I Love Candy, The Kiss of the Spiderwoman, and Daniel’s Back!
John Candy: I Like Me is a biographical documentary that played at the Toronto film festival last month and will premiere on Amazon Prime on Oct. 10. Of course, it is about John Candy (1950-94), the talented comic actor whose personality was so warm and funny that he became beloved by millions of fans — and that admiration included virtually everyone he worked with.
The film is directed by Colin Hanks (Tom’s son). Every review complimented Hanks’ use of never-before-seen archival footage, imagery and interviews. Most reviews were, overall, pretty positive. However, a couple critics said the film didn’t really cover Candy’s growth as a dramatic actor, too (in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, 1987, and Only the Lonely, 1991).
Candy’s family was working- class, and he was born and raised in Toronto. His father suddenly died in 1955, and his family’s resources were strained. Many comedians, Jewish or not, have had similar stories.
Fifteen people were interviewed in the film. This includes Candy’s widow and two adult children. Two Jews are interviewed: Mel Brooks, 99, who directed Candy in Spaceballs (1987) and Eugene Levy, 78. A few years ago, Levy gave Candy a glowing “review.” He said Candy was “naturally nice” to everyone and “born-in” funny, too. Levy was on SCTV (Canadian program) with Candy, and they were together, in five films. Splash (1984) was the biggest hit. (Other celebs in this film include Tom Hanks, Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray and Martin Short).
In Only the Lonely (1991), there is a scene that always stuck with me. Candy’s dramatic performance was very good in it. Here’s the gist: Candy plays Danny. He still lives with Rose, his widowed mother (Maureen O’Hara). She says something bigoted and cruel about Danny’s girlfriend. He reminds Rose there is a cost for cruelty. Rose made antisemitic marks while dining with her husband’s boss. Rose’s weak excuse was she didn’t know her husband’s boss was Jewish. Her remarks cost her husband (Danny’s father) a big promotion.
The Kiss of the Spiderwoman
Opening in theaters on Oct. 10 is The Kiss of the Spiderwoman, a musical. The original (not musical) film opened in 1985. The original film and the musical play/film have just three characters. The two male characters in the 1985 film are a leftist revolutionary (Raul Julia), and the other (William Hurt) is an apolitical gay man.
Lena/Spiderwoman is often a “dream” character. (Sonia Braga).
The ’85 film got many awards, including Hurt winning the best actor Oscar. The film’s director, the late Hector Babenco, an Argentine Brazilian Jew, was Oscar-nominated.
Fred Ebb (1928-2005) and John Kander (99 years old) wrote the songs for a Broadway musical version of Kiss (1992). It got great reviews and ran for a long time. Ebb and Kander got the Tony for their best musical score. The duo’s other big hits include Cabaret and Chicago.
The film (2025) of the musical uses the Ebb/Kander songs. The director (Bill Condon) is not Jewish, and I am pretty sure nobody in the cast is Jewish.
Anemone
Last but not least is Anemone, the first film that Daniel Day-Lewis, 68, has made since 2017. Day-Lewis and his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, 27, co-wrote the film. The film opened in a few theaters on Oct. 3. It opens “wide” on Oct. 10.
Here is the basic plot: Jem Stoker (Sean Bean) visits his estranged hermit brother, Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis), to ask him to come home.
A relatively small group of critics saw it at a film festival. I trust the Guardian (U.K.), which has reviewed the film. It says there are some good things in Anemone. But, sadly, the review said this at the top: “[Anemone] is a bleak and painfully serious misfire.”
Daniel Day-Lewis, so far as I know, doesn’t follow any faith. His father, Cecil Day-Lewis (1904-72), was an Irish Protestant, who rose to be the Poet Laureate of England. His mother, Jill Balcon (1925-2009), was an actress (not a star). Her father, Michael Balcon (1896-1977), was the son of Lithuanian Jews who settled in England. Michael grew up in poverty, but rose to be an “artful,” very respected head of a major British film studio.
Over the years, I’ve only found two Jewish things in Daniel’s background. As a youngster, he said, he got insults about being Jewish in a fancy private school. During a prior Gaza conflict, he signed on a “stop Israeli attacks” statement.
Daniel’s (one and only) wife, Rebecca Miller, 63, is the mother of their two children (including Ronan) and she is quite a good filmmaker. She’s the daughter of the famous playwright Arthur Miller. Her mother wasn’t Jewish. Next week, her new documentary about Martin Scorcese will premiere on Apple TV+. I’ll say more about this over-achieving family next week.