Page 21 - Boca Club News - February '25

Boca Club News, Page 21
Film Review–Double Feature:

“Maria”… starring Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas (2024)

and “Maria By Callas: A Documentary” (2018)

By Nils A. Shapiro As its title appropriately infers, this documentary
When the new film, Maria, had its world premiere at presents more than two hours of historic film and video
the Venice Film Festival’s Sala Grande Theatre, as the end recordings of Callas revealing her own life story in
credits rolled the audience responded with an eight-minute interviews and performing in many of her most famous
standing ovation that brought its leading actress, Angelina roles before worshipping audiences in opera houses
Jolie, to tears. throughout the world. It is a perfect complement to the
Maria—in which Ms. Jolie portrays one of the greatest newly released Angelina Jolie drama in that it provides
divas in the history of opera, Maria Callas, in the final few an informative background for understanding the early
days of her life—had received so much advance publicity life influences that left the real Maria Callas with a lack
that I was very surprised to discover it available at no of self-confidence for much of her life and places words
cost by Netflix in mid-December, only weeks after it had of truth in her statement to an interviewer that she was
opened in U.S. theaters. really just “a normal, average woman” and would trade
Having myself been blessed to be born to parents who all of her worldwide fame if she could have children, love
shared their love of opera with my younger brother and and a happy family.
me from the time we were young teens—I saw at least Callas’s later years, one returned with equal fervor, was My suggestion that you consider watching
10 productions at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House Aristotle Onassis, the ultrawealthy Greek. It was rumored the documentary in no way diminishes my strong
before I graduated from High School and have extended that she had borne his son, who died within hours after recommendation for the new film, Maria, which on its own
into adult life live ballet performances including those by childbirth. So when she learned—through newspaper is a powerful and beautifully made drama.
Nureyev and Baryshnikov and a general love of beautiful headlines—of Onassis’s sudden marriage to the widowed *****
music—I was instantly predisposed to enjoying this film, Jacqueline Kennedy, an announcement that shocked the For the first time in my more than 200 Film Reviews
if only for what I assumed would be to hear moments from world, she was devastated. Her emotional reaction and its I have gone an unusual step further in my desire to help
the late soprano’s glorious career. effect on her relationship with Onassis and Jackie are an this column’s readers derive the greatest possible benefit
I was not disappointed. Moreover, Angelina Jolie had integral part of Maria, the Jolie film’s drama. from both these films by doing an extra bit of research on
devoted seven months learning to lip-synch perfectly Apparently true from all reports is that, despite his my own and have come up with the following, which you
the lyrics to recordings of Maria Callas’s arias that Jolie marriage to Jackie, Onassis confessed even to his death in may also wish to keep in mind as you ponder the life of
is shown performing in brief clips at La Scala, Covent 1975 that Maria Callas was the one great love of his life Maria Callas.
Garden, the Metropolitan in New York and other opera and rumors persist that they continued to see each other Born in the U.S. to Greek parents she had an unhappy
houses in the film. during his marriage to Jackie. childhood that began with a mother who often ignored her
The real surprise, as I later learned, is that the director, Maria Callas passed away of a heart attack in 1977 in favor of her sister, teasing from friends and classmates
Pablo Larrain, decided to literally mix Ms. Jolie’s own in Paris at the age of 53, an especially moving scene because of her weight problem, sadness over her parents’
singing voice with that of Maria Callas in several scenes. in the film because she is discovered motionless by her divorce when she was in her teens, and a lifetime vision
Indeed, Angelina Jolie’s overall performance has butler, Ferruccio (a role superbly portrayed throughout by problem of near-sightedness that finally approached
garnered praise from critics worldwide. Pierfrancesco Favino) the one person in her life who had blindness at the end.
Of course, as filmgoers we are interested in the story, aways sensitively cared for and protected Maria Callas Her one gift, a potentially beautiful singing voice, led
and Maria Callas led a dramatic life indeed—but this film, from a world of hurt. to an opportunity to take lessons in Greece where she at
Maria, while it includes flashbacks to earlier episodes in If this film, and the brief but soaring excerpts of Maria last began to be appreciated.
Callas’s glittering career, leaves unrevealed many of the Callas’s voice, persuades you to learn more about her, Maria Callas was 30 years of age when she saw
early life influences from which she formed the sad self- Netflix offers that opportunity. Audrey Hepburn in the film, Roman Holiday, and with
image of herself that took decades for her to overcome. For a more fully informed visual biography of this her typical fierce determination decided to finally change
As internationally famous and envied as Maria Callas extraordinary woman, including many stunning clips of her appearance so that, to her, “the woman matched the
was, her private life was to a great extent a tragedy. But her famous performances—a film that will add to your voice” and finally gave her the self-confidence to express
by the time this film, Maria, picks up the story Callas had understanding of, and appreciation for, the Jolie film in that her long-suppressed needs. She lost 80 pounds in one year
reached the end of the performing career for which she was it clarifies the many reasons for the sadness of her early and became the striking dark-haired, strong image who
known by the world as “La Divina” (“The Divine”) and life—I highly recommend you follow up your viewing of appeared in newspapers, magazines, in movie newsreels
referred to by Leonard Bernstein as “The Bible of Opera.” Maria by turning to Netflix again for Maria by Callas: and on television screens throughout the world.
Highlights from her career are seen as flashbacks, leaving A Documentary, which was released in 2018. (Ironically, For those who have Boca Raton library cards, the
many of the problems in her earlier life untouched. while the Jolie film is free to Netflix subscribers the older Maria by Callas documentary recommended above is
Although married to a Metropolitan Opera executive documentary has a modest fee of $3.99 on Netflix.) available as a DVD to rent at no cost. In addition, the
for 10 years that ended in divorce, the true love of Maria library offers Maria Callas’s operatic performances both
on CDs and online through the Hoopla service.

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