Estrelas de Cinema Nunca Morrem

The bulk of Academy season hopefuls have come and gone but I see one last one with Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool. I was immediately interested in what the film was offering. A relationship portrayed by Annete Bening and Jamie Bell? Very interesting. If anything I could see a possible Oscar nomination for Bening. After watching I did enjoy the film for what it was. Its well acted and fairly emotional.

The film is based on the real life memoir by Peter Turner (of the same name as the film), where he recollects the relationship he had with the famous Hollywood actress, Gloria Grahame. He encounters Grahame in the later stages of her life, when she is working at Liverpool in stage plays. Grahame and Turner begin a relationship which is marred by Grahame's spreading breast cancer, which she eventually succumbs to. From what I've read after the film, the events of the film seem to cover the incidents of real life pretty accurately.

Annette Bening kind of disappears into the role of Gloria Grahame. Its a really good performance from her. Same with Jamie Bell. The film is really carried by these two and their wonderful relationship. The film does have periods that drag and could have been portrayed in a more straightforward fashion, but the film never really loses its charm which is actually a strong selling point.

I loved Elvis Costello's "You Shouldn't Look at Me That Way", made specially for this film. Its a gorgeous theme and the parts that were included in romantic moments between Gloria and Peter made their relationship seem magical. Overall I don't the film is excellent, though the performances and romance and the film make it worth a watch. You can't help put feel sad for Gloria and Peter by the end of the film.

7/10

Greetings again from the darkness. Old Hollywood glamour is merely something we read about or reminisce about these days. Part of the reason is that we are almost as likely to see a favorite star on TV as in a new movie, and a bigger cause is that we simply know too much about them as people ... the mystique has been replaced by (too many) personal details and divisive political influence.

Classic movie lovers always have favorite performers, and there were certainly some great ones in the Golden Era: Bogart, Gable, Hepburn, Davis, etc; however, I've always felt there was one actress who time seems to have forgotten. Gloria Grahame never seemed to choose the easy route (either on screen or real life), and she turned in some terrific performances in the 1940's and 50's. You might only know her as Violet in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, but she was also an Oscar winner for THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952), and had standout roles in OKLAHOMA! (1955), THE BIG HEAT (1953), and IN A LONELY PLACE (1950). Her talent allowed her to fit as well for a musical or family film, as in the Noir Thrillers for which she seemed to thrive.

So why all the background on a mostly forgotten actress from a bygone era? Because Annette Bening magically channels the late actress in her role as Ms. Grahame in the final stages of her life. Director Paul McGuigan's film is based on the memoir of Peter Turner, a young man who had a relationship with the actress in her later years. Turner is played here by Jamie Bell (BILLY ELLIOT) and he and Ms. Bening are so believable, that we are fully drawn in by their characters and their touching story.

Opening with the actress in her dressing room prepping for a dinner theatre version of "The Glass Menagerie", the film conveys much in these few minutes. Clearly, this is an actress far removed from the Hollywood spotlight. We also sense her immense pride is still present, and the glass of milk is for relief from her discomfort ... later self-diagnosed as "gas".

We start in 1981 and flashback to 1979. Creative transitions between scenes and times add a stylish element to a story that is ultimately about human relationships, aging and loneliness. The need to be cared for when sick is as crucial as the importance of being a dependable caregiver for loved ones. The film's script from Matt Greenhalgh allows for an empathetic look at these topics through the eyes of people we quickly care about.

Julie Walters (Bell's dance teacher in BILLY ELLOT) is exceptional as Turner's mother and Ms. Grahame's caregiver. Other supporting roles include Kenneth Cranham as Turner's dad, Stephen Graham as his fiery brother, and Vanessa Redgrave as Ms. Grahame's mother. We never get the back story on why Ms. Grahame feels so connected to the Turner family - only that the 28 year age difference between herself and Peter didn't much matter to either of them.

There is a sexually-charged disco dance with Ms. Grahame and Peter in her hotel room that makes clear why any young man might fall for her, but it's really in the quieter moments where the film and Ms. Bening and Mr. Bell shine. The emotions and pain are palpable, and yet neither her spirit nor his devotion will quit. The music from Jose Feliciano and Elvis Costello is terrific and comfortably fits a story of love and aging and illness, while also reminding us ... once a starlet, always a starlet, even when the star has faded.

A middle-aged American actress (Annette Benning) turns to her young ex-lover (Jamie Bell) and his family in Liverpool when her health problems take a turn for the worse. Oh and by the way, the actress is screen legend Gloria Grahame, and the film is based on the real-life memoir of her lover, Peter Turner.

Told in flashbacks and memories, director Paul McGuigan keeps the pace of the film up, which helps offset the depressing aspects of the story, which of course involves the inevitable decay to the body, even with those immortalized as such bright stars in the universe of movies. The scene of an argument the pair have, shown first from his perspective and then later from hers, is excellent. It reminds us to consider that there may be all sorts of things in another person's thoughts that may explain their actions which we don't understand. The scene where the pair go on the stage of an old empty theater to recite from 'Romeo and Juliet' is very touching. It reminds us that the romance and feelings of one's heart don't disappear, even if the skin wrinkles and looks fade.

Benning received accolades for her performance and is certainly solid, displaying a lot of range and honesty, but I'm not sure if she quite captures Gloria Grahame. Bell is fine too, particularly in scenes with his family, where we see the moral force of his parents (Julie Walters and Kenneth Cranham), as well as his wonderfully combative brother (Stephen Graham). The film is not meant as a complete biography by any means, focusing on these last few years of her life and her relationship with this young actor, but at the same time, it would have been nice to see more clips from her films, even if they had been just interspersed with the credits rolling. All in all though, it's a touching film whether you know Gloria Grahame or not.

Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool. It's a beautiful, with quite a simple premise. It's a true story so that adds to the overall beauty of the film. Budding actor, Peter Turner meets Hollywood legend Gloria Grahame and fall in love. Jamie Bell and Annette Benning are stunning in the lead roles. The relationship although perfect and like all true loves a little rocky, does come unstuck when Graham discovers she has cancer. She scuppers the relationship much to Turners utter amazement. Their paths meet later when Graham discharges herself from hospital and moves into Turners family home. Peter Turner who wrote the book, appears briefly in a scene when the two leads are acting Romeo and Juliet, Turner puts the chairs out on the stage which is a lovely touch. A lovely film which is a fine study of love and caring. Ps the title of the film gives the ending away, so I don't have worry about spoilers. 7/10.

Enjoyed this love story revolving around a young actor named Peter Turner and aging Hollywood movie star Gloria Grahame. They meet at a boarding house in England and begin a May-Dec romance despite their age differences. After years apart when the actress develops cancer Turner cares for while she stays at his families home in Liverpool.

Annette Benning is mesmerizing in her portrayal of former Hollywood royalty and to me the love story really kicks in after Gloria gets sick, Jamie Bell is so tender and heartbroken. That Romeo and Juliet scene. Good and clever way of using flashbacks, character will walk out of a memory or into memory through a door. Neat. This did drag a bit in parts but gave me all the feels at the end and is worth watching for fantastic performances from Benning and Bell.