Friday’s Wall Street Journal ran a feature titled “All the Butler’s Presidents” by Rachel Dodes. There are two very interesting sections. The first deals with screenwriter Danny Strong: “After reading several presidential biographies, political memoirs and interviewing more than 25 former White House butlers, ushers and housemen – including Mr. Allen who died in 2010 – Mr. Strong had a breakthrough. He told Ms. Ziskin that he wanted to depart from the facts of Mr. Allen’s life, and turn the story into an epic chronicle of the civil rights movement, as seen through the eyes of a quiet eyewitness to American history, a la “Forest Gump”. He changed the butler’s name to Cecil Gaines, to reflect the idea that he was a composite character.” This film features a headline “Inspired by a true story”. In other words, the audience won’t know where fact ends and fantasy begins because this composite character, Cecil Gaines, has two sons. The imaginary son, Louis, becomes a Black Panther. Oh Really? You think the Secret Service wouldn’t notice? The other son, Charlie, gets killed in Vietnam in 1973, and there is a real tear-jerking, but totally bogus, funeral in Arlington National Cemetery. That is because Eugene Allen’s only child, son Charles, is listed as a survivor in the 2010 obituaries. Then, Ms. Dodes addressed the Hanoi Jane outrage: “Another bit part is controversial: Jane Fonda, known for her left-wing politics, plays Nancy Reagan. A Facebook page called “Boycott Hanoi Jane Playing Nancy Reagan,” set up after her casting was announced, currently has nearly 24,000 likes. But on her blog, Ms. Fonda says the former First Lady had no problem with the casting, and even helped out when a mutual friend asked Mrs. Reagan for advice on how she addressed former adviser and cabinet secretary James Baker (“Jim”) and whether she would have taken his arm and walked in with him in a scene (no). Mrs. Reagan had no comment. Mr. Daniels said he was hesitant to cast Ms. Fonda because he thought her political persona might be a distraction, but ultimately he couldn’t resist. “Isn’t she badass?” he says.” Mrs. Reagan has too much class to comment publicly about this, either back in the Fall after the State Dinner scenes were filmed, or when Hanoi Jane first insulted Larry Reyes back in April, or even now. Her silence speaks volumes.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 03:48:43 +0000
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