“Directing a movie is a very overrated job; we all know it. You just have to say yes or no; what else do you do? Yes, no, yes, no — that is directing,” Lilli (the always marvelous Judi Dench) tells Guido Contini (the always divine Daniel Day-Lewis). Well, yes–and no.  Director Rob Marshall’s yes and no choices are on larger than life display in Nine, in similar ways as they were in his 2002 Chicago.  Your feelings about Chicago may be a good predictor of your enjoyment of Nine.  I enjoyed both. Nine has a glamorous all star cast, and the hard work this bevy of beauties put into the musical numbers pays off here. Day Lewis is riveting, the story is one for adults, the production numbers are big and this film looks good. And despite some melancholy moments, Nine is a whole lot of fun.

Nine is based on the Broadway musical by Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston, which was based on the Fellini film 8½. The screenplay by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella tells the story of Italian director Guido Contini’s search for an idea for his latest film and quest for a satisfying personal life. Guido suffers anxiety attacks as he tries to make a film with no script. He is married to beautiful actress Luisa (Marion Cotillard), but is having an affair with the sexy and married Carla (Penélope Cruz). Claudia (Nicole Kidman), his muse and star of many of his films, but not his lover, wants to see a script before she agrees to be in his film. Women throw themselves at Guido and the press and the film’s producers will not leave him alone.  No wonder he needs a doctor.

Guido thinks back on his life, and the little boy he once was, and converses with his dead mother (Sophia Loren). As he sits in his director chair, he watches scenes from his life unfold in big beautiful production numbers.  The musical numbers alternate using black and white and color, and the switch between the musical numbers that seem to occur in Guido’s mind and the present reality in color is quite effective. Marshall also used some of the same techniques in Chicago, and both films share a similar stylized look and feel. Almost all of the musical numbers involve the women in Guido’s past and present. When Guido seeks advice from a Cardinal (Remo Remotti), he is asked if he is a Catholic. “I am trying,” Guido answers. “Try harder,” the Cardinal replies.  Guido thinks back to his school days when a young Guido (Giuseppe Spitaleri) and his friends encounter a “loose woman” Saraghina (Fergie) who exhorts them to explore their sexuality, in the energetic musical number “Be Italian.” His conflict between carnal desire and Catholic guilt is part of what plagues him.

All of the performers do a more than credible job with the musical numbers.  Penélope Cruz (Carla) has an especially sexy song and dance, and sets the tone after a hotel room tryst with Guido when she spreads her legs on their bed and says, “I will be here waiting for you with my legs open.” Kate Hudson is adorable and perky as Stephanie, the American reporter who wants to seduce Guido. Hudson, dressed all in white, performs her musical number “Cinema Italiano” with charm and energy. Marion Cotillard is elegant and passionate as Guido’s long suffering wife, who still loves him despite his philandering. “No wonder you’ve got no film. You are too busy inventing your own life,” she tells him, getting to the core of his problem. Her musical number “Take it All” is powerful, sexy and sad, and Cotillard express her sadness and disappointment in her scenes with Day-Lewis using only her downcast eyes. While not a natural singer, Daniel Day Lewis makes his musical scenes work.  As in every film of his I have seen, Daniel Day-Lewis becomes the character. He is completely believable as an Italian film director, and he made me care about Guido.  His charm and charisma make this self involved director likeable. Day-Lewis has loads of chemistry with all his female costars, and his non-sexually charged scenes with Judi Dench and Sophia Loren (friend and mother) are especially enjoyable.

In many ways, Nine is reminiscent of Bob Fosse’s 1979 All That Jazz. No, it is not as compelling as that film, but it is not as dark either. I appreciated the introspective story paired with a somewhat hopeful ending. While the music is not as strong as the music from Chicago, it does the job here.  Nine provides big musical numbers, big stars an adult story, and it had me hooked from the big opening number. 

       

Nine.  Directed by Rob Marshall. Daniel Day-Lewis (Guido Contini), Marion Cotillard (Luisa Contini), Penélope Cruz (Carla), Nicole Kidman (Claudia), Judi Dench (Lilli), Kate Hudson (Stephanie), Sophia Loren (Mamma)and Stacy Ferguson(Saraghina (as Fergie)) The Weinstein Company, 2009.

Gail sees a movie appears every Wednesday.

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