Blue Moon marks the ninth collaboration between director Richard Linklater and actor Ethan Hawke. Spanning over thirty years, the two have been jointly nominated at the Academy Awards for three. The duo’s familiarity with each other adds an inherent sweetness to a story that could otherwise exhaust viewers rather than delight.
Once one of Broadway’s most acclaimed songwriters, by March of 1943, no one is returning his calls. Worse yet, earlier that evening saw him escape the opening night of Oklahoma!, written by his longtime collaborator, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), who’s moved on creatively with Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney). While Rodgers an Hammerstein bathe in the spotlight of a potential smash hit, Hart has escaped to Sardi’s to drink and pal around bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavalle) and pianist Morty (Jonah Lees), who plays familiar songs from the era, including the Rodgers and Hart hit, “Blue Moon.”
Tortured by his breakup with Richard Rodgers, Hart is driving himself crazy thinking of ways to get back together with his old partner. Meanwhile, Hart is skewering Oklahoma!, writing it off as nothing more than sentimental romantic piffle. While Hart may have had a point, Oklahoma!, ran for five years to rave reviews.
Though gay and standing at 4’10,” Hart can’t resist making a drunken and clumsy play for an attractive 20-year-old Yale coed, Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley), who he’s been corresponding with. As arranged, she meets him at the bar. Hart introduces her to friends as his protégé. She rebuffs his sexual advances by saying she loves him but not in the way she thinks he wants to be loved. It turns out she’s using him to meet Richard Rofgers.
Ethan Hawke makes for a witty, loathing and closeted musical talent. Talkative, he’s a lost soul who wants nothing else than to be loved. Appearing in every scene and added by a wonderful script by Robert Kaplow, Hawke carries Blue Moon admirably offering up a character that’s impossible not to root for, even if the opening scene reveals his fate.
Hawke is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his work in Blue Moon, and I wouldn’t mind if he went home with a golden statue as a kind of “career recognition” honor.
Presented in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio, Blue Moon offers up a pleasing image. While there’s some slight softness on occasion, delineation is good overall. The amber and teal color palette is represented well. Blacks are inky throughout. Edge Haloes or other image anomalies aren’t an issue.
While the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track won’t blow you away, it handles this heavy dialogue film very well. Despite the films focus on songwriters, almost all of the story takes place in a bar. There are a few piano numbers that sound nice but are used largely as background accompaniment. Dialogue is clean, clear and concise throughout.
English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles are available.
The following extras are included:
- Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:16)