Damien Chazelle (
Whiplash
,
La La Land
,
First Man
) returns with a 3:09 fresco with a budget of more than 80 million dollars on the reverse side of the Hollywood of the 1920s. Grandiose and decadent.
LE FIGARO.- You speak of
Babylon
as a nightmarish version of
Singin' in the Rain
...
Damien Chazel.
-
I love
Singin'in the Rain,
which is one of
Babylon
's sources .
The film by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly is from 1952, but the songs date from the 1920s. They are by Arthur Freed, who will become a great producer.
But when I started reading stories and testimonies about this period, I discovered some rather tragic things.
Gene Kelly's role model is John Gilbert, but his life is far from ending with a happy ending.
Read alsoSingin'in the rain: satire while singing
Gilbert died an alcoholic.
He never regained the success he had in the silent era.
One of his friends, Karl Dane, his partner in
La Grande Parade
, also saw his career shattered by talkies.
He killed himself with a gunshot...
This article is for subscribers only.
You have 85% left to discover.
Cultivating your freedom is cultivating your curiosity.
Keep reading your article for €0.99 for the first month
I ENJOY IT
Already subscribed?
Login