I don’t know who or what is putting together tonight’s premiere of “Out of the Furnace.” But the “Deer Hunter” like movie’s producers must be nervous their invited guests aren’t coming. Or something. The public is welcome to buy tickets to the “Furnace” premiere in person or online at the Landmark Sunshine on Houston Street. I’ve managed twice this morning to reserve a group of 10. All I had to do was give my credit card. Sadly, I will be at Elton John’s sold out show tonight at Madison Square Garden. But if you’re interested in seeing Scott Cooper’s brutal vision along with stars like Casey Affleck and Christian Bale, then $13.50 is your way in. Scott Cooper will be there for a Q&A after the show. “Out of the Furnace,” by the way, has a respectable 70% on rottentomatoes.com
A “Knots Landing” Reunion and All Star Send Off for 6 Time Tony Winner Julie Harris
Six time Tony Award winner Julie Harris, first lady of the American theater, got an all-star send off this afternoon from a bunch of stars in a packed Broadway theater. Convening at the Bernard Jacobs Theater on West 45th St. to say their goodbyes were no less than Christopher Plummer, Joan van Ark, Hal Holbook, Rosemary Harris, Cherry Jones, and Zoe Caldwell among others.
There were plenty of stars in the audience, too, including Jane Alexander and Joan Copeland, and two more of Harris’s “Knots Landing” co-stars besides van Ark– Donna Mills and Michele Lee, who’d each flown in especially to pay tribute to their amazing friend.
After the show, all the speakers– including organizer Francesca James, playwright Bill Luce (“The Belle of Amherst”), producer Biff Liff, and actors Jennifer Harmon and Roberta Maxwell– threw a big lunch upstairs at Sardi’s with lots of toasts and anecdotes about the generous shopaholic Harris who doted on her friends.
Famed theater producer Liz McCann recalled how CBS once cut a Harris tribute with Meryl Streep presenting an award to her from a Tony Awards broadcast.
At one point the memorial could have gotten its own Tony award considering the murderer’s row of actors who appeared one after another. van Ark told the story of how Harris, then the only female graduate of Yale Drama School, got the young actress admitted, making her the second female graduate of Yale Drama School. Years later by coincidence, Harris was hired to play van Ark’s mother on “Knots Landing.”
Holbrook, who was born the same year as Harris, called her acting “simple truth.”
A tape was played from a Charlie Rose interview in which Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench claimed the only performance they couldn’t top was Harris in “A Member of the Wedding.”
van Ark told me at Sardi’s that the Knots Landing gang– still extremely close after 14 seasons on CBS– have started a Julie Harris Scholarship at Yale Drama. “Alec Baldwin put in the first $25,000,” van Ark said of her one time TV brother. “That’s what gave it legitimacy.”
Check it out at drama.yale.edu/julieharrisscholarship or contact deborah.herman@yale.edu for more information
Oscars: Doc Short List Includes Blackfish, Lance Armstrong Expose, Darlene Love Story
Here are the 15 documentaries on the Oscar shortlist. Five lucky nominees will be culled from this list. They are each very good films, from “The Square,” by our old pal Jehane Noujaim, to Alex Gibney’s startling take on Lance Armstrong. “The Act of Killing” is a film I heard about a long time ago; that’s the one I’d put my money on right now.
“The Act of Killing,” Final Cut for Real
“The Armstrong Lie,” The Kennedy/Marshall Company
“Blackfish,” Our Turn Productions
“The Crash Reel,” KP Rides Again
“Cutie and the Boxer,” Ex Lion Tamer and Cine Mosaic
“Dirty Wars,” Civic Bakery
“First Cousin Once Removed,” Experiments in Time, Light & Motion
“God Loves Uganda,” Full Credit Productions
“Life According to Sam,” Fine Films
“Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer,” Roast Beef Productions
“The Square,” Noujaim Films and Maktube Productions
“Stories We Tell,” National Film Board of Canada
“Tim’s Vermeer,” High Delft Pictures
“20 Feet from Stardom,” Gil Friesen Productions and Tremolo Productions
“Which Way Is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington,” Tripoli Street
Review: “Philomena” with Judi Dench Scores $5 Mil in 11 Days
The breakout small film of the 2013 race? Stephen Frears’s “Philomena,” a dramatic comedy starring the almost 79 year old Judi Dench, (her birthday is December 9th, and Steve Coogan, (who co-wrote and also produces the film). This is a quite simply, a gem of a film. And after 11 days, the $5 million it has in the till is nothing. “Philomena” is the surprise hit of the season.
The movie is based on the book by the BBC correspondent and investigative reporter Martin Sixsmith, “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee.” Sixsmith recounted the injustice of church doctrine in Ireland which condoned the sale of Lee’s baby as an unwed teen fifty years ago. She was an unwed teen who’s parents forced into a convent to give birth, then forced to watch as her 3 year old baby was taken from her. She also had no idea then that he was sold to a wealthy couple in to the Untied States.
To make matters worse for Lee, she was then forced to sign a document that would not allow her to find him/or vice versa. Now it’s 50 years later and Sixsmith, played by Coogan, reluctantly meets her and then joins her on her quest to find her son. Her story is deeply emotional and her long hidden torment heartbreaking.
The divine Dench is just perfect as Philomena, and Coogan, plays her intellectual, snobbish and quite cynical partner with his usual comic brilliance. His extreme disdain for the Church overwhelms him and as the story progresses, so does his respect and affection for her.
Dench usually plays classy upper crust roles, like Queen Elizabeth, Evelyn Greenslade in ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’ and even ‘M’ in the James Bond movies. But here she plays a working class nurse, salt of the earth, albeit naive woman, who was carrying this unfathomable burden in her heart for half a century. Dame Judi touches every acting chord with sincerity and respect. Her feelings, reactions and timing are priceless and pure acting gold.
Kudos to Frears and Coogan. This story could have easily slipped into the mushy, sappy and sentimental category. Thankfully it doesn’t.  Instead, you are captivated by her story, angered by the injustice that was done to her, and admiring of her indomitable faith. Not one word in this poignant and clever script is wasted or extraneous.
Famed Director Stanley Donen, 89, May Direct First Feature Film in 30 Years (Exclusive)
EXCLUSIVE: Stanley Donen, who will turn 90 next April, is considering a directing comeback after 30 years. The legendary director of movie musicals including “Singing in the Rain” has written a script with his significant other, the great and equally legendary Elaine May. The movie, a comedy, would be produced by Mike Nichols.
Yes, you are reading all this correctly. This is like the group from Mount Rushmore coming back for one new hurrah.
I can tell you that a couple of weeks ago there was a private reading for investors of the Donen-May script. Among the cast were Christopher Walken, Charles Grodin, Ron Rifkin, and Jeannie Berlin, the supremely talented daughter of Elaine May. Some NYU acting students also participated.
The movie is supposed to be about the making of a movie and everything that goes wrong, sources say. “The humor is very wry,” says my source.
Is Stanley Donen really going to direct this movie, I asked incredulously? “Knowing those three,” an insider quipped about Nichols, May and Donen, “they’ll all direct it!
Donen’s last feature was “Blame it on Rio” in 1984. He also directed another movie parody, the gem “Movie Movie” (1978).
By the way, Elaine May directed one of the greatest comedies of all time, “The Heartbreak Kid,” written by Neil Simon (1972). Just FYI.
NY Film Critics Awards: They Get it Mostly Right (and White) with Redford, Blanchett, Leto, Lawrence
The New York Film Critics got it mostly right– and white– choosing their award winners today. They did pick Steve McQueen for Best Director of “12 Years a Slave,” but didn’t give that movie Best Picture or award any of its actors. They also sort of skipped right over “The Butler” and “Mandela.” They awarded “Fruitvale Station” Best First Feature, which is better than nothing.
The group’s choices for the best actors are, I think, three for four with the ultimate Oscar outcome: Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence. I love JL, but I do think Best Supporting Actress will go either to Oprah Winfrey or Lupita N’yongo.
David O. Russell’s “American Hustle,” a movie I loved, won Best Picture. Russell is going to benefit from “Silver Linings Playbook” not getting the big awards last year. He’s going to get a lot of love on the splash back.
Could the NYFCC have been edgier? Yes. But they want stars at their proceedings. And they may have cut the idiotic National Board of Review off at the pass with these choices. When the NBR’s supreme high commanders make their fandecisions tomorrow, I still say they will err toward “Gravity” and other Warner Bros. fare. George Clooney will be presented with a virgin at their ceremony in January.
Best Film
American Hustle
Best Actor
Robert Redford, All Is Lost
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Best Foreign Language Film
Blue Is The Warmest Color
Best Supporting Actor
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Animated Film
The Wind Rises
Best Screenplay
American Hustle
Special Award
Frederick Wiseman
Best Cinematography
Bruno Delbonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis
Best First Film
Fruitvale Station
Best Non-fiction Film (Documentary)
Stories We Tell
Billy Joel to Play One Show a Month for Rest of His Life at Madison Square Garden
Billy Joel is going to play one show a month for the rest of his life at Madison Square Garden. He already has four shows scheduled, plus New Year’s Eve. But at a ceremony today at the Garden, GOVERNOR Andrew Cuomo–yes, the Governor– came to help announce this new unprecedented residency. What is this all about? I don’t know. Billy obviously has a lot of spare time on his hands. Can he fill the Garden with that many shows? Probably. I think it could go on for two years. ‘Forever’ is a long, long time. In time I’m sure he’ll add guest stars, etc. And he has plenty of songs. Sign me up!
James Gandolfini Widow: “I Keep Expecting Him to Come Through the Door, Come Home”
It was emotional night for the family of James Gandolfini. The late actor received a special lifetime achievement honor at the Gotham Awards, presented by his pal Steve Buscemi. Gandolfini’s widow Deborah and his son Michael accepted the award graciously with a brief Thank you. Michael’s mother was present as were Gandolfini’s sisters. They are still in shock a bit, and don’t know what to say to the suggestion that Jim might pick up some awards for his excellent work in “Enough Said.”
After the show, Deborah showed me pictures of baby Lily, who is cute as a button. She told me none of it seems quite real. “I keep expecting him to come through the door, come home,” she told me of Gandolfini, who died this past summer unexpectedly.
The Gotham Awards, held at Cipriani, were even weirder than usual this year. I don’t understand why this show isn’t scripted– and why they can’t hire a decent host. This year it was Nick Kroll, who bombed like every comedian before him in prior years. The audience was so poorly behaved that “The Butler” director Lee Butler launched into a tirade when no one would pay attention to his introduction of honoree Forest Whitaker.
“I began to get angry at white people,” Daniels said in his speech, which got some people to shut up. Whitaker spoke beautifully.
But aside from Daniels’s melt down, the Gothams made no sense. Why was Cate Blanchett in the Best Actress category with a lot of young women from real indie movies? Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine did not belong in these awards. And why was 12 Years a Slave included? It’s from Fox Searchlight and was nicely funded.
In truth, the movies that did belong– like Fruitvale Station and Short Term 12– got awards. Fruitvale received Breakthrough Director for Ryan Coogler and Breakthrough Actor for Michael B. Jordan. Brie Larson won Best Actress for “Short Term 12.” But that film was otherwise overlooked. Crazy.
And don’t get me started about an appearance by outgoing mayor Mike Bloomberg. His Bloomberg News just laid off 47 writers and killed its art coverage completely. Who’s he fooling? Bloomberg spent Sunday in Bermuda playing golf while four people died in a train derailment in his city. But he made it to Cipriani on time.
Here are the Gotham winners. I have no idea what the audience award means. What audience? And how did all those disparate movies wind up in one category? Thanks to director Mira Nair, who kept me entertained during the evening at our table. And it was nice to run into Isaiah Washington and his wife. He got a raw deal on “Grey’s Anatomy.” I’m glad he’s making a comeback.
Here is the full list of winners:
BEST FEATURE Inside Llewyn Davis Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, directors; Scott Rudin, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, producers (CBS Films)
BEST ACTRESS Brie Larson in Short Term 12 (Cinedigm)
BEST ACTOR Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)
BINGHAM RAY BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR Ryan Coogler for Fruitvale Station (The Weinstein Company)
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station (The Weinstein Company)
BEST DOCUMENTARY The Act of Killing Joshua Oppenheimer, director; Signe Byrge, Joshua Oppenheimer, producers (Drafthouse Films)
AUDIENCE AWARD Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings Tadashi Nakamura, director; Donald Young, producer (Center for Asian American Media and PBS)
EUPHORIA CK SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN FILMMAKERS LIVE THE DREAM GRANT Beneath the Harvest Sky Gita Pullapilly, director
Lady Gaga ARTPOP Flop Deep Discounted to Stay on Charts
What to do when your album isn’t selling? Try giving it away, almost. Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP has been such a dud that amazon.com has been deep discounting it like crazy. The CD sells for $6.99 and the MP3 download goes for $4.99. Albums cost $6.99 back in 1975, if you’re keeping count.
By comparison. Amazon sells Katy Perry’s “Prism” CD for 15 bucks, Britney Spears’s new “Britney Jean” for $11.99, Eminem’s hit “MMLP2” for $16.88, and the new One Direction collection for $19.46.
Lady Gaga’s $4.99 download isn’t exceptional, but it’s about as low as you can go without just tossing the albums in a recycle bin.
Meanwhile, iTunes has left ARTPOP at a full price of $14.99. It’s dropped to number 20 after three weeks.
The amazon sale helped ARTPOP stay in the overall Top 10 this past week and even increase sales a bit according to the hitsdailydouble chart. Last week ARTPOP sank 81% after one week, so Universal Music had to do something.
Broadway: Kinky Boots Breaks Record, Popular Press Agent Leaves, Pippin Recoups
A big Broadway day: over the weekend Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein’s “Kinky Boots” broke a house record at the Hirschfield Theater. They took in almost $2 million from Thursday- Sunday. Tony winning “Kinky Boots” is booming. They’re going to have an excellent Christmas holiday season. Everybody say yeah!
…We’re sad to say goodbye to Michael Hartman. The eternally youthful press agent has decided to wrap up 20 years of his press company, The Hartman Group, and head home to Texas. Michael and his husband are going to start a family, and Michael’s joining the famous Amy’s Ice Creams in Austin, Texas. The Hartman Group was one of the great bastions of civility on Broadway. Michael’s integrity and honesty made him a pleasure to work with. His staff is terrific. I hope to see them in new jobs quickly along the Great Black and White Way…
…The Diane Paulus revival of “Pippin” has recouped its initial investment. The show is a hit, and one of the most enjoyable uplifting experiences in Broadway history. Paulus goes on now to help “Finding Neverland” to Broadway. And “Pippin” will be a Weinstein Company movie in the next couple of years…