Page 64 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2017

Three Views of
The Beguiled
In 1966, Thomas Cullinan penned a novel with a creative premise which centered
August Film OPENINGS:
August 4: “Detroit” the story is set against the backdrop of Detroit’s devastating riots that took place over ve summer days in 1967. Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow directs.
August 4th: “The Dark Tower” Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an old west-like landscape in search of the dark tower in the hopes that reachiug it will preserve his dying world. Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey star. Based on the books written by Stephen King between 1982 and 2004.
August 11: “The Glass Castle” starring Oscar winner Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts and Max Greenfield. This movie tells the story of a successful young woman who was raised by dysfunctional parents.
August 11: “The Glass Castle” A group of monks undertake a pilgrimage to transport their monastery’s holiest relic to Rome. Starring Tom Holland.
August 18: “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. This is an action comedy about the world’s top protection agent (Reynolds) and his new client: a notorious hitman (Jackson).
August 18: “Logan Lucky” starring Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig. Directed by the awesome Steven Soderbergh.
August 30: is the animated lm “Leap!” starring the voices of Elle Fanning and Carly Rae Jepsen. This will be a fun month at the movies!
LIVE Theater
around a small group of girls and their teachers whose school has been isolated by
the Civil War. It took place in Louisiana in 1863. While hunting for mushrooms in the forest
the youngest student nds a Yankee soldier with a wounded leg. She supports him as he limps back to
take refuge in their columned but decaying mansion. Once there, all kinds of demons are unleashed. Deceit, jealousy, sexual repression simmer beneath a veil of civility and Christian charity. The book was called The Painted Devil. Over time the name changed
and it became known as The Beguiled, a
much more appropriate title but slightly
ambiguous because it is di cult, at times, to
tell who is being beguiled and who is doing
the beguiling.
The book is written as a character study
with rotating points of view: The ve
students, their two teachers and their maid,
Mattie. It is like looking at the same picture
from di erent angles. The reader can see how
the soldier enters into the lives of all, forming
alliances and fomenting suspicions thereby
pitting one against the other. All are totally
mesmerized and fascinated by the presence
of the reluctant corporal , a recent immigrant
from Ireland who happened to fall into the
military for lack of any other direction. When
caught in bed with one student, he infuriates
another who pushes him down the stairs and exacerbates his injury so much so that it requires amputation of his leg. Or is the excision of the o ending limb retaliation? That conclusion is left to the reader. His personality changes, at this point, and he becomes a tyrant assuming full charge.
PRE-View:
The story was rst lmed in 1971. It starred Clint Eastwood as the wounded soldier playing against type. The movie going audience expected it to be an action lm because of the reputation of its star and was disappointed that it was a brooding, atmospheric, psychological study. It bombed at the box o ce but is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
For my live theater fans, August is jam packed. Let’s start with the beloved musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” opening at the 6th Street
In its latest incarnation Nicole Kidman plays the icy head mistress. Colin Farrell as the soldier is much better cast than Eastwood as Farrell really is
Irish and exudes with ease that piquant Irish charm indicative of his character. Elle Fanning, an ingenue du jour, is one of the older girls. It is directed with a feminist bent by Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides). Coppola has been criticized for omitting the role of the black maid. She said that she did it out of respect not expediency. It is a di cult position to accept considering that the maid writes her own chapter in the original source material and it would have added yet another layer to an already multi-layered piece. Mattie was the only one who was not bewitched by the soldier. Coppola’s direction
Playhouse August 18th and closes September17th. This is the 50th anniversary of the Broadway musical based on the Peanuts comic strip by Santa Rosa’s own Charles M. Schulz. The cast includes the very talented Cooper Bennett, Robert Finney and Erik Weiss. Directed by the amazing Marty Pistone. If you haven’t seen this show before I’m telling you this will be one of your favorites! The Charles M. Schulz Museum’s exhibit marking the 50th Anniversary of the show will be on display in the Studio Gallery. Open one hour prior to performances. Call 707 523 4185 for more information.
is moody. Spanish moss languidly oats below sunbeams that penetrate
the groves of trees, lovely but eerie. Always there is a whi of decadence underneath the facade of the prim and proper Southern Belles. The Southern Gothic genre, no matter how it is interpreted, is always engaging, haunting and sometimes horri c.
I’m very excited about “Help is on the Way 23 – Puttin’ On the Glitz”. This is Northern California’s largest annual bene t concert bene ting HIV/AIDS and hunger programs. It’s an elegant evening of wonderful music, delicious food and fun. It will be held Sunday, August 20th at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave in San Francisco. I had the amazing opportunity to interview Maureen McGovern this week who will be performing her Gershwin melody at the event. She is ying from Ohio because she loves performing for this great cause. Appearing with McGovern is David Burnham, star of Broadway’s “Wicked”, Tony award winner Levi Kreis, Broadway star Carole Cook and many other Broadway stars. For tickets visit website www.reaf-sf.org or call 415 273 1620.
64 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/17
Enjoy the arts this month. You deserve it!
Catch Katie Ketchum’s amazing One Woman Show. See: Aug 4 & 11 Theater calendar pg 65.
Then call her up for Children’s Piano Classes. You won’t be disappointed 707-827-3288
Another must see in San Francisco is “La Cage Aux Folles” at the San Francisco Playhouse. Runs till Sept 16th and directed by the very talented Bill English. I have seen this musical over 20 times and have to say this cast is the best I have seen. You will be very happy you drove to San Francisco to see this show! Call 415 677 9596 for tickets.
The Sonoma County Fair runs from August 3rd through the 13th. If you’re a fan of the group War, they appear Wednesday, August 9th at 730pm and it’s free with your ticket to the fair. Thursday, August 10th you will see The Fab Four: The Ultimate tribute to the Beatles.
Email me with any questions regarding theater and film. Dongibblecast@hotmail.com.