Throwback Thursday (On A Saturday): Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The 1960s were a rather tumultuous time for America. The Civil Rights Movement, which aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination, had already made substantial progress by 1969. Important legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 had been enacted, but challenges and struggles for equal rights persisted. The Vietnam War was a major focal point of national attention. Opposition to the war grew significantly, leading to protests and demonstrations across the country. The anti-war sentiment reached its peak during this time, with events like the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam drawing massive crowds. The presidency of Richard Nixon began in January 1969, and his administration faced challenges related to both domestic and international affairs.
These, among other events, would ultimately define this era, yet, none of these milestones of American history are brought up in the nostalgia-colored fairytale classic, "Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood."
Rather, the film narrowly focuses on Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), fading television star trying to transition into film roles. The film weaves together multiple storylines, focusing on the lives of Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth as they navigate the evolving entertainment industry. The narrative also includes elements involving the Manson Family cult, but with Quentin Tarantino's signature, dark twist on history.
As with his previous eight other movies, Tarantino spins his dark romanticism in a Western-genre-influenced half-comedy-half-drama. In the vein of a Western, he uses real-life people as characters - the most notable in this film is the sweet and innocent Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robbie). A glimpse of Tate's Hollywood happiness, she is almost glowing - literally - with charm, partying with the likes of Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) and Steve McQueen (Damian Lewis).
"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" garnered praise for its performances, direction, writing, and its nostalgic recreation of 1960s Hollywood. It received several award nominations and won several accolades, including two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Brad Pitt) and Best Production Design. This is a bit of a surprise as there is seemingly hardly any script to go along with the two-and-a-half-hour movie. But, I guess when you've reached Tarantino status, you can do whatever you want.
Much of the film is told in snapshots of Cliff Booth - Rick Dalton's stunt double and best friend - driving Rick around - perhaps to tout the amazing production design, classic cars, and music choices on the radio. This is where the script gets crumpled up, and Tarantino takes over as director. Rick Dalton becomes unhinged when talent headhunter Bobby Schwarz (Al Pacino), spindles the TV star to act in spaghetti western films.
When a curious Cliff Booth tries to comfort his almost-to-tears partner, Rick loses it and is whisked back to his Beverly Hills home on Cielo Drive, next to new neighbors Polanski and Sharon Tate who are hitting up a party at a playboy mansion rife with heyday movie stars. There, told by a begrudging Steve McQueen, we learn that there is something funny going on between Polanski, Tate, and ex-boyfriend Jay Seabring (Emile Hirsche).
Cute, short, funny men who look like twelve-year-old boys are Tate's type. McQueen never stood a chance.
The next day, a worse-for-the-wear Rick Dalton drunkenly stumbles across a western set while go-for Cliff Booth house-sits in The Hills. The seemingly nonexistent script meanders as a corrective history and alternative events leading up to the LaBianca Murders. All the dark, evil, sinister qualities that gave the Manson Family their murderous-cult status are stripped away from them, depicting them as dumpster-diving hippies.
After getting booted off the set of "Lancer", Cliff roams around Burbank in the pristine Caddy (because, perhaps, his daily driver is a POS) where hippies hitch rides. Recognizing a beautiful face, he pulls over to offer a ride. Who is later revealed as the Manson Family hippie "Pussycat" ( Margaret Qualley) - based on the real-life Charlie Manson follower - the seemingly innocent girl hits it off with Cliff. Seemingly, she is more interested in him than he is in her. Oddly enough, Charles Manson is not the antagonist in this Quinton Tarantinoan story, but rather a cowboy wannabe Tex, who sees Cliff as a threat when Cliff beats up Tarzan-esque male bimbo on Spawn Ranch for slashing the tires on Rick Dalton's Cadillac.
Here's where "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" goes south. One could argue that, because of Margot Robbie's minor role that seems to be there merely to establish the setting and for eye-candy. In fact, excluding a few scenes, she's practically sidelined the entire film - what was thought to be her story - and her story is never truly presented. Another two-and-a-half-hour movie that veers off unexpectedly. Yet, perhaps, Tarantino is trying to make the statement that, because she ultimately evades a fateful end, it's just another nonconsequential day.
On this point, I am conflicted. On the one hand, I am starstruck by Margot Robbie's sheer presence. I am not ashamed to say I enjoy watching her watching a movie at the theater (or doing anything for that matter). Yet, I would like to have seen Sharon Tate somehow outsmart her killers instead of unwittingly being spared because the hippies broke into the wrong home. If the movie was ever about Tate, perhaps it was simply to honor her memory with a happy ending and let her be. However, other portraits of other actors are a tad hard to show reason for.
Like Bruce Lee.
The film is not kind to his memory. According to Tarantino, "He was kind of arrogant." And, that's the way Tarantino wanted Mike Moh to play Lee in the film. Cliff Booth's antics with Bruce Lee were what got him kicked off the set of "Lancer," and all this is rehashed in a flashback - God help us. In the flashback, Bruce Lee is shooting his mouth off about how great of a fighter he is - true to Tarantino's vision of him. Words are exchanged, leading to actor vs. stuntman. Following this fight, Cliff Booth is back at Rick's house fixing the TV antenna.
Although quirky and dark, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is actually an intertwining of multiple stories that give life to a dark time in a rapidly changing industry, and perhaps a statement on the Trump-era playbook that harkens back to the calamity brought on by the Nixon administration and the heated feelings toward the Vietnam War. But, it glorifies a time when Hollywood was deaf to the harsh goings-on across the world. Personally, I think it's a sort of mockery wrapped up in an acid-dipped cigarette - which makes it even funnier, intentional or not.
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