National Theatre Live theatrical release Straight Line Crazy
Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List, The English Patient) leads the cast in David Hare’s (NT Live: Skylight) blazing account of the most powerful man in New York, a master manipulator whose legacy changed the city forever.
For forty uninterrupted years, Robert Moses exploited those in office through a mix of charm and intimidation. Motivated at first by a determination to improve the lives of New York City’s workers, he created parks, bridges and 627 miles of expressway to connect the people to the great outdoors.
Faced with resistance by protest groups campaigning for a very different idea of what the city should become, will the weakness of democracy be exposed in the face of his charismatic conviction?
Released in selected cinemas on September 17
there is a $5.9 handling fee
Feedback/Comments
I absolutely loved this production. It was so good I will try to get a copy on dvd!
Fascinating story!
Brilliant interpretation of a major contribution to American infrastructure
Fantastic film
Interesting. First time in theatre movie experience. Took a little to get use to it
"I can't believe it's not theatre." Worth seeing. Convenient and cheaper.
It was long but very interesting and the cast was superb. It's the first theatre movie I've seen and it was great. A lot cheaper than the real theatre and such a great way to be exposed to the likes of Ralph Fiennes on stage without traveling.
Ralph Fiennes is Robert Moses, a willful, overbearing urban planner who so dominated the on-stage action that it was hard for other characters to cut through.
In Act 1 Moses plans to resume part of an industry baron’s estate to build a freeway to take the poor of Manhattan to the beaches of Long Island. No matter that he’s lost the court case and paid a large personal fine. He insists that the road is built. And he has the political connections do it. I am tempted to believe that Moses’ vision is socially progressive.
Act 2. Fast forward 30 years. Freeways, parkways, pikes, run the length of Manhattan, fracturing predominantly Black neighbourhoods. When Greenwich Village comes under threat, local protestors, including activist Jane Jacobs, put up a fight. Moses’ vision is revealed as not about “the people” at all – it’s an obsession with the straight line geometry of his master plan, crazily out of tune with the lives, history, attachments of the people he claims to champion.
The fiery exchanges between Moses and Governor Al Smith (Danny Webb) were theatre at its best.
Very entertaining and informative. Great acting all round. Gave me an appreciation and appetite for live theatre on film.
Powerful performances by the cast but I struggled to connect with the main character so didn't experience intense emotions.
Re the play itself:
Some good strong acting there but the play is too focused on lengthy dialogues and the storyline moves far too slowly. We bowed out during intermission - I think many did too.
Re the event itself:
We were told that we need to get there 30mins prior to the 6:15 start time. When I got there just after 5:45, there were already a fair few others there and we were told by the cinema staff that the rep hadn't arrived yet and the show wasn't due to start until 6:30. The rep eventually turned up just before 6:10 and the show didn't start until 6:40. With 10 mins of promos and 10 minutes of interview, the play itself didn't start until 7:00 - by which time, most people had already been waiting for 1 - 1.5 hours. It meant that people were exhausted, bored & fed up even before the party began (I know we were).
Re the movie arrangement:
I can understand having promotional material before a show but to watch an interview about a show that I haven't seen yet made it very hard to appreciate what they were saying in that interview. It might be better suited to after the play is over.