Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

One of the most overlooked, exquisitely sensitive films of 2017 somehow slipped past all attention to awards. Based on a true story - published by Peter Turner in 1986 - of a late in life affair between screen icon Gloria Grahame and young actor Peter Turner - this film is radiantly beautiful. The screenplay adaptation is by Matt Greenhalgh and the sensitive direction is the work of Paul McGuigan.

The story covers the years 1979 - 1981. In 1979 Gloria Grahame (Annette Bening) is in England starring on stage in The Glass Menagerie and flirts with young actor Peter Turner (Jamie Bell), a bisexual young actor who falls under the spell of the femme fatale and despite the significant age difference they fall in love and begin and affair that is real, tender, and meaningful to both. As their mismatched romance waxes and wanes over time, events conspire to keep them in each other's lives even when it proves difficult and demanding. Ultimately, they find that they must each come to terms with whatever fate they face in the future whether they are together or apart. Grahame has breast cancer, a fact she conceals from Peter, and as she becomes close to Peter's family - mother Bella (Julie Walters), father Joe SR (Kenneth Cranham), and brother Joe Jr. (Stephen Graham) - she reveals her illness. On a trip to Los Angeles Gloria and Peter live together in Gloria's house trailer by the Pacific ocean, and are visited by Gloria's mother (Vanessa Redgrave) and sister Joy (Frances Barber) before they return to Peter's home in Liverpool. Gloria grows weaker and ultimately decides to return to her American physician for chemotherapy, escorted by one of her real sons Tim (Tom Brittney) from one of her four marriages, leaving Peter with love and concern that he care for his own family. The story is an affectionate, moving, and wryly humorous memoir of friendship, love, and stardom.

Oscar worthy performances by Bening, Bell, Walters and the entire cast make this film luminous - one that needs to be seen more than once to fully appreciate all the fine qualities - acting, photography, musical score, and direction. Highly recommended

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 the mystique has been replaced by (too many) personal details and divisive political influence.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.

"Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" (2017 release; 107 min.) is a movie about the last years in the life of actress Gloria Grahame. As the movie opens (and Elton John's "Song For Guy" plays in the background), we are told it's "Liverpool, England, 1981" and we see Gloria applying make-up and getting ready for a theater performance. But she falls ill. She reaches out to Peter Turner in nearby Liverpool and asks if she can come stay at his mum's house. Peter agrees. We then go back in time to "Primrose Hill, London, 1979", and we see Peter running into Gloria for the first time. At this point we are 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is latest from Scottish director Paul McGuigan, best known for "Victor Frankenstein". Here he brings the real life memoir of Peter Turner to the big screen. Turner met faded film star in the late 70s when he was 28 and she was twice that age. i shan't say more (biting my lips). Let's be very clear about one thing: leading actress Annette Bening is absolutely fantastic in this movie. You might think that, having been criminally overlooked in last year's Oscar nominations for he outstanding work in "20th Century Women", the Academy would be a bit more careful this time around. But no. Bening is once again robbed by the Academy, which instead once again lazily gave another nomination to Meryl Streep for her ok (but by no means outstanding) work in the very medicore "The Post" (an "All President's Men" wanna-be that is nowhere close to that gold standard). Jamie Bell is equally up to the task, but has nowhere near the stature or screen presence of Bening. Vanessa Redgrave appear in one scene. The movie's set production (recreating the late 70s/early 80s) is immaculate. Last but not least there is a lot f great music in the film, both as to the score and the song placements.

"Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" has been gradually expanding over the last 2 months, and it finally opened last weekend at my local art house theater here in Cincinnati. The Sunday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay (about 15 people or so). Other than the very basic premise of an older woman's relationship with a younger guy, I knew nothing about the movie beforehand, and I ended up enjoying this quite a bit more than I had expected. But it the end, this film is really about Annette Bening's outstanding performance, and that alone is worth checking this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

"Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" (R, 1:45) is a romantic drama based on a couple of years in the life of Gloria Grahame, an Oscar winner and veteran of such classic films as "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Oklahoma". Multiple Oscar-nominee Annette Bening plays Grahame, mostly during her time in Liverpool, England, where she met, had an affair with and was ultimately nursed through a serious illness by much younger man (and local Liverpool actor), Peter Turner (BAFTA Award winner Jamie Bell).

Peter meets Gloria when she moves into his apartment building. They quickly go from being neighbors to friends to lovers. Peter doesn't seem bothered by their age difference and Gloria seems to cherish it, but it inevitably leads to hurt feelings and conflict between them. Nevertheless, they work through the rough patches and Gloria becomes very friendly with Peter's family. When Gloria returns to Liverpool after living in New York for awhile and she is obviously ill, she reaches out to Peter and ends up staying with his family, who all pitch in to take care of the ailing actress. As Gloria's illness progresses and she begs Peter not to take her to any doctors or notify her adult children in the U.S., Peter and his family struggle to find the best way to help Gloria... while Peter deals with his lingering feelings for her.

"Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool" is a sweet and sad story of star-crossed lovers in an especially unusual May-December relationship. It's terrifically acted and creatively shot and edited. It's a wonder why this hidden gem didn't garner more accolades during the 2017-2018 movie awards season. "A-"

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.