Big Eyes

Margaret Keane's fame is such that she has done celebrity portraits and her art even inspired the design of "The Powerpuff Girls". Director Tim Burton is a fan of Margaret and a collector of her works. When you look at the design of the Mad Hatter in his live action adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland", you can clearly see further evidence of his fondness for the art of Margaret Keane. This assisted him in telling her true story on the big screen but it wasn't just the direction that makes this movie enjoyable. The performances of the two leads in "Big Eyes" are very impressive and I enjoy the screenwriting. This is the first dramatic Tim Burton film I have seen. He has a gothic look that he usually employs in almost all his movies but less so with this movie and I admire that.

At first, Burton was going to act only as a producer on "Big Eyes" but then he decided to direct the film also. I am glad he did this because his love of the art allowed to him direct the story behind the art with passion. I can tell that he didn't have any intention of manipulating any of the art seen in the film to fit his style. Tim Burton has a unique style as mentioned in his fantasy films. He uses a lot of grey and bright colors to contrast the grey. In this instance, he lets the original color of the big eyes do the work that his shades of grey usually do. Some directors are all about the visual and while Tim Burton could be categorized as one of them, this movie proves that he also values the stories he is telling. This film can be likened unto "Ed Wood" somewhat but I see it more like "Big Fish". I will admit that I have not seen either film so that comment is somewhat unfounded. I have seen "Edward Scissorhands" though and "Big Eyes" from a visual standpoint is that movie but without Edward and with more realism. Coincidentally, the last time that Burton used an editor other than Chris Lebenzon was on "Edward Scissorhands". Some of the opening shots in "Big Eyes" and one establishing shot of Hawaii later in the film all look like moving paintings. This was a nice touch but it didn't distract us from the drama and the story being told. There is social commentary to be interpreted from this story but unlike other movies like "The Imitation Game", the political statement was subtle and the story of Margaret Keane took center stage. That is the best way to send a message by way of a movie. Walter begins to see that only Margaret’s paintings are getting attention and not the paintings of city streets that he has. The temptation to take credit is too much for him. Walter may not be a lot of things he claims to be but he is a salesman and a very good one. He is also good at marketing because he pioneers the sale of inexpensive prints of original paintings. Unlike some scumbag husbands in similar stories, he is devious from the start when he and Margaret first meet. Margaret is deceived because of her financial and martial situation at the start. One noteworthy scene is when Walter looses his temper with John Canaday because I almost took offense with something Walter says and I am sure that other members of the audience did too. To make an accusation that a critic only critiques because he cannot create is a violation of free speech. Just because I can't build a bike doesn't mean I should be forbidden to ride one or choose my favorite model. Besides, the reason why the painting drawn for the World's Fair wasn't good was because Margaret was being forced to paint in a format that was against her style. I love Terence Stamp's role as Canaday by the way. He is not a villain but rather the first one to see Walter as a fraud without even realizing it. The reason why his character hates the art is not because it is bad but because he is viewing it under the wrong assumptions. We never get to see very much of his reaction to the truth but I would like to think that he changed his mind, even if just slightly, about the quality of the art when he realizes that it is women's art. I liked the religious angle of the story. The screenwriters could have left out this part of Margaret's life but they stayed true to the facts in this case. When I saw the Jehovah's Witnesses walking up to her house, it made me happy to realize that Margaret would soon be helped by good people and that she would finally have friends who could help her make the right choice. The reason why Margaret took so long to tell the truth is because Walter cut her off from the rest of the world. Margaret was also living in a time period where women didn't have as much of a say in society as they do now. It is ironic how some people feel that religion suppresses women in today's society and in this story, religion helped one woman to choose the right and better her situation. The climatic courtroom scene was well created. It starts off as unpromising for Margaret but then we realize that the newsmen & Walter were accused of libel and only Walter is accused of slander. In other words, the newsmen who were accused with Walter were successfully able to prove that they published what they knew to be true, which is that Walter is the actual artist. The outcome of the slander conviction against Walter will not affect their reputations. It will only prove that they were duped just like the rest of the world. Walter may be a good salesman and communicator but he is no lawyer. Being a good public speaker does not alone qualify you to be a lawyer. What happens to end the trial was accurate but it appears to have been exaggerated in terms of comedy. However, even if it had been portrayed as serious, it still would have been funny.

This movie was start-and-stop for a few years with a different set of actors each time the film reentered pre-production. Amy Adams shows why she is a five-time Oscar nominated actress. I have seen her effectively play naive characters as well as strong ones so this was a great role for her. I believed her performance and deserved her Golden Globe win. The same can be said for the great Christoph Waltz. I am sorry to say that this is the first time I have seen him in a staring live action film role but it was worth the wait. The only negative criticism I have with Christoph Waltz's acting is that once in a while, his European accent would sneak into his performance. Other than that, his depiction of the character was masterful. I also appluad the acting of Madeleine Arthur. I kept forgetting that "Big Eyes" was a Tim Burton movie while watching it just like I kept forgetting that "Lincoln" was a Steven Spielberg film. That is a testament to how impressive both of these movies are. Not only is Tim Burton's contribution quite invisible but so is the performance of Amy Adams and the work of composer Danny Elfman. The story was the central characteristic of "Big Eyes" and that made the script for this movie even better. If this movie receives just one Oscar nomination, I will be satisfied.

4 Stars