Touchstone and Beyond: "Blaze"

Feature Presentation: Blaze 

Cast of Characters

• Paul Newman as Governor Earl K. Long 
• Lolita Davidovitch as Blaze Starr 

Elevator Pitch

Young Fannie Belle Fleming leaves home in the late 1950’s hoping to chase her dream of show business. When she gets lured into the burlesque lifestyle, it takes her to Louisiana with a new name, Blaze Starr, and an admiring fan. 

Blaze meets Louisiana governor Earl Long, and the elder leader of the state falls head over heels in love. He pursues Blaze, and she too falls in love with curmudgeonly governor. Their romance is the talk of the town. 

While Earl’s reelection chances are being challenged because of pro views on Civil Rights, it's his relationship with Blaze that causes the most chaos. She leaves him to give him a chance to win, but when he loses, all that Earl wants is Blaze, and together the two will forge a new path. 

However, a man so meant for politics will not disappear into obscurity, Earl is not gone long before Blaze convinces him that he needs to abandon state politics and run for Congress. On the eve of his election, which doesn’t look like victory, Blaze and Earl chart a course for the future that they will never be able to enjoy. 

The Orson Welles Award of Brilliance

Lolita Davidovich is phenomenal as Blaze. She takes the role and proceeds to show the audience that she is not someone to be pitied, and that she is in control of her destiny. Blaze is a striptease artist because she chooses to be. The audience doesn’t feel pity for Blaze. The audience roots for her and believes that she truly loves Earl. 

Paul Newman is fantastic as Earl Long. Long is a cartoon of silliness in the film, but any research on the real Earl Long would prove that Newman channeled the man well in his performance. Newman brings an elegance to the insanity of the man. While he seems cartoony in many exchanges, the fire and vigor that Paul Newman brings to the screen as Earl Long is a brilliant portrayal that only a handful of actors could have attempted. Newman makes the audience understand Long's popularity, but also the root of what he believes to be right. 

The scene on the state house floor, where Long tears into every elected official is brilliant. Newman makes a mockery of the terrible nature of his fellow politicians, and the sermon that Newman gives on the state house floor is cinematic at its best. 

The Alan Smithee Award of Anonymity 

I know the film is period piece, but the use of the ‘N’ word is jarring beyond belief. 

The movie is a comedy, but there is very little ‘ha ha’ humor in the film.  

Production Team

• Directed by Ron Shelton 
• Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Silver Screen Partners IV 
• Written by Blaze Starr / Huey Perry / Ron Shelton 
• Release Date: December 13, 1989 
• Budget:  $22 million 
• Domestic Box Office Gross: $19,131,246 

I Know Their Name

Fans of Step Brothers will always see Richard Jenkins, and in this film, he plays a memorable reporter named Picayune. 

Deep Dive Behind the Scenes

• The movie was nominated for one Oscar at the 1990 ceremony for Best Cinematography. 
• Haskell Wexler won the award from the American Society of Cinematographer’s for his work on the film. 
• The Chicago Film Critics nominated Lolita Davidovich for the Most Promising Actress award. 
• Blaze Starr has a small role in the film as Lily. 
• Thanks to Melanie Griffith turning down the role, Davidovich reportedly beat out 600 other actresses for the star making role.  
• The movie is adapted from Blaze Starr’s 1974 memoir. 
• Blaze Starr’s birth name is Fannie Belle Fleming. 
• Jeffrey DeMunn, who plays Tuck in the film, would go on to co-star with Newman in Empire Falls. 
• Blaze Starr passed away on June 15, 2015. 
• The film opened with a paltry $1,739,246 in ninth place. 
• While the film has Earl dying after winning the election to Congress, in reality, Long died prior to the election. The real Earl Long won the primary and since he was unopposed, he was guaranteed the seat. But Long died on September 5, 1960, two months before the election was held.  

Bill’s Spicy Take

Paul Newman should have got another Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Earl K. Long. He could easily be nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, replacing Dan Aykroyd for Driving Miss Daisy. He might even be better than Denzel in Glory.  

Oscar Thoughts

(These rankings are awarded based on my love for Hitchcock films)

{Frenzy Award-Skip this Film, Torn Curtain Award-Desperate for Something to Watch, For the Birds-A Perfect Film for Any Device, Rear Window Award- You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen because this film is cinema.} 

Blaze is a unique film because there is nothing that is life-altering in the movie that would have the audience on the edge of their seat. Earl is not fighting the good fight to get great legislation to pass, nor do we see the great impact that Long had with his leadership in Louisiana. The crux of this story is the love between Earl and Blaze, and thanks to compelling performances by Newman and Davidovich, that’s all the movie needs.  

I loved this movie, and that’s why Blaze gets my Rear Window Award. Watch this movie on the biggest screen possible because Blaze is a lost Touchstone masterpiece that should not be forgotten.  

Coming Attractions

Touchstone and Beyond will return in two weeks with The Good Mother.