At the Cannes Film Festival there has been a wave of excitement over the new Quentin Tarantino title “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”, making its world premiere. There is already talk about the film being an Oscar contender, it is so beloved.
Tarantino himself though, maybe not so much. At one post-screening press conference he sat in with his cast and fielded questions from the media. One reporter from the New York Times, striving for wokeness, delivered an accusatory question about a female character not being given enough lines in the film.
A female journalist asked Tarantino why he gave a talented actress like Margot Robbie—who plays Sharon Tate in the late-’60s Hollywood period piece—such little dialogue.
“I just reject your hypothesis,” Tarantino said bluntly, a scowl on his face. https://t.co/l9aETp9CJd #Cannes pic.twitter.com/2CdG8r4jNw
— LAT Entertainment (@latimesent) May 22, 2019
Quite a few items to note here, first being “a scowl on his face”?! This is Tarantino — have you never seen the man before? He looks like he’s scowling while smiling.
But as for the gripe about the amount of dialogue, what exactly is the “correct” amount of lines character are to be given on screen? They are discussing art; are we going to begin applying quotas on dramatic presentations?!
As for the role itself, Robbie clearly took it on with full knowledge of the specifics. Reading the script would have revealed to her the amount of speaking she would be charged with, and she still accepted the job. Huh. In fact, Robbie had comments about her role, and she sure sounds rather glowing about her appearance in the film.
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“I don’t think it was intended to delve deeper,” the Oscar-nominated actress said. “I think the tragedy, ultimately, was the loss of innocence. To show those wonderful sides of her could ultimately be done without speaking. … I got a lot of time to explore the character even without speaking. Rarely do I get to spend so much time on my own as a character. That was actually an interesting thing for me to do as an actor.”
However this is 2019, and if you do not comport with the outrage sect then you are someone who needs to be dealt with. After this particular exchange it was not the reporter and her insipid question who came under fire, it was the director for acting in an intemperate fashion to a “serious” question.
Quentin Tarantino snapped at a female reporter from The New York Times who asked why Margot Robbie wasn’t given more to say or do in his latest film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" https://t.co/xACQXjyBu8 pic.twitter.com/5GraEtaSyw
— Variety (@Variety) May 22, 2019
I don’t understand why he’s so offended when it was HIS choice to give her like 10 lines, good for the reporter for calling him out ??♀️
— courtney (@infamousmargot) May 22, 2019
A valid question. https://t.co/qQcdJ9uSM9
— Kristen Lopez (@Journeys_Film) May 22, 2019
It’s definitely a valid question, & he wholeheartedly could’ve responded in a much better manner.
— Cameron ?️? (@silentbob2001) May 22, 2019
Obviously the Sharon Tate story is about men <duh>
— Cherry the Geek (@cherry_LA) May 22, 2019
Like, Tarantino has made some good movies and some bad movies but why even pretend like he gives a shit about female characters?
— Carmen Maria Machado (@carmenmmachado) May 22, 2019
Seriously with this? The only way you could make a statement like that is by having a working ignorance of Tarantino’s filmography.
In addition Death Proof where he literally had 2 sets of female casts. Broomhilda von Shaft(Kerry Washington), Django Unchained, Bridget von Hammersmark, Inglorious Basterds, Shosanna, Inglorious Basterds. The various Uma Thurman roles . Ffs
— ?PRince PoLLy? (@JaredPollard28) May 23, 2019
— Alex Leavell (@TheLeavellShow) May 22, 2019
QT was so impressed with Uma Thurman’s stunt double in KILL BILL he wrote a lead acting role for her in DEATH PROOF. Her name is Zoë Bell (she’s a total badass btw) and he continues to cast her in his movies. pic.twitter.com/bxysLDMCT9
— Aaron Bendele (@Ajbend) May 23, 2019
All of that aside though, this is the era of Woke-Back Mountain, so a career of delivering strong female roles means nothing today when MARGOT DIDN’T GET TO TALK ENOUGH — PATRIARCHY!!!!!
At least many out there saw through the triggered-hysteric nonsense.
The headline to this story should be: "Reporter with an agenda inanely questions director and director does not fall for the bait." Everything is made into a battle nowadays. Ugh! Stop policing art! If Margot Robbie is fine with her role, why is this a concern of the reporter's?
— Ceee… (@PtChefInHiHeels) May 22, 2019
That female “journalist” probably should watch a few of his movies before asking such a dumb Fucking question.
— Andrew Hinton (@iAMHinton) May 22, 2019
This “journalist” thinks acting talent is measured in quantity of dialogue. A great actor can do a lot with little and say a lot without a single word. She needs to stop trying to make up controversy and instead just record what you see.
— Mr Sack (@mbkerr1014) May 23, 2019
This is 2019; you do not have a journalism career unless you are generating outrage. She was only following the corporate mission statement.
Was that #alyssamilano who asked the question?
— awfunk (@Andrew_Funk15) May 23, 2019
Because it's obvious!! It was the 60's! Apparently he was staying true to the 60's, as with all of his movies ?
— J'millio (@Jmillio1000) May 23, 2019
What? Directors and creative types are temperamental? If a journalist can’t take someone being short with them maybe they need to learn some new skills #code
— Undead Bill Clinton…former zygote (@UndeadBill) May 23, 2019
"A female journalist asked producer Arthur Penn why he gave Patty Duke such little dialogue in 1962's The Miracle Worker"
— John Collins (@VStrom_John) May 22, 2019
Oh my goodness. I am outraged. We must convene a woke social justice court at once. I don't want to prejudice the outcome but execution seems reasonable.
— Ant O'Fearghail (@aofarre) May 22, 2019
The only fun aspect of all of this is seeing leftist journalists going after leftist Hollywood players with their fractured leftist societal rules. The next decade could really be fun if this continues to grow in scope.
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