Nate Bloom blogs on this week's Jews in the News.

 

I Love Candy, a Kiss of the Spiderwoman, and Daniel’s Back!

 

“John Candy: I Like Me” is a biographical documentary that played the Toronto film festival last month and will premiere on Amazon Prime on October 10. Of course, it is about John Candy (1950-94), the talented comic actor whose personality was so warm and funny that he became beloved by millions of fans—and that admiration included virtually everyone he worked with.

 

The film is directed by Colin Hanks (Tom’s son). Every review complimented Hanks’ use of never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews. Most reviews were, overall, pretty positive. However, a few critics said that the film didn’t really cover Candy’s growth as a dramatic actor, too (In “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”—1987, and “Only the Lonely”, 1991).

 

Candy’s family was working class and he was born and raised in Toronto. His father suddenly died in 1955 and his family resources were strained. Many comedians, Jewish or not, have had similar stories.

 

Fifteen persons are interviewed in the film. This includes Candy’s widow and two adult children. Two Jews are interviewed: MEL BROOKS , 99!!, who directed Candy in “Spaceballs” (1987) and EUGENE LEVY, 78. A few years ago, Levy gave Candy a glowing “review”. He said Candy was “naturally nice” to everyone and he was just “born funny”. Levy was on “SCTV” (Canadian program) with Candy and they were, together, in 5 films. “Splash” (1984) was the biggest hit. (Other celebs in film include: Tom Hanks, Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray, and Martin Short).

 

In “Only the Lonely” there is a scene that always stuck with me. Candy’s dramatic performance was very good in it. Here’s the gist: Danny (played by Candy) still lives with Rose, his mother (Maureen O’Hara). She says something bigoted and cruel about Danny’s girlfriend. Danny reminds Rose there is a cost for cruelty. Rose made anti-Semitic marks while dining with her husband’s Jewish boss. Rose’s weak excuse was she didn’t know this boss was Jewish. Her remarks cost her husband (Danny’s father) a big promotion.

 

Opening in theaters on Oct. 10 is “The Kiss of the Spiderwoman”, a musical. The original (not musical) film opened in 1985. The original film and the musical play/film have just three characters. The two male characters, in the ’85 film, are a leftist revolutionary (Raul Julia) and an apolitical gay man (William Hurt)—and there’s Lena/Spiderwoman, who is often a “dream” character. (Sonia Bragman)

 

The ‘85 film got many awards, including Hurt winning the best actor Oscar. The film’s director, the late HECTOR BABENCO, an Argentine-Brazilian Jew, was Oscar-nominated.

 

FRED EBB (1928-2005) and JOHN KANDER (99!!) wrote the songs for a Broadway musical version of “Kiss” (1992). It got great reviews and ran for a long time. Ebb and Kander won the best musical score Tony. This duo’s other big hits include “Cabaret” and “Chicago”.

 

The film of the musical uses the Ebb/Kander songs. The director (Bill Condon) is not Jewish and I am pretty sure nobody in the cast is Jewish. Jennifer Lopez plays the Spiderwoman.

 

Last but not least is “Anemone”, the first film that DANIEL DAY-LEWIS, 68, made since 2017. Day-Lewis and his son, RONAN DAY-LEWIS, 27, co-wrote the film. It opened in a very limited number of theaters on Oct. 3. It opens “wide” on the 10th.

 

Here is the basic plot: Jem Stoker (Sean Bean) visits his estranged hermit brother, Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis), to ask him to come home.

 

A relatively small group of critics saw it at film festival. I trust the Guardian (U.K.), which has reviewed the film. The Guardian critic said there are some good things in it, but he led his review with this: [‘Anemone’] ”is a bleak and painfully serious misfire”.

 

Daniel Day-Lewis, so far as I know, doesn’t follow any faith. His father, Cecil Day-Lewis (1904-72), was an Irish Protestant who rose to be the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom. His mother, JILL BALCON (1925-2009), was an actress (not a star). Her father, Sir MICHAEL BALCON (1896-1977), was the son of Lithuanian Jews who settled in England. Michael grew-up in poverty, but rose to be an “artful” head of a major British film studio.

 

Over the years, I’ve only found ‘two Jewish things’ in Daniel’s background. He said he got insults about being Jewish when he was a student in a fancy private school. During a prior Gaza conflict, he signed a ‘stop Israeli attacks’ statement.

 

Daniel’s (only) wife, REBECCA MILLER, 63, is the mother of their two children (including Ronan) and she is quite good filmmaker. She’s the daughter of the famous playwright ARTHUR MILLER. Her mother wasn’t Jewish. Next week, her new documentary about Martin Scorcese will premiere on Apple+. I’ll say more about this over-achieving family next week.