THE LAST MOVIE STARS (Recensione di Rossella Pozza)
(credits e sinossi dal sito Festa di Roma)
Directed by Ethan Hawke
and executive produced by Martin Scorsese,
Sinossi : this epic six-part docuseries celebrates the enigmatic personas, incredible talent, and love story of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Partners on screen and in life, the pair’s unparalleled dedication to their craft, their philanthropy, and one another is brought to life by readings of long-lost transcribed interviews with Paul, Joanne, and those closest to them – voiced by contemporary actors including George Clooney, Laura Linney, and many others. Blending footage from Woodward and Newman’s most iconic films alongside insights from industry greats, The Last Movie Stars paints an intimate portrait of an unmatched love story – and the enduring legacy of a couple forever entwined with the history of American cinema.
STARRING EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS THE LAST MOVIE STARS CNN RELEASE: DOCUSERIES SEASONS: 1 SERIES EPISODES: 6 SERIES PREMIERE: JULY 21, 2022 Martin Scorsese Amy Entelis Courtney Sexton Ethan Hawke Martin Scorsese Self Sally Field Self Vincent D’Onofrio Self Bobby Cannavale Self Steve Zahn Self Sam Rockwell Self Ewan McGregor Self Billy Crudup Self Mark Ruffalo Self Zoe Kazan Self Alessandro Nivola Self Brooks Ashmanskas Self Karen Allen Self Laura Linney Self George Clooney Self
CHAPTER ONE: COSMIC ORPHANS
Finally able to go public with their relationship, newlyweds Paul and Joanne find success together with The Long Hot Summer – and Joanne takes home a Best Actress Oscar® for The Three Faces of Eve. But as the pressures of marriage and motherhood mount, Joanne’s career is put on hold, while Paul’s stardom, with praise for iconic turns in The Hustler and Hud, rises to new heights.
CHAPTER TWO: A STAR IS BORN
In the 1960s, Paul delivers some of his most memorable performances, achieving international celebrity through roles in Cool Hand Luke and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. By tapping into struggles from his childhood in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Paul transforms into not only a Hollywood heartthrob, but a serious actor. Later, Joanne emerges from semi-retirement to star in Rachel, Rachel, an early independent film directed by her husband.
CHAPTER THREE
In the late 1960s, Paul begins to use his position to advocate for social justice, becoming a leading voice against the war in Vietnam and campaigning for Senator Eugene McCarthy. At home, Paul’s eldest son Scott struggles with addiction, while Joanne is forced to juggle her husband’s drinking problem and alleged infidelities with her career-defining role in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds.
CHAPTER FOUR
Paul’s alcoholism causes Joanne to deliver an ultimatum: get sober or get out. As the couple works on their relationship, Paul finds success with Buffalo Bill and The Indians and Slap Shot, while Joanne delivers an acclaimed turn in Sybil. Soon, a temporary peace is shattered by a shocking family tragedy and Paul’s subsequent involvement in a dangerous new hobby… racecar driving.
CHAPTER FIVE
In the wake of their son’s death, Joanne enters a career renaissance, returning to roles in TV and film and mentoring the next generation of Hollywood talent, while Paul dives deeper into the high-stakes world of car racing – with later performances in The Verdict and The Color of Money rekindling his love of acting. As the couple find solace in charitable work through their company Newman’s Own, and as they enter their twilight years, it is their shared love for one another that proves their most enduring legacy.
CHAPTER SIX: LUCK IS AN ART
In the wake of their son’s death, Joanne enters a career renaissance, returning to roles in TV and film and mentoring the next generation of Hollywood talent, while Paul dives deeper into the high-stakes world of car racing – with later performances in The Verdict and The Color of Money rekindling his love of acting. As the couple find solace in charitable work through their company Newman’s Own, and as they enter their twilight years, it is their shared love for one another that proves their most enduring legacy.
Recensione di Rossella Pozza: La festa di Roma ha proposto i primi due episodi di questa straordinaria serie HBO su Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, due grandi icone della storia del cinema. Nata quasi per caso, recuperando solo una minima parte del materiale al quale lo stesso Paul Newan aveva molto lavorato, facendo una straordinaria serie di interviste ai maggiori protagonisti del cinema, al fine di ricostruire una storia corretta della vicenda. Purtroppo il materiale filmato di queste interviste fu distrutto dallo stesso Newman. Fortunatamente sono rimaste le trascrizioni. Tramite le quali Ethan Hawke ha ricostruito le interviste stesse, con le voci di grandissimi attori che si sono prestati. E sostituendo le immagini con bellissimi estratti dei tanti film interpretati dalla coppia Newman-Woodward. Un lavoro di altissima qualità. Un documento storico di grande valore, che ci restituisce 50 anni di grande cinema e di parallela storia americana. Da non perdere.
Valutazione sintetica: 8