Far from the traditional biofilm, Blonde hair is an abundant allegory of nearly three hours where the emphasis is more on Norma Jean Baker than on Marilyn Monroe. The favorable rumor surrounding the performance of Ana de Armas is confirmed: the actress threw herself into it body and soul.
Posted at 3:27 p.m.
The comparison will no doubt seem very crude in the eyes of those for whom Valérie Lemercier’s film was nightmarish, but there is a bit ofAline in this Blonde hair. No, Ana de Armas did not play Norma Jean as a child (baby Norma Jean, however, sleeps in a drawer!), but the fact is that based on a fictional biography published by Joyce Carol Oates there is several years, Andrew Dominik interferes in the private spheres of the star, by definition undocumented. He thus has the space required to invent his vision of things, not being required to be faithful to reality.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY NETFLIX
Ana de Armas portrays Marilyn Monroe in Blonde haira film directed by Andrew Dominik.
As spencer last year, allegory on Princess Diana, Blonde hair has nothing of the traditional biofilm, even less of the documentary. This is what makes it interesting. That said, the filmmaker inserts into his fragmented story, sometimes in color, sometimes in black and white, the most famous episodes in the life of the woman who, 60 years after her death, is still present in the global collective imagination.
Marilyn’s Ghost
To best capture the spirit of Marilyn Monroe, Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Killing Them Softly) even went so far as to shoot many of the scenes for her feature film in the places she actually lived, including the house where she spent her difficult childhood.
“It’s a bit like chasing his ghost, his dust is everywhere in Los Angeles! “, specified the filmmaker in a press conference.
PHOTO TIZIANA FABI, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Filmmaker Andrew Dominik and Brad Pitt, producer of Blonde hair.
One of the main axes of the story is the relationship to motherhood. The first act is devoted to depicting the violent relationship that her mother (Julianne Nicholson) had with her, blaming her for the reasons for all her misfortunes, including the abandonment of the husband (and father), who did not want a child. .
By focusing on the contrast between the adulation that Norma Jean will later receive, when she becomes Marilyn Monroe, and the inner void left by this unhealable wound, Andrew Dominik paints the portrait of a woman who is both strong and fragile. , confronted with her own desire for motherhood. The star is also constantly torn by the image that admirers have of Marilyn Monroe, which in no way corresponds to the true nature, much darker, of Norma Jean Baker.
Even though the emphasis is more on Norma Jean Baker than on Marilyn Monroe, on the woman rather than the superstar, Ana de Armas did not approach the role as a duality, although the two aspects, embodied by the same person , are well defined.
“I was emotionally linked to the two at all times, confided the actress, visibly moved. It wasn’t like I had to play Norma Jean one day and Marilyn the next. My priority was to understand his pain and trauma, to show empathy. I knew that to do this I had to surrender myself and go to places that were more uncomfortable, dark and vulnerable. I didn’t want to protect myself. »
A total surrender
Invited to try out after Andrew Dominik, who has been working on this project for over 10 years, saw her in Knock-Knock (Eli Roth), Ana de Armas felt that Marilyn Monroe was very close to her, even if, before landing the role, she had a superficial image of the star of Men prefer blondes.
“She was with us, I really believe that. She occupied all my thoughts, all my dreams, she was my only topic of conversation. She was with me and it was beautiful. I think she was happy about it. Being in the same places as her, filming in her house gave the very strong impression that something was floating in the air. I think she approved of what we were doing. »
By giving Marilyn back her own truth about the inner, tragic drama that finally got the better of her, Ana de Armas threw herself body and soul into the character, abandoning the one who, like Marilyn in her time, aspires to the greatest scores.
In the running for the Golden Lion, Blonde hair will be released on September 23 at the Cinéma Moderne and the Cinémathèque québécoise. Netflix will drop it on its platform on September 28.