By: debbie lynn elias
Opening in limited release in Los Angeles on December 17 and nationwide on December 29, Kevin Spacey sneaks in under the Oscar consideration wire to bring us this poignant, yet buoyant film biopic on the legendary Bobby Darin.
Although there are those of you too young to remember Darin (like Kate Bosworth, one of the film’s stars), I guarantee you know you his work. Written and performed with the heartfelt emotion of a love letter, the film charts Darin’s career from his early days as a sickly child with heart disease (assured by doctors he would not live to see 15) to his meteoric rise in the music world thanks to “American Bandstand” and a little number called “Splish Splash”, going full circle to his reincarnation as a Sinatra-like crooner in Vegas and his signature song “Mack the Knife” and then back to his “rock” roots just prior to his untimely death at age 37.
Born Walden Robert Cassotto aka “Bobby”, Darin always had dreams of being a “star.” Determined to fulfill his dream and defy medical naysayers who predicted a teenaged death, Darin inherited his mother’s passion for music at an early age and capitalized on his talent, playing a multitude of musical instruments, including the drums and piano, even joining a band by age 15. After graduating Bronx High School, Darin attended Hunter College thanks to a scholarship, but his heartstrings kept pulling him in the direction of both music and acting, so after one year at Hunter, he left school, changed his name to Darin by picking out one that “sounded good” from the phone book, and struck out into the entertainment world with his own little musical combo and personal entourage – the inexperienced Steve Blauner as his manager, Dick Behrke as his musical director, another inexperienced friend, David Gershenson as his publicist and his brother-in-law Charlie as his personal valet.
By 1956, Darin signed with Decca Records, but after a year, he was stagnating so Blauner moved him over to Atlantic and their spin-off subsidiary, Atco, where he became an arranger, singer and songwriter. Ultimately, thanks to a July 19, 1958 appearance on a little show hosted by the legendary Dick Clark, Darin became an overnight teen idol with a song he allegedly wrote in ten minutes, “Splish Splash.” From there, his star just kept rising and in 1960, his signature song, “Mack the Knife” won him Grammy gold as Record of the Year and Darin was voted Best New Artist. Determined to now conquer another medium, Darin moved into film, starting with 1960’s “Come September”opposite Rock Hudson and leading lady, Sandra Dee, who would later become his wife until divorce in 1967.
The film takes a look at some of the more personal aspects of Darin’s life – an unknown father, a loving mother who supported her family with welfare payments, an older sister who ultimately revealed following the death of their mother that she was, in fact, Darin’s birth mother, and a seemingly idyllic marriage to everyone’s dream sweetheart, Sandra Dee. And while there could have been more biopics, there are enough to give sufficient structure and interest to the storyline. But beyond the public and private tales, what makes this film so special is the work of Kevin Spacey.
Long rumored that this film was a pet project of his, Kevin Spacey is mesmerizing as Darin. Interlacing the more personal aspects of Darin’s life with his meteoric rise to star status in music, tv and film, Spacey does an incredible job of bringing Darin’s story to the big screen. From high energy song and dance routines – in which Spacey does his own singing and dancing – to poignant exchanges with his younger self to the self-absorbed determination and conviction that drove Darin to legendary Grammy winning and Oscar nominated status to the drama of his heartfelt and often stormy relationship with Sandra Dee, Spacey captures both the public and private persona Darin. If there is any downfall to the performance, it lies in his exuberant use of musical numbers which often overshadow details of personal relationships. Kate Bosworth is remarkable as the publicly perpetually perky yet privately distraught Sandra Dee and plays well with Spacey, despite their age difference. For! the record, Spacey is already considerably older that Darin which may cause some consternation for factoid obsessed fans, but thanks to Spacey’s strong performance, the age differential is forgotten, although a cute tongue-in-cheek age reference by Spacey early on does a nice job of addressing the issue.
And while there are noticeable gaps and a sense of intermittent listlessness throughout (due in part to some disjointed flashbacks) the music and dance routines seemingly take hold and lift the film over the sometimes rough and unsteady waters; possibly even too much. Adding to the film’s buoyancy is the choreography, which would rival that of Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire or Stanley Donan, not to mention, Spacey’s previously untapped musical talent. The guy is great! Do we see a musical album in his future? He’s already got a string of concert dates set. One can only hope.
Directed by Spacey, this is not a film with trick photography or special effects. There are no explosions, villains or car chases. There is a just a simplicity and reality to be appreciated and enjoyed. And Eduardo Serra’s cinematography – especially in a fantasy “Mack the Knife” sequence – only helps to capture the reality of the subject. Written by Paul Attanasio and Lorenzo Carcaterra, this is a film about a man; a man who only wanted to be remembered as a human being and a great performer. And it’s a film that may just garner an Oscar nod for another great performer, Kevin Spacey.
Bobby Darin: Kevin Spacey
Sandra Dee: Kate Bosworth
Steve Blauner: John Goodman
Dick Behrke: Peter Cincotti
David Gershenson: Matt Rippy
Directed by Kevin Spacey. Written by Paul Attanasio and Lorenzo Carcaterra. A Lions Gate Films release. Rated PG-13. (121 min)
