Weekend Pass: Amelia
Hilary Swank [HSWAN] has won two Best Actress Academy Awards playing women in extraordinary circumstances. Her first win for Boys Don’t Cry was a true story the murder of a transgender woman. Swank went on to win her second Oscar for Million Dollar Baby. Both roles saw her character die by tragic circumstances. This weekend, Swank plays another real-life, strong woman in Amelia [AMELA]. Maybe it’s her exceedingly sharp jawline or perfect pixie haircuts, but Swank tends to nail these characters. Will audiences find her rendition of Amelia Earhart compelling?
Swank started developing Amelia after her second Oscar. The screenplay is crafted by Ronald Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan from the books ‘East to the Dawn’ by Susan Butler and ‘The Sound of Wings’ by Mary S. Lovell. The books cover Earhart’s life and relationships in detail.
The film centers on her rise to fame as the pioneering aviatrix who was the first to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Earhart won the prestigious Flying Cross and formed an organization for female pilots called the Ninety Nine. Her romantic relationships included Gene Vidal, played by Ewan McGregor [EMCGR] and author George Putnam, portrayed by Richard Gere [RGERE], who she married.
It was, Earhart’s 1937 trip around the world that made her an enduring legend. Along with her navigator Fred Noonan, played by Christopher Eccleston [CECCL], Earhart vanished over the Pacific Ocean. The two were never found, making their disappearance one of the enduring mysteries of the 20th Century.
Swank, who takes on challenging roles, seems custom made to play this woman. The actress took flying lessons and channeled all the female power she had to bring to the character. Amelia is directed by Mira Nair [MNAIR], who has a penchant for depicting characters overcoming obstacles. Nair utilized period footage of Earhart in the film to give life to the 1930s.
Amelia is likely to bring in an eclectic crowd curious to see what Fox Searchlight has done with this material. For those who appreciate Swank as the enduring woman, this is another chance to see her bring those qualities to screen.
Stay tuned for a review of the film and coverage of Nair’s press event coming later this week
Tag(s): HSWAN, AMELA, EMCGR, RGERE, CECCL, MNAIR
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