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We have reached the second to last episode of “Succession.” The funeral of Logan Roy has arrived. Even though Logan (Brian Cox) does not appear, he is the central character of this chapter. Not since “Chuckles Bites the Dust” on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” has there been a dramatic filmed funeral with such intensity and raw emotion. All I can say is, it’s heartbreaking on many levels.
There are surprise eulogies that will leave you breathless. There are guest appearances from James Cromwell as Logan’s brother and Harriet Walter as his second wife– the loathed mother of Kendall, Shiv, and Roman — that are unforgettable.
Set against what looks like a common funeral is the Deal. Shiv has chosen sides with Matsson, Kendall and Roman are trying to the stop The Deal and keep Waystar by putting the absolutely evil Trump stand-in, Mencken, into office. (Apparently the election will be settled Congress. ATN’s calling of it for Mencken was not the last word.)
I feel like the “Succession” writers and Jesse Armstrong have slowed the pace a bit in the last couple of episodes and especially this Sunday. They’re explaining what’s happening more clearly as they head to the final showdown. It’s very helpful.
The three main players — Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Kieran Culkin — outperform not only everything on TV, but everything ‘I’ve seen far in Cannes. For their work they should somehow all get Emmys, as well as Matthew MacFadyen as Tom. The whole motif of Tom not getting any sleep has not been dropped, by the way, but amplified. It’s obviously going to mean something in the final 90 minute episode.
In the background of the family drama, Armstrong has recreated the massive demonstrations following Trump’s election. He places the funeral in what looks like a war zone, which, of course, has been wrought by the Roys.
The end is coming, and it’s not going to be pretty.
Audacy, the company that owns powerhouse news radio and stations in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities is in big trouble.
The New York Stock Exchange has suspended it from trading stock, and is in the process of delisting Audacy. It’s audacious, and the worst thing that can happen to any company.
It’s shocking because Audacy owns Newsradio 88 and 1010 WINS in New York, the two huge news stations in the world’s most important city. They also own KNX in Los Angeles, also the main news source on AM radio in that city. WCBS FM in New York, the venerable oldies station in New York is under their umbrella, as is K-EARTH 101 FM. Audacy also hosts dozens of podcasts through its app.
The stock was worth about $60 a share twenty years ago. It’s down to 9 cents.
It’s a tough time for AM Radio. Recently several automakers said they were removing it from new cars, which is shocking. For this reason some stations, like WINS in New York, have added an FM station for simultaneous broadcast. WINS reporters often sign off saying they’re on 92.3 FM even though we listen to them on AM.
Audacy Chairman, President and CEO David J. Field said in a statement, “While we are disappointed by the NYSE’s decision, we are hopeful we will find our way back to the exchange later this year as we execute our action plans, which include a reverse stock split to satisfy NYSE rules, the continued execution of our liability-management plans and working with our financial advisors to refinance our debt. Further, as macroeconomic conditions stabilize, we believe we will benefit from a general market recovery and will be able to capitalize on investments in strategic transformation that position Audacy well for the future.”
JOHNNY DEPP is the toast of Cannes. He’s made a comeback of sorts even though he doesn’t like the word.
In “Jeanne duBarry,” Depp plays French King Louis the fifteenth, who ruled the country for half a century. Louis XV doesn’t have a lot of scenes or lines, but Depp’s name value has made him star of Maiween’s film.
On Wednesday morning, Depp was 42 minutes late for the movie’s press conference. Organizers waited 20 minutes and then started without him.
He declared, “I keep wondering about the word comeback, because I didn’t go anywhere,” adding, “in fact I live about 45 minutes from here.”
Most of the questions were softballs, but a couple of trade reporters tried to get in their punches.
Depp, for instance, was asked by Deadline’s Anthony Dellasandro if he felt boycotted by Hollywood. His reply: ““Did I feel boycotted by Hollywood? You’d have to not have a pulse to feel like, ‘No. None of this is happening. It’s a weird joke. When you’re asked to resign from a film you’re doing because of something that is merely a function of vowels and consonants floating in the air, yes you feel boycotted.”Do I feel a boycott now? No, not at all. I don’t feel boycotted by Hollywood because I don’t think about Hollywood. I don’t have much further need for Hollywood myself.”
Depp was also asked about his media coverage. He said: “They majority of what you read is fantastically, horrifically written fiction. It’s like asking the question, ‘How are you doing?’ But the subtext is, ‘God, I hate you.’”
No one asked about his $30 million deal with Dior, or mentioned ex-wife Amber Heard.
Depp has really mastered the art of being questioned about all his scandals. He also stayed at the end of the press conference and let everyone take pictures of him. He knows how to play the game, a major reason he won the defamation lawsuit he brought against Heard.
Some people may have wanted a sequel to “Brokeback Mountain.” I didn’t, but that doesn’t mean anything.
Pedro Almodovar obviously did, and the fashion house of Saint Laurent paid for it. “Strange Way of Living” had one screening today in Cannes. It runs about 30 minutes. I’m told it will probably be packaged for theatrical release with Almodovar’s classic, “Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.”
The story: in the Wild West, Ethan Hawke, with a Colonel Sanders goatee, is the sheriff in town. He finds out that his late brother’s wife has been murdered. The culprit turns to be the male model looking son of Hawke’s old cowboy lover, played by Pedro Pascal. The latter arrives to head off his son’s arrest, and he and Ethan rekindle their flame after 25 years apart.
The drama comes when the son is caught by Ethan, who has to decide if he’s going to kill his liver’s child. There’s a three way shootout. I won’t tell you what happens. But it’s all slightly preposterous.
So, too, is the music, which swells up as if it’s part of a Spanish soap opera. The opening credits seem like a Quentin Tarantino movie. But of course, Almodovar directs with his own iconic imprint, and the cinematography is lush. The clothes are more Ralph Lauren than Saint Laurent, but boutique tie-ins seem inevitable.
When the movie opens, a good looking young man is singing a Spanish song. This is supposed to be the rough and tumble West, but this guy has straight gleaming white teeth and good cheek bones. Before the film played, Almodovar appeared on stage with Hawke and a bunch of male models who have parts in the movies. Combined, their teeth could light up Chicago. Who knew there was such good dentistry in the 1870s, in mining towns?
A panel discussion took place after the film screened. Two French women I don’t know flanked Ethan and Pedro. The women talked as if they were giving a college lecture. I didn’t know what they were saying but several times I heard the words, “Brokeback Mountain.” Anyone who thinks this little short is anything but a riff on that Oscar nominated movie has had too much tequila. I don’t know why it was made. And I don’t think Saint Laurent fashion house should be producing movies.
EXCLUSIVE Cannes brings out all kinds of interesting people.
Waiting for the curtain to go up tonight on the opening film, “Jeanne duBarry,” I heard two women speaking English to each other. Naturally, I introduced myself.
One of the women was stylish marketing director for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Film Festival. Red Sea put money into “”Jeanne du Barry” and has also become a sponsor of the shady amfar charity. Of course, when I think of Saudi Arabia. I think of Jamal Khashoggi, the fine journalist who was ordered chopped up on orders of Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. This woman says she’s Saudi, but she told me she was born in Columbia. Missouri. (When I said I was wary of Saudi Arabia, she replied: “You should come. There’s a lot more than chopping up people.”)
Her attractive friend introduced herself. “I’m Hadley Gamble.” Yes, the Hadley Gamble, the CNBC reporter who brought down NBC Universal chief Jeff Shell and was reported to be having an affair with Tom Barrack of Colony Capital, Donald Trump’s close adviser in the 2020 election.
When I mentioned to the marketing director that I’d seen an actual sheik at the Palais, she said, Yes, that’s Prince Turki Al-Faisal, who is basically her boss. The two women, who didn’t know each other previously, said they were the Prince’ s guests. How did Hadley know the Prince? “I cover oil and gas,” she said, at least before everything went sideways.
What serendipity!
I did try to ask Hadley about her Shell game, but wisely, she said, “I can’t talk about it.” She was very nice, and pretty hot, so I could see how Shell and Barrack enjoyed her company.
But if you were worried about Hadley Gamble since she “parted company” with CNBC, it seems like she’s doing great. Royally great.
This is why we go to the Cannes Film Festival!
Later, at the Film Festival’s opening night dinner in the massive ballroom of the renovated Carlton Hotel, I ran into Michael Douglas, Mads Mikkelsen, John C. Reilly, Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroianni (she sang during the opening ceremony tonight and has a great voice), plus Taylor Hackford and Helen Mirren, “Jeanne duBarry” director and lead actress Maiwenn, and several other actors from the film including Melvil Poupaud,,who stars in the new Woody Allen film, “Coup de Chance.” He hasn’t seen it yet but I have, and told him how good he was.
Also in the room, the great young German actor and director Mattias Schweighöfer. You may have seen him playing the swim coach in “The Swimmers.” (If you haven’t seen “The Swimmers,” on Netflix, you must.) Look out for this guy– he starred in Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead.” Snyder liked him so much he had him direct “Army of Thieves” (on Netflix now). He has a big role in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” He’s directing a movie soon starring his wife, actress Ruby O. Fee. That’s a lot of projects, but not as many as Helen Mirren. She has eight movies coming out soon! Eight! And yet there she was at 1am rocking some blue hair!
Only in Cannes!
PS American singer Jacob Lusk knocked everyone out at the opening ceremony with “Stand By Me.” He was on “American Idol” in 2011. Now he’s in a group called Gabriels. They’re about to drop a first album. He and the Gabriels guys may be Best New Artist of 2024. Stand by.
(How did he get booked at the Cannes opener? “I have no idea,” he said. Neither did his bandmates.)
Maiwenn Le Bresco is a controversial director in France. Recently she confessed to attacking a journalist she didn’t like. in a restaurant. (I’m keeping this in mind, don’t worry.) She’s also famous for marrying director Luc Besson at 16. The marriage lasted four years and they have a daughter.
So why not have Johnny Depp in your movie, even for a few minutes? Two bolts of lightning for the same price. Tonight Maiween (she goes by her first name) premiered her film, “Jeanne du Barry” at the opening of the 2023 Festival des Cannes. Depp made a splash on the red carpet, taking perhaps a longer time than the minutes he appears in the film.
In “Jeanne du Barry,” Depp does not have a lot of lines. But after his divorce scandal, lawsuits he won and lost,, now a $30 million contract from Dior, everyone wants to see him again. In anything. So here he plays Louis XV, who died in 1774 at age 64. He was King for 59 years, and had many mistresses. Jeanne — hi final mistress — is played by Maiwenn. All of the other actors are French. Melvil Poupaud is best known to Americans, and stars later this year in Woody Allen’s “Coup de :Chance.” (He’s excellent.)
Depp has few lines in this comeback film. His visual presence works, however. Tonight’s audience gave him a muted but positive response. The real star of the night is Maiwenn. She stars and directs. It’s quite an achievement in an accomplished, beautifully made period piece.
For Depp this was a good move. In the right hands, Jeanne duBarry could be a hit, and cause a lot of discussion about strong women who took their own path in history. Depp, meantime, is still very much a movie star, and a king on the red carpet.
The whole structure of cable news in prime time is changing.
You may have read that last week, CNN was beaten by Newsmax. After the debacle of the Trump town hall, half its audience exited. We don’t know if they’re coming back.
It’s not like Newsmax has such hot ratings. It’s just that CNN has collapsed.
Meantime, on Friday, Kayleigh McEnany’s Fox show at 8pm bottom out at 1.3 million. She dragged down Hannity at 9, who fell 300,000 viewers from Wednesday and Thursday, to 1.6 million. The moronic Jesse Watters at 7 also had 1.6 million.
Fox viewers are confused by Tucker Carlson’s ouster and the Dominion Voting scandal. They don’t know what to do. If they want real news on cable, they’ll have to get a jolt on MSNBC.
The Tony Awards can proceed with their show on Sunday, June 11th. It can be broadcast on CBS thanks to a waiver from the Writers Guild, which is on strike.
In an agreement reported overnight, the WGA said it was fine and not so fine. It’s unclear how or if the Tonys will be able to stage numbers from musicals, or if anyone in another labor union will do the work, whether an actor or a crew member.
The Tonys could produce a show in which they present the winners of this year’s awards, interspersed with clips from past shows, or pre-recorded clips from the past year’s shows.
The most important part of this is that the Tonys are announced so that the winners can use that imprimatur to promote themselves. A lot of shows are struggling to stay in business. All of Broadway is hoping the Tonys seal of approval will help them.
But you never know. In the week following the Tony nominations there wasn’t a big box office bump. The musical, “Some Like it Hot,” jumped by $100,000, but didn’t come close to previous high week from March 19th. All the plays are having a bad time, too,
The Broadway League hasn’t said yet. but we can only hope the big after party at the Plaza will take place. The Broadway community needs to be able to celebrate the season, which was a very good one whether or not the typical kind of broadcast occurs.
The Intercontinental Hotel Group spent a bloody fortune to renovate Cannes’s centerpiece, The Carlton Hotel. I was a given a tour tonight, and it’s magnificent. The Carlton I knew was shabby, down on its luck, throwback to the days of screen sirens.
And then it got a facelift. Well, all body parts. New bars and restaurants throughout, a new restaurant outside in the back facing a reflecting pool and a real pool with cabanas. Everything is new, made to seem like the old Hotel but only better. And better it is.
The facade has been completely redone, painted, pointed. It’s gleaming. Normally on the night before the Festival de Cannes, you’d see the whole place dressed up in advertising for movies and film companies. You couldn’t even see the facade there would be so many ads on it. But tonight there are just two large free standing signs for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” flanking the new front entrance that eliminates the portico so you can walk straight in. (I miss the portico.)
Where’s all the old pizzazz that made the Carlton the center of attention every year? “I don’t think that’s happening this year,” says a young woman who works at the front desk. The implication is that the new Carlton will be like the glamorous Hotel du Cap Eden Roc in Antibes– sophisticated and cool. They don’t want people dressed like zombies or space vixens (see Troma Films) parading out front.
At the opposite end of the Croisette, the Majestic Hotel, across from the Palais, is also absent a sense of old Cannes merriment. Renovated a few years ago, the Majestic is also gleaming with Big Money energy. In the fabled bar, young women with large exposed breasts and big ideas are looking for “some advice.” (There were more discreet types at the Carlton, and I loved seeing tradition continue despite #MeToo.)
From the Majestic to the Carlton the wind is blowing, the weather is blustery. Some of prized commercial real estate that used to house over the top luxury brands are boarded up. I’ve never seen this before, ever. It’s startling. Some stores are still assembling window displays, although a few have been unveiled and are eye catchers, like Hermes. But some others are really closed down tight, no tenants, that used to be thriving. There’s a sense that the Money is not coming this year.
Indeed in front of what used to the garish Noga Hilton, brokers of supercars used to park out front. That’s where I used to see convertible Bugattis, Lamborginis, Ferraris, models I never heard, shining in the sun like NASA prototypes. But when I walked by what is now known as the JW Marriott, the indented slot from the street that used to house these symbols of abnormal wealth was empty. “Where are the cars?” I asked the doorman. He just shrugged.
What happened here? The pandemic. Even post-COVID, you can feel a reluctance to return to the old Cannes days. Wonderful restaurants and gelato shops, and so on, have closed over the last couple of years. Nothing has replaced them. Mom and pop businesses took a beating, it’s clear. A lot of little out of the way places have just vanished.
One restaurant has revived itself, however. On out of the way Boulevard Republique, chef proprietor Alison Sucheta is doing all the cooking from a small corner open kitchen. She’s dressed up, too. The restaurant is typically tiny for France, and the tables are packed. There’s a long middle table full of Americans here for the festival. I was lucky to get a seat next to two couples very involved in cinema– Bob Jeannie Berney, and Joana Vicente and Jason Kliot. Vicente runs the Sundance Film Festival. The other three are successful producers.
They are all hoping for a great festival, despite the glitchy ticket delivery system that’s causing nervous breakdowns. So am I. And some warm weather. After all, we’re on the Cote d’Azur!
The front window at Hermes on the Croisette, Cannes, May 2023.
David Mamet, the once popular playwright and director, is coming back after 10 years.
He’s going to make a movie about the Chicago mob rubbing out President John F. Kennedy. It’s called “Assassination.” Here’s the description: “1963. During a crucial justice hearing against organized crime, the head of the Chicago mob orders the assassination of President John F. Kennedy Jr., creating a deadly conspiracy while altering the fate of a nation.”
The movie will star Al Pacino, John Travolta, Courtney Love, and Shia La Beouf. Also, Mamet’s wife, Rebecca Pidgeon. This is some group. It will be like herding cats.
No word whether Mamet has cast his actress daughter, Zosia.
In the decade since Mamet last worked on a film, he revealed himself to be ardently right wing. This shocked a lot of people, but also made the author of “Glengarry Glen Ross” and “Speed the Plow,” as well as “State and Maine,” not quite as popular as before.
Mamet actually told The Guardian in 2022 that “Trump did a good job” as president, and that he didn’t disagree that the 2020 election was rigged.
How a Mamet film will be met now is certainly up in the air. But then again, Mel Gibson is directing a new movie, too, written by a Jewish screenwriter. All bets are off in Hollywood.
