Several years ago, I had to do a 15-minute presentation on a female author for my Women in Literature class (I loved this class: it was six girls and me and we read Shelley (I heart Frankenstein), Munro (one of the greatest short story writers ever), Oates (not so much love for Oates), Wharton (The House of Mirth = Blech. I've been told The Age of Innocence is much better), Morrison (love), and a couple others). There weren't many stipulations (other than it should be neither solely a book report or a lame biography) and we were allowed to choose the author on whom we wanted to present, as long as it was okayed beforehand.
I picked Willa Cather, an author I knew almost nothing about, other than randomly, a few years before I gave that presentation, while I was working at the library, I happened upon a book of Cather's works, picked it up, and read "Paul's Case", one of the singlemost fantastic short stories I've ever had the fortune to read. At the time, it probably resonated even more with me as I was struggling to figure out my own sexuality. For those of you who have never read it (and that's going to be most of you, I guarantee it): DO SO. Your lives will be enriched, emotionally and literarily.
To move away from the short story to talk about the film is a short step: the latter mirrors the former most nicely. As a matter of fact, at the very first seconds of the film, as we see Eric Roberts sitting outside the "principal's" office, I knew I was in for something special. Roberts is the Paul I had always envisioned. From his figure, mien, and comportment down to the way he bows, the tightening of this jaw, and the red carnation in his lapel, it was an inspired casting decision. (It probably helps that Roberts at the time was still relatively unknown, but for a role in King of the Gypsies.) The rest of the cast matters a whole lot less, because it really is all about Paul.
The subtitle of Cather's story is "A Study in Temperament", which is then elucidated for all the pages to come. Paul is somewhat enigmatic: a boy who didn't "mean to be polite or impolite, either" but merely just to say what he felt, at that time. Some of his teachers find him completely appalling, while others are intrigued. It matters not to Paul, though. All that does are the times he can appreciate what he considers the finer things. He is a lover of-- nay, verily consumed by his love for-- art, music, and high society. He ushers on weekends at a concert hall, where he is allowed to be "swept up" in opera, the symphony, and drama. He also goes backstage at a nearby theatre where he is friends to an actor and allowed to watch the performances at night. This is his life, and it's all he wants.
The rest of the story, I'll leave up to you to discover, and I'll merely tell you that the one thing I disliked about the film was that, while it is understated in the short story, Paul's likely homosexuality is REALLY understated in the film, almost to the point of it not mattering. And if it does is up to the reader/viewer, but at least let us make that decision.
Score: 9/10
P.S. Because I love you so, and I really want you to read it, here is a link to an online copy of "Paul's Case: A Story in Temperament" I found:
http://www.shsu.edu/~eng_wpf/authors/Cather/Pauls-Case.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment