Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo once said, “The only kind of love worth having is the kind that goes on living and laughing and fighting and loving.” As a new biopic showcases, Trumbo loved to write, and he fought for his First Amendment rights for the freedom to express himself while holding beliefs that weren’t shared by the masses. In “Trumbo”, Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston plays Trumbo, a man who was Blacklisted for being a Communist during the Cold War era of the 40s and 50s.
While Trumbo’s crusade is emotionally charged, the first hour of this film is surprisingly sluggish. Trumbo and other writers who support the labor movement and fair wages for everyone in the movie industry (the “Hollywood Ten” as they would come to be known) are “outed” by colleagues and called to testify in front of Congress. When they refuse to cooperate they are sent to prison. Once released all the major studios refuse to hire them. So Trumbo devises a plan to get himself and his friends back to work. But fighting the Hollywood system will be difficult, and there will be a price to pay.
“Trumbo” kicks into gear in the second half, when this cat and mouse game between Trumbo and the studios kicks-in. Wife Cleo (Diane Lane) and three children, including daughter Niki (Elle Fanning), provide his support system, but they become victims of the blacklisting campaign, and Trumbo’s battle, as well.
When done well, movies about the making of movies, and Hollywood in general, can shine. Five recent examples: “The Artist”, “Hitchcock”, “Saving Mr. Banks”, “Birdman” and “Argo”, which featured Cranston and “Trumbo” co-star John Goodman. The true story elements involving Trumbo’s work on the screenplays for “Roman Holiday”, “The Brave One”, “Spartacus” and “Exodus” add to the fun, as do real life characters John Wayne, Kurt Douglas and Edward G. Robinson.
Having actors playing famous actors on screen is always tricky. Director Jay Roach (whose film range includes the comedy hits “Meet the Parents” and the “Austin Powers” series to HBO’s powerhouse political campaign drama “Game Change”) handles it as best as possible. Actual clips of key Academy Awards ceremonies are nicely inserted. And Goodman, as Frank King, the head of the low-budget studio King Bros., has some terrific moments, including one particular scene that’s a “home run”. However, Louis C.K. is wildly miscast as one of the other blacklisted writers.
There was a wild fascination with the happenings of Hollywood during this time, and very few sources for information. Gossip columnist queen Hedda Hopper ruled the celebrity scene, using her power and influence to make and break careers. Helen Mirren gets to wear some divine dresses and head attire and plays a woman on top of the entertainment world, who, as it turns out, was also pretty evil. Mirren has some memorable lines, but her role is too small.
Cranston’s performance grows as “Trumbo” progresses, particularly once Trumbo gets caught-up in the mayhem and becomes obsessed with churning-out script after script (under assumed names) and defeating the blacklist movement. If the first half was as good as the second, “Trumbo” could have easily been added to the “Movie About Movies” A-list. This uneven effort is worth a ticket, but not the red carpet treatment.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Trumbo” gets a B-.
Running Time: 124 min.