Too Marvelous For Words

I mean it as a compliment when I say that Words and Music by Jerry Herman is an old-fashioned documentary. Airing on PBS on December 31 (and also available on DVD), Amber Edwards’ film doesn’t feature self-aware jokes, invasive comments by the director, or any other bells and whistles. It just combines new interviews and an impressive selection of archive footage to examine its subject’s life and career.
The result is a level-headed celebration: Herman’s remarkable accomplishments are deservedly praised — you have to respect the man who wrote Hello Dolly! and Mame, but the film also explores his string of flops in the 1970s and the deaths that have shadowed his work.

Herman himself is remarkably candid, and he comes across as a smart, warm man who hasn’t been deluded by his massive success. More than anything, I’m impressed with his drive to keep tinkering with older shows that he knows don’t work. Watching him coach Jason Graae on a revised version of The Grand Tour for instance, it’s inspiring to see the creative fire that’s still in his eyes. Equally moving is Herman’s frank discussion of how AIDS has scarred his career — many of the original cast members of La Cage aux Folles died of the disease — and his personal life. Edwards thankfully leaves these moments alone. Instead of relying on music to dictate our emotion, she lets Herman’s words speak for themselves.

Personally, I get emotional watching the archive footage. It’s like
watching history come alive to see lengthy clips of Angela Lansbury in Mame and Carol Channing singing “Hello Lyndon” for President Johnson. Many of this film’s clips are from rehearsals and performances which have never been seen before, and they provide a scope that extends far beyond a single artist.

Speaking of artists, the theater veterans that Edwards interviews are also a pleasure to see. Charles Nelson Reilly died this spring, which makes his hysterical, charming interview one of his last major appearances. And I feel like I’ve gotten a glimpse into
Michael Feinstein’s personality, now that I’ve seen him get positively giddy while discussing the musical structure in some of Herman’s songs.

Ultimately, Words and Music by Jerry Herman is an excellent film not
only because it skillfully chronicles the past, but also because it shows the continuing vitality of some truly exceptional artists.

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I haven’t seen Tim Burton’s film of Sweeney Todd, but I’ve been anticipating it for months. Now, thanks to the film’s singularly enthralling soundtrack (Nonesuch Records), I’m even more eager. It helps that I’m not a Sondheim purist, since neither Johnny Depp (as Sweeney) nor Helena Bonham Carter (as Mrs. Lovett) are brilliant singers. Anyone expecting a technically impressive interpretation of the show’s leading roles will be disappointed.

But the stars do such weird, specific work that they create strong characters despite their thin voices. Carter, the weakest singer in the cast, opts for a type of grotesque cheer. On songs like “Worst Pies in London” and “By the Sea,” she mixes singing with heavily accented speech, and you can practically hear her demented smile. To me, it sounds like Mrs. Lovett is aware that she’s performing for Sweeney, and she’s trying to seduce him with her bizarre spin on coquettishness.

Depp matches her with his sadistic joy, letting his voice burst with vigor even in Sweeney’s most furious moments. In “Pretty Women,” for instance, during his small talk
with Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), he evokes both rage and murderous delight at finally meeting his nemesis. Moreover, Burton surrounds his leads with accomplished singers. Jayne Wisener and Jamie Campbell Bower — the unknowns playing Johanna and Anthony — have beautiful, theatrical voices, and even Sacha Baron Cohen, as Pirelli, does rich character work. The vocal contrast only underscores how warped Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett have become. Amidst these lovely singers, their dark souls sound even more pronounced. Moreover, Jonathan Tunick, who regularly works with Sondheim’s music, enhances each song with his excellent orchestrations, particularly on the lush “Johanna.”

Overall, it’s probably best to approach this film and soundtrack as an adaptation of Sondheim’s original rather than a recreation. That will help lessen disappointment about the many numbers that have been cut –including “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” — and it will let the finished product stand as its own work of art.