Tuesday, December 10, 2019

The Crown and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel [Media Notes 25]

I finished watching season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel over the weekend and season three of The Crown yesterday. I love both shows, and I want to compare them. But they’re so different in subject matter and tone that a comparison could easily become an intellectual stunt rather than a useful exercise.

We’ll see.

Both shows, of course, center on woman. Queen Elizabeth is at the center and peak of her society while Miriam “Midge” Maisel, as a Jew, is somewhat marginal to hers. Elizabeth didn’t choose to be Queen; rather, she had the role thrust upon her when her father abdicated, for love no less. Midge choose to become a comedian, against the wishes of her family and her society – as I recall from season one, her husband thought HE had talent, but didn’t. In becoming a comedian she was seeking personal fulfillment. Elizabeth had to deny herself personal fulfillment in order to carry out her duty as Queen.

And so forth. The two series are opposites, complements, supplements, whatever. Moreover you can see it in the design and lighting. The Crown is somber and has many scenes with low lighting. Mrs. Maisel is brightly lit and full of saturated colors.

The final episode of the third season of The Crown centers on Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret. They are quite different in temperament and there had been tension between them since childhood. Margaret was more artistic while Elizabeth was more conventional, a contrast which has come to the fore at various times in the show. In this episode Margaret’s marriage, to a famous photographer, is on the rocks. He’s having an affair. She retaliates and is caught on camera with her lover at her Caribbean estate. The Queen Mother summons her home in disgrace. She attempts suicide. Elizabeth visits her in bed and is moved to tell her that she is the most important person in the world to her.

Mrs. Maisel’s third season ends with her anxious to go out on the road again with Shy Baldwin, a headlining African American singer who strikes me as being modeled on Johnny Mathis (though Harry Belafonte seems to be the fan favorite). She plays Las Vegas, a Florida resort (where her parents visit her), and has a grand time. In Florida she learns that Shy is gay, something no one knows, but no one (except a very close few) – she swears she’ll tell no one, no one. When she opens for him at the Apollo – yes, Midge Maisel, Jewish matron from the Upper West Side at the freakin’ Apollo – she hints about his sexual identity. When she arrives at the airport to get on the plane to continue the tour she finds that she’s been dumped. “I thought we were friends”, she tells Shy’s manager – or words to that effect. “No”, he replies, “you were musicians on tour.”

What I’m wondering is this: What framework would be able to accommodate both of these stories, or, if not exactly those stories, stories like them? And by accommodate I mean down to how the characters are costumed, sets are designed and dressed, and how shots are filmed and lit?

* * * * *

Incidentally, Shy’s bassist is a woman named Carole Keen. She’s obviously modeled after legendary studio bassist Carole Kay.

No comments:

Post a Comment