Stage Beauty Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)October 12th, 2004
STAGE BEAUTY
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
Richard Eyre's STAGE BEAUTY, which wants badly to be the next SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, is set in England during the reign of King Charles II (Rupert Everett), when an era was coming to an end. For centuries, only men were permitted on stage. Thanks to some whispering in the ear by the king's mistress, the king banned men from ever playing women on the stage again. Hence forth, only she's could she's. Or at least that's the version of history that STAGE BEAUTY provides.
The story starts a little before the proclamation to ban cross-dressing actors is issued. In a marvelous performance, Billy Crudup plays Ned Kynaston, "the most beautiful woman" on the stage. A gay man who attracts female groupies like a rock star, he is temperamental, vain and brilliant. Claire Danes plays Maria Hughes, his dresser and aid back stage. Studying and memorizing his every scene, she craves being an actor just like her master.
After gaining notoriety in a guerilla theater group that operates in a pub, Maria shots to the top of the acting charts once only women are permitted to play female parts. Ned and Maria bicker and argue like crazy before and after the big change in the acting rules. He is extremely jealous of her, and, since he views himself as "a man trapped in a woman's form," he isn't able to make the transition to male roles.
Ned does make one transition seamlessly. After being tempted by the delights of Maria's female flesh, he finds, for the very first time in his life, that he likes heterosexuality. Some viewers will find this transformation a bit hard to buy. Whether this is based in reality or not, it feels like a cheap plot device whose sole purpose is to sex up the story so that two lovely young actors can have simulated sex together on the screen.
Maria, on the other hand, becomes an instant star but not a real actress. Capable only of mimicking Ned's acting, she finds that her shooting star begins to fall as fast as it rose.
The movie starts strongly but completely loses its way in a long and lackadaisical second act. The third begins just as lamely but eventually picks back up with the spry wit of the first, and the ending twist is nicely done. The result is an uneven film that works in fits and spurts. About the only part of it that most people will remember a few days later is Crudup's absolutely delightful work.
My favorite part of the film? The dogs. The king has a half dozen little canine beauties who accompany him everywhere.
The breed, you ask? Well, duh. King Charles spaniels.
STAGE BEAUTY runs a long 1:40. It is rated R for "sexual content and language" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 15, 2004. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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