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Mad Men: Sterling Cooper Draper Downsizes to Reflect Our (Not Their) Times

Roger Friedman
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Mad Men: Sterling Cooper Draper Downsizes to Reflect Our (Not Their) Times

Matt Weiner did something interesting in last night’s “Mad Men” episode: “Blowing Smoke.”

A couple of things actually.

In the penultimate episode of the season, directed by John Slattery, we got a curve ball: though times were prosperous enough in mid 1965, Weiner has caused a financial upheaval at Sterling Cooper Draper etc. Last night they downsized, firing employees and cutting way back because they’ve lost their biggest client, Lucky Strike cigarettes.

In doing this, Weiner has cannily mirrored our times in 2010. Watching the staff pack up at SCD was all too reminiscent of what’s happening right now at so many small companies. It’s a very clever, and sensitive move. It’s also the stuff of good drama, and lets Weiner shake up the cast for next season.

There was also a sensational guest shot from Rosemarie DeWitt. Rosemarie was in the first six episodes of “Mad Men” back in 2007 as Midge Daniels, Don’s kooky mistress. Then she went off to fame–if not fortune–in the film “Rachel Getting Married.” It was great to see her back again. She is really terrific. She has a bunch of feature films coming up and is a regular on “United States of Tara.” But she was perfect in her return.

Meanwhile: Sally Draper is getting better, says her therapist. Betty is getting worse. It does look like Henry Francis may figure this all out soon. For Sally’s sake, let’s hope so.

restaurant of the week: the much missed La Caravelle, it was on West 55th St. The late New York Times “60 Minute Gourmet” Pierre Franey–whose books I worked on as a publicist in the early 1980s–lived above it. We had lunch there often. They had the broccoli puree in the world. It was nice to hear its name again.

Finally: Don’s anti-smoking ad/letter in the Times was spot on for 1965. The whole heroin/smoking addiction thing was a little heavy handed, but that was the time when there was an initial serious effort to get people to stop smoking. Somehow, though, I’ll miss the cloud of smoke that envelops “Mad Men.” But at least now the characters have a chance at living longer lives.

Let’s just hope they don’t give up drinking and sex. What will be left?

James Franco Agrees to Play Mapplethorpe (Maybe, Sorta)

Roger Friedman
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James Franco Agrees to Play Mapplethorpe (Maybe, Sorta)

James Franco is hot as a pistol right now. His “127 Hours” played at the Hamptons Film Festival. So did a short film he directed called “The Clerk’s Tale.”

On Saturday he was helicoptered to Sag Harbor for a “Conversation With…” at the Bay Street Theater with the festival’s former programmer (now with the Museum of Modern Art), Raj Roy.

The theater was jammed, of course, and there were plenty of young people. Many of them got to take a group picture with Franco.

During the Q&A session, beautiful blond documentary filmmaker Ondi Timoner asked Franco if he’d like to play controversial late artist Robert Mapplethorpe on film. She said she had an “idea” for a film, but really she has a script. And Franco responded by saying “I’m your man.” Hey–stranger things have happened. Maybe this is the start of a great project.

Later, Timoner told me she does have a script, and also has an idea– a great one I think– of Charlotte Gainsbourg playing Patti Smith, who was Mapplethorpe’s girlfriend, companion and collaborator.

Later, Franco took in “Blue Valentine” to see a great performance by his peer, Ryan Gosling. They may each be in the running for Best Actor this year against Colin Firth. Franco was impressed.

Madonna Goes to See “Black Swan” in Hamptons; “King’s Speech” Wins

Roger Friedman
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Madonna Goes to See “Black Swan” in Hamptons; “King’s Speech” Wins

Madonna–perhaps in the middle of editing her feature film, “W.E”–surprised the Hamptons Film Festival audience and went to see Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” Sunday night. She turned up at the 9:15pm screening at the East Hampton UA Theater. Harvey Weinstein, James Franco, and Bob and Lynn Balaban were also supposedly in the room. “Black Swan” stars Natalie Portman. Madonna is supposedly interested in working with Aronofsky on something…

Tom Hooper‘s “The King’s Speech” continues to be the film of the season. It won the audience award at the Hamptons Film Festival. That’s the second audience award it’s picked up this fall–the first was in Toronto. The audience on Friday night was gob-smacked by Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter‘s extraordinary performances. This was the third time I’ve seen the film and this time took notice of two supporting players–Clare Bloom as the regal Mary, mother of George VI (known as Mary of Teck) and Anthony Andrews as Stanley Baldwin, the prime minister of England before Neville Chamberlain (1935-37). The boyish Andrews was famously known to American audiences as Sebastian in “Brideshead Revisited” some 30 odd years ago. He is now an astonishing 62 years young…

Katherine Heigl: ‘Goddess’ Un-friends Facebook (Movie)

Roger Friedman
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Katherine Heigl: ‘Goddess’ Un-friends Facebook (Movie)

Katherine Heigl and costar Josh Duhamel may have proven that TV stars can translate to movies–at least on a quiet weekend.

It does look like their poorly reviewed sorta remake of “Baby Boom” called “Life as We Know It” finished number 1 at the box office on Friday night. It beat “The Social Network,” aka the Facebook movie and an Oscar contender.

When numbers come in later today we’ll see if Heigl took the whole weekend. This is all funny since a know it all blogger on another site already declared “Social Network” Friday’s winner and the weekend’s winner. But boxofficemojo.com and showbizdata.com say otherwise.

Heigl has a reputation for being difficult, as chronicled in last week’s New York Times. But still he’s now in the Jennifer Aniston realm, making a lot of TV -type movie light comedies, forgettable and pedestrian. She’ll hope to change that next year with “Undomestic Goddess.”

I’m told that Heigl is negotiating to star in the Tribeca Productions comedy based on a Sophie Kinsella novel. Her character is an American lawyer working in London who loses her job and has to become a nanny. The imdb says Amy Adams is supposed to be in this film, but the word is that Heigl takes the role. Oscar nominee Adams is always busy, and Imdb is not always correct.

Meryl Streep Will Solve “Puzzle” with Stanley Tucci

Roger Friedman
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Meryl Streep Will Solve “Puzzle” with Stanley Tucci

Meryl Streep is really getting into the Stanley Tucci business. Or maybe it’s vice versa.

Sources tell me that La Streep has tentatively agreed to star in the American version of “Puzzle”–an Argentinian hit–with Tucci directing for HBO. The original “Puzzle” should open in the states in January.

In “Puzzle,” Meryl would play a housewife who discovers an unnatural knack for solving jigsaw puzzles. But of coure the story is about much more than that–the puzzles are a metaphor.

Tucci would play the puzzle master who Meryl’s character winds up taking lessons from.

This is the second Tucci-Streep project that’s come up recently. Tucci and his producing partners Steve Buscemi and Wren Arthur also have “Mommy and Me” set to go. Tina Fey plays Streep’s adult “boomerang” daughter who comes home to live with her.

All this Streep-Tucci talk emanates of course from their friendship (yes, it’s a real friendship, nothing else kids). They worked together beautifully in “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Julie and Julia.”

Solomon Burke: Soul Star’s Career Was Just Out of Reach

Roger Friedman
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Solomon Burke: Soul Star’s Career Was Just Out of Reach

Solomon Burke is dead today at age 70. His death is not a total surprise. Solomon was a huge man physically who performed sitting on a gigantic gold throne with a red velvet seat. When he traveled, it was double everything. Or triple.

A few years ago, when we went to the Poretta Soul Festival in Italy, Solomon had to stay an hour or more away in Bologna because there were no hotels with rooms or beds big enough to accomodate him.

But Solomon’s physical size was equal to his genius and his reputation (he had 21 children), and certainly the depth of his talent. His gospel tinged voice was one of the few remaining from the legendary era of Atlantic Records magnificent heyday. Who remains now: Aretha Franklin, Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Carla Thomas, and a handful of other soul stars like Smokey Robinson, Fontella Bass, Chuck Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Cissy Houston from other labels.

If you don’t know Solomon’s name right away, that”s okay. He was never a Top 40 artist. In many ways, he was like James Carr, the Memphis soul singer who was best known to black audiences and had a cult following.

His biggest hit was his first, “Just Out of Reach,” from 1961. But his immense talent carried him through several generations, and many more hits on the R&B charts. The best of those included “Cry to Me” and my favorite, “Got to Get You Off of My Mind.”

Solomon remained a favorite in the Atlantic family through the 1990s. Jerry Wexler, who produced his records, held him in the highest regard. Their relationship in the studio was also one of legend.  Solomon brought his throne and his band to Ahmet Ertegun‘s memorial concert in London in 2007. Mica Ertegun, Ahmet’s elegant widow, came backstage to see him. She told Solomon and Sam Moore that they were the two performers she’d really insisted on for the show.

Solomon was rediscovered about fifteen years ago, and went on to make several new CDs with contemporary writers and singers who admired him like Elvis Costello and Van Morrison. But mostly I will remember him as a gentle soul with a big laugh and a generous sense of humor, a lovely man who knew how to wear a gold lame cape like no one else.

Dustin Hoffman Gets Back in the Oscar Biz

Roger Friedman
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Dustin Hoffman Gets Back in the Oscar Biz

Dustin Hoffman has lead acting Oscars for “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Rain Man.” But I think he’s going to surprise everyone this year for a Supporting nod in Richard Lewis’s compelling drama “Barney’s Version.”

“Barney’s Version” had its US premiere last night opening the Hamptons Film Festival–the much improved, mega hyped and star powered Hamptons Film Festival by the way. And while Dustin wasn’t here, Paul Giamatti was–and he’s likely headed into the Best Actor category in a spectacular performance as Barney aka prize winning (and sadly, gone) Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler.

Hoffman plays Barney’s father, a retired Montreal cop with a juicy personal life and a salty tongue. To make matters even more interesting, Hoffman’s real life son Jake plays Barney’s–Giamatti’s–son.

The other player here not to be missed is British actress Rosamund Pike, who is quite remarkable as the love of Barney’s life, his soul mate, wife and mother of his children. Pike is only 30 years old, but carries off the job of aging from about 28 to her mid sixties with disarming grace.

It’s not easy to bring this kind of massive novel to the screen, and sometimes “Barney’s Version” stumbles. But it also has moments of incredible greatness thanks to the talented cast and a canny makeup department.

Giamatti and Hoffman (in absentia) got a lot of praise last night from the star studded crowd including Alec Baldwin, Bob Balaban, and photographer Bruce Weber. Now the Hamptons International Film Festival bracs for an onslaught of A list names to hit the area from James Franco and Julian Schnabel to Freida Pinto, Tom Hooper, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini.

For years veteran publicist Gary Springer carried the ball here, getting the HIFF ready for its closeup. Now ex New Liners Lina Plath and Clare Ann Darragh from the Frank PR have built on Gary’s work and turned this season into a real name dropper. Nice job!

 

Elton John Gives Leon Russell Lead Single on Great New CD

Roger Friedman
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Elton John Gives Leon Russell Lead Single on Great New CD

I’m kind of kvelling (which is Yiddish for tweeting, I think) about Elton John and Leon Russell’s album, “The Union,” set to be released on October 19th.

Sorry I can’t wait ten more days. And also, it’s a collaboration among Elton, Leon, and Bernie Taupin, the lyricist who must be given dollops of credit. This trio has fashioned a landmark album, the kind of thing we used to take for granted in the good old Seventies and even Eighties.

“The Union” is indeed a union of these remarkable talents, but not only them. The group of musicians included comprises Neil Young on a surprise vocal, Rose Stone (sister of Sly) on percussion, and a group of legendary vets like Jim Keltner, Marc Ribot, George Bohanon, Robert Randolph, and Don Was. The whole package is produced by T Bone Burnett with wit, grace, intelligence, and a true understanding of all these musicians’ artistry.

First of all, how cool is Elton John? He’s given the lead single to Leon Russell. “If It Wasn’t for Bad” just made this year’s eligibility date for the Grammys—the album comes out 19 days too late. But if the NARAS voters don’t put this in Best Song and Best Record, then the whole awards process is a waste. With no less than Booker T. Jones on B3 organ and trombones wailing away—and a tuba!—“If It Wasn’t for Bad” is real music. It’s a glorious slice of authentic Southern sweet potato pie dripping with melted English toffee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXS-Ipjs7qM

And then “The Union” begins. There are some of the best Elton John-Bernie Taupin songs ever, like “Monkey Suit” and “When Love Is Dying” as well as an unexpected hit from Leon and Bernie, a couple of great Russell numbers, and an Elton-Leon knockout called “A Dream Come True.” Neil Young sings on “Shiloh,” which is sort of the title track. And there’s a magnificent track called “There’s No Tomorrow,” composed by Elton, Leon, T Bone Burnett and James Timothy Shaw.

Elton told me about this project last winter, and we talked about how much Leon Russell had influenced his early records like “Tumbleweed Connection” and “Honky Chateau.” Coming back to this inspiration now, Elton sounds rejuvenated. I can only hope that he gets to sing Russell’s “Tightrope” when they perform in concert, and Russell can break loose on “Honky Cat.”

By the way, neither Leon Russell nor Bernie Taupin is in that ridiculous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Donna Summer is on this year’s list of induction nominees. So that tells you how much that group’s reputation has been diminished.

Don’t hesitate—go now to Amazon or ITunes or wherever and pre-order “The Union.” It’s the best album that will be released in 2010, and maybe 2011 as well. (Certainly including 2009 and some of those other years.)

Julia Roberts: America’s 1990s Sweetheart Losing Her Audience

Roger Friedman
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Julia Roberts: America’s 1990s Sweetheart Losing Her Audience

Julia Roberts? She was so BIG in the 1990s, nothing could stop her.

But in 2010, “Eat Pray Love” now dribbles to $80 million domestic box office, with the film playing in just a few theaters so Columbia Pictures can hit a round number.

Around the world, “EPL” has $40 million banked. It’s not so much considering the international locales. In Italy the movie did $4 million. It’s unclear whether there are movie theatres in Nepal. So far, there’s been no release in India, where Julia’s character spends time, or Australia, where at least people speak English.

When the expenses are totaled up, “EPL” should look pretty awful on paper. The official line was a $60 million budget, but with Javier Bardem and James Franco, all the locations and promotional stuff around the world, $100 million won’t seem far fetched. And Julia probably took $15 million off the top.

But with all the talk recently of Renee Zellweger being in trouble (nonsense, I say), it’s Roberts who’s really at a crossroads. Since “Erin Brockovich” in 2000, Roberts has not “opened” a major film that was hung on her. All of her $100 million plus films have been ensemble pieces like the “Ocean’s” movies or “Valentine’s Day.”

But “Duplicity” last year was a bust. So were “Charlie Wilson’s War” and “Closer.”

The big era of Julia: the late 1990s, when “Runaway Bride,” “Step Mom,” and “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” along with “Brockovich” were the tent poles in an amazing run.

But when the heat is gone, it’s gone. And it does seem like Roberts’ choices of material since that time has left her cold. The problem: pedestrian roles, with no focus or vision that the audience understands. This is in direct contrast to Sandra Bullock, who’s been amazing (with lots of help of course) keeping her eye on the ball.

David Linde: Lava Bear Deal 9/27

Roger Friedman
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David Linde: Lava Bear Deal 9/27

Hollywood Swinging: Bob Berney’s Back, David Linde’s On His Way

From September 27th:

In the continuing game of musical chairs Hollywood style:

Our pal Bob Berney is back. He’s finalized his deal with Graham King‘s GK Films, which just released “The Town.” Bob is joining Graham and Peter Schessel for FilmDistrict, a new branch of GK. Some of their films will come through Sony’s TriStar and Triumph labels. The main thing is that Bob knows how to find or make good films. He tried to help Apparition last year, but they didn’t have the apparatus. Oh well. Good sense here prevails.

David Linde, ex of Universal and Universal Focus, and another good guy with good taste, I hear may also be striking out on his own. He has a production company called Lava Bear. Look for an announcement soon.

We need the good guys! And their good movies.

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