Screenwriter: Charles Dickens and Mitch Glazer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Robert DeNiro
Dear Darlings,
What does “great expectations” mean, exactly? Are the expectations themselves characterized as great? Or does it mean that one expects greatness?
I am not a master at standardized tests. Can you see why? I think about all the words and concepts at some sort of sub-atomic level.
The above—it could go either way, right?
Let’s imagine for a moment what we can do with punctuation and this phrase.
“Great…expectations!”
(That sounds like it could be sarcastic, ay? Like, “Great. You have expectations! Ha. Ha. Ha.”)
“Great, expectations….”
(Commentary? Frustration?)
“Great expectations!”
(Congratulatory to someone who has just confessed their dreams, or something like that? Patting them on the shoulder?)
Anyway, as you can see, language is tricky. Expectations may not help us much. But images and music and dancing—these evoke something different. Feeling.
For Ethan Hawke Summer, I am examining the 1998 film directed by Alfonso Cuaron in this week’s podcast episode, with fellow actor and friend Gene Foschini.
The colors, mood, and music of this 1998 film, as well as the artist-hero Finnegan, capture something about love and loss that is beyond words. Much of the communication that comes from Hawke’s character is through facial expressions, eyes, and what he paints—not what he says.
My favorite character is Miss Dinsmore, played by Anne Bancroft. I find this performance completely unforgettable, and her wildness captures a part of the soul of woman that we don’t see enough of on screen. Not many artists could hold this space she holds with such audacity and assuredness. I feel I could pull from this well and depth of her performance endlessly….
Take a look at this brief clip if you have a moment.
If you have seen the movie, want to see the movie, or you are a fan of classic literature, take a listen to the podcast here on Substack or on the channels below.
As is customary, at the end of each podcast episode, we read a short original script as a spin-off of the movie. This week—what if Estella was acting teacher Stella Adler, and the movie was set in South Philadelphia?
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts
You can also watch this short clip of my guest, Gene Foschini, and I fooling around with DeNiro and Brando impersonations….
Love and hugs,
Ms. Wonderful
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