Dear Film Club Readers,
There are not many situations in which I call myself a fan. I am pretty selective about “fandom.” There are some artists I’ve been a fan of for many years, such as the musician Tori Amos. (But she doesn’t settle for the word “fan”—she calls us “ears with feet.)
I am a fan of the artist Ethan Hawke, and that is why I decided to champion his movies and work this summer. (A bit.) I’m not going to be obsessive about this, and my interest in Mr. Hawke has nothing to do with him being a man and me being a woman. I don’t have a romantic attraction to Ethan Hawke, and I never did. I just find his work inspiring. I find him unique and authentic. I like listening to him speak, and I watch what he is in, knowing that there is some passion and fruitfulness behind what he does. I am not religious about it. I just like the vibe. I have always liked the vibe.
My best friend and I are hosting a podcast to talk about film and the elements of film that connect to our personal lives, and our understandings of society at large. In particular, our initial focus for our podcast—and this blog, to some degree—is masculinity, and understanding a healthy masculinity. We are speaking about four feature films rooted in literature, in which Ethan Hawke stars or is a creator. Those films are Dead Poets Society, Hamlet, Great Expectations, and lastly, his new directorial feature with his daughter Maya Hawke, Wildcat, which premiered this year. (Listen to the Ms. Wonderful Film Club podcast about Dead Poets Society on Spotify OR Apple podcasts.)
Masculinity might get a bad wrap in a patriarchal culture where our only options for president are two very old white men who give us pause. But there is masculinity that is healthy and vibrant, and it is when men are in tune with their softer side, and not ashamed of it, and able to communicate, respect other people, and listen to varying modes of expression or ideology. This healthy masculine, to me, is why Ethan Hawke is a successful artist.
I was sparked to focus more on Hawke’s work this summer when I saw this video from Criterion of him with his daughter Maya, in the effort to promote the new film Wildcat. The video helped me to realize why I appreciate this actor and what he has provided for me individually, in helping me understand manhood, masculinity, and men a little better. It is his passion for art, his storytelling, and now, this lovely relationship he has with his kid. It’s awesome, and the roles he chooses that I enjoy have tackled topics of managing love and career, parenting, and engaging in artistic interests outside of parenting. He exhibits a common humanity, and I think we need more of that in feature films and in the men we look up to.
Take a look at this cute video, and read a few recommendations I include at the end of this post.
Books
Ethan Hawke is an author? I know! Weird and true!
I enjoyed Ethan Hawke’s book The Hottest State, published in 1997, which I am re-reading this summer. I first got it at age 19, and I appreciated the novelty of love at a young age, and having an inside look a young man’s desire and longing. I have not seen the movie he also directed, but I’m planning to this summer, now that I got my hands on the book again. I remember really enjoying the story and its ability to capture passion and romance. (I think our world needs more romance, personally, to counteract idiocy and violence.)
Rules for a Knight is another book that I really enjoyed reading. Hawke captures various spiritual teachings and whittles them into a young man talking to his grandfather. The boy wants to be honorable, and so he begins to take on the practices of a knight. (Honor? Listening? Respect for elders? More, please!) The book is a perfect graduation gift or something to help a young man feel empowered, loved, seen, and renewed. Reading it from a mother’s perspective, I quickly bought my own son a copy.
Two additional films you may want to check out, if you haven’t, from Hawke’s career are these:
First Reformed (2017)
Writer and Director: Paul Schrader
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric the Entertainer, Philip Ettinger
A clean-shaven Ethan Hawke? Apparently, it’s possible! This film does a great job of capturing the humanity of a priest, wherein a life of faith and service to a community makes one more humble and rarely feels soothing. Bringing his spiritual understandings to his acting ability, Hawke offers us a character of a priest we can relate to, rather than what many parishioners experience in church life—a painful division of a man or men who live in a separate world from the people for whom they are supposed to guide.
First Reformed is streaming on Hulu, and for rental and purchase elsewhere.
Maggie’s Plan (2015)
Screenwriters: Rebecca Miller, Karen Rinaldi
Director: Rebecca Miller
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Greta Gerwig, Julianne Moore
The story behind this movie is that Maggie wants to have a baby, and she realizes she does not need a husband to have one. She has a whole plan! It’s very involved and thought-out, and rather innovative. The problem is, this cute professor ends up in her apartment, and that professor is played by Ethan Hawke. But the professor has another family and another life, and how is it all going to fit together, when he and Maggie fall in love? Well, you’ll have to watch. I will give you some insight, though. My grandmother had a very visceral reaction to Hawke’s character, John. My grandmom doesn’t say many bad things about anyone, but sometimes, there are men who bring out a grimace. She was pretty sure this particular guy was “lazy” and “not a man,” because he was so artistically expressive and uninterested in making money. What do you think? Do you agree with my grandmom? If you let me know, I’ll share your opinion with her. (She and I have long talks about all kinds of topics.)
Maggie’s Plan is for rental or purchase on Amazon, YouTube, and more.
Our Podcasting Adventure
Stay tuned for more this summer about Ethan Hawke, and listen to the Ms. Wonderful Film Podcast if you want to dive into all the various levels of Dead Poets Society.
Each episode ends with a reading of a short original script written by your host, Ms. Wonderful (a.k.a. Jana Marie Rose), to give a feminine touch that might provide new and unqiue insight.
Listen to an original short script on Youtube
Find the podcast of this week’s episode, “Ethan Hawke and Dead Poets Society”:
Ms. Wonderful Film Club Podcast on Spotify / Click here for a direct link to Spotify streaming
On Riverside (to listen from computer or smartphone)
Next Podcast Episode—July 13, discussing Hamlet
Film Club Updates
*Ms. Wonderful Film Club is starting in-person gatherings in person this August, if you live in the Philadelphia area. We will have an in-person gathering at Braid Mill on August 4th at 12pm. Mark your calendar!
Email Ms. Wonderful Film Club if you want to join us in person: mswonderfulfilmclub@gmail.com and keep an eye out for Eventbrite offerings with details. Follow along here for more information.
A little last video to inspire you if you are an artist. (Start at 3:35 if you are short on time.)