Richardson herself is a revelation as Brooks, a figure worthy of her own biopic. Their chemistry as the older woman with conventional sensibilities and the young firecracker hellbent on kicking down every door carries quite a bit of the film. McGovern and Richardson, as Norma and Louise, make for a sharp pairing. The fault cannot be said to be with the show's stars. It's been available to stream via PBS Passport since August, and this weekend, it finally aired on Masterpiece itself.
Its Rotten Tomatoes score gives it a 43% splat from critics.
The Chaperone's run in theaters back in March was startlingly brief, especially compared to the Downton Abbey movie (which is still running over two months after its initial reliease). Unfortunately, the film has not caught fire the way some might have hoped. Fellowes' penchant for finding older female talent and writing them brilliant characters to play (as he's previously done with Maggie Smith, and now seems intent on doing with McGovern) would make this sound like a sure-fire bet for PBS Distribution to lead off a move to the big screen. As Brooks goes on to take the town by storm on her way to Hollywood, Norma goes on her own journey of self-discovery. Set in the same era as the beloved PBS show, The Chaperone follows the story of budding silent-era film star Louise Brooks ( Haley Lu Richardson), who leaves Wichita for New York City in the company of Norma Carlilse, a middle-class married matron who acts as her chaperone. It stars Elizabeth McGovern, who is currently best known for her turn in Downton Abbey as American heiress Cora Crawley. Adapted and written by Julian Fellowesof Downton Abbey fame from the novel by Laura Moriarty, it is directed by Michael Engler (also of Downton Abbey fame).
One can understand why this was the first project selected for it. The Chaperoneis the first major theatrical film release from PBS Distribution, best known up until now for home video releases. The Chaperone is streaming on PBS.org and PBS Passport until December 8, 2019.(Credit: Courtesy of Barry Wetcher/PBS Distribution) Pandora’s Box is streaming on Kanopy, a streaming service offered through certain public and university libraries. While some of Brooks’s movies have been lost, several of her films are streaming on Amazon and other services.ĭiary of a Lost Girl is available to rent on Amazon, along with God’s Gift to Women. Later, she began writing about film and a collection of her essays was published in 1982 as Lulu in Hollywood. Brooks made her last movie in 1938.īrooks struggled after giving up acting, and at one point ended up working as an escort in New York City. Afterward, she returned to Hollywood, but like many stars of the silent era, her career did not survive the transition to sound. She eventually moved to Berlin, where she made two of her most well-known films, Pandora’s Box and Diary of a Lost Girl, both with director G.W. But she didn’t like Hollywood and clashed with studio executives. She went on to appear in movies like A Girl in Every Port and Beggars of Life.Īs a star, Brooks’s distinctive bobbed hair and bangs made her instantly recognizable, and she became an icon of the 1920s flapper style. It was there that she was noticed by a Hollywood producer, who signed her to a contract with Paramount. Denis and was eventually fired.Ī few years later, Brooks had transitioned to dancing on Broadway. She later joined the school’s prestigious touring company, but she clashed with founder Ruth St. As a teen, she became interested in modern dance, eventually moving to New York in 1922 to study at the Denishawn School.
Louise Brooks was born in Kansas in 1906. Louise Brooks | Eugene Robert Richee/John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images