Warren Beatty has wanted to do this film for decades and he finally has. I have to say it was definitely worth the wait. ‘Rules Don’t Apply’ written and directed by Beatty is absolutely wonderful.
The year is 1958. A beautiful young actress wannabe, Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) has come to Hollywood with her over protective Baptist mom, Lucy (Annette Bening) to be one of Howard Hughes contract players.
She is among 25 other gorgeous young females who get paid $400.00 a week, plus their own house and personal driver. They all share one thing in common. That Hughes will give them a screen test and they will become a star.
Hughes has several rules of course. The hopeful starlets cannot interact with their drivers or have sex with anyone on his primarily Mormon male staff.
As Lily waits patiently for her screen test, she develops a friendship with her driver, Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich) who eventually becomes Hughes close confidant. This becomes a big problem for both of them when their friendship turns into something much more.
What’s the most interesting thing about the film is Hughes himself. During this time, he was very reclusive, extremely eccentric and a drug addict after his almost near fatal plane crash.. His business associates at TWA are starting to think that he is senile since he refuses to meet with them. Hughes prefers to hang outing his bedroom eating ice cream.
One day he does emerge and he meets Lily. The two of them wind up developing a close but odd friendship and she begins to suspect, the promised screen-test will never come. .
‘Rules Don’t Apply’ is funny, sad, romantic and but most important it gives a us a glimpse into a brilliant man who changed aviation forever.
I gave the film which opens in theatre, Wednesday November 23, five bagels out of five. Don’t miss it.
For another take on this movie, read Rachel Ganz’s review.
