class.” I peer into the other room to find a petite woman with auburn hair, freckles and crisp blue eyes.
“She’s gorgeous. What is she doing with you?” I ask teasingly. Whit simultaneously bites into his sandwich and flips me off.
“Is she staying?” I ask. Whit shakes his head no.
“She’s studying at the French Culinary Institute.” Rebecca adds.
“Nice haircut.” I say obnoxiously loud.
Rebecca glares at me and disappears into the other room. I think she wanted to call me a douche bag but manners prevented her from actually forming the word(s).
“You need some midol?” Whit asks.
“The heat getting to you Aunt Bea?” Eddie adds. Maybe the heat IS getting to me. Or maybe the witty repartee on the set has finally sucked me into its black hole. Or maybe I need to start smoking. (I won’t). Or maybe I need to go to Lowes and buy an air conditioner that goes to 11…