The likes of Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and a few other contemporary Hollywood train wrecks are probably in the sites of writer/director Henry Jaglom's Queen of the Lot, a mostly funny romantic drama that engages every single Hollywood cliché even as it stands them up for ridicule. The film is technically a sequel to Jaglom's Hollywood Dreams (2006), the director's first collaboration with muse Tanna Frederick. In that film, Frederick's narcissistic and conniving Margie Chizek arrives in Los Angeles, alienates everyone she knows and wheedles herself into the life of a noted director who puts her in movies. Three films on, Queen of the Lot finds the newly named Maggie Chase (Frederick) as a hot B movie actress known for being an out of control, two time rehab flunkey. If one has seen Hollywood Dreams this joke is even funnier, if one hasn't it's funny anyway, as is most of Queen of the Lot. Jaglom's films are distributed under his own Rainbow Releasing banner and on the indie distribution circuit with limited screen access. In the old days, Henry Jagolm films would linger in theatres for several weeks providing a limited but steady box office return. Films do not have this luxury in the current market.
In Hollywood Dreams Margie was just about as caustic a character as ever appeared onscreen, and shallow, too. Fresh off the bus from Iowa with a number of lies about her past, Margie was irritating, yet somehow endearing in the end. Maggie is infinitely less irritating but every bit as shallow as Margie ever was. The only thing she really wants (now) is to be a "real" moviestar, which is an upgrade from just "moviestar" (her original aspiration). Now Maggie would like to be at least as popular as Angelina Jolie---which may or may not be a joke. Jaglom was a protégé of Orson Welles and considers actresses like Lana Turner and Norma Shearer to be real moviestars. Yet, he's also cast Ms. Frederick, an actress with considerable talent and almost no mainstream recognition, as the lead in four of his films, which says something about how he values movie stardom presently. Perhaps a movie star is someone a director casts in his own movie, and nothing else.
In Queen of the Lot, Maggie is involved with an even more narcissistic "real" moviestar, Dov Lambert (Christopher Rydell), the leading man of an old Hollywood family of aging stars, directors and writers, each on the edge of obscurity and bankruptcy. Noah Wyle is the bastard son of the Lambert family. A failed writer who is nevertheless good, he is not an alcoholic and only has sex with one woman at a time. He falls for Maggie despite her foibles, but is aware the situation is ridiculous. In more than one excellent exchange of verbal sparring (worthy of Tracey and Hepburn), he questions his sanity for being attracted to someone as superficial as Maggie. Oblivious to his rebuke, she suggests he examine his own mental health. This movie is often hysterical, and sometime very sweet.
If one is familiar with the lineage of Henry Jaglom films, which includes some wonderfully funny and thoughtful movies ranging from Someone to Love and New Year's Day, to Eating, Babyfever, Festival in Cannes and a few others, one will appreciate Queen of the Lot as a nice addition to what will eventually make a lovely DVD boxed set.
Distributor: Rainbow Releasing
Cast: Tanna Frederick, Noah Wyle, Christopher Rydell, David Proval, Paul Sand and Zack Norman
Director/Screenwriter: Henry Jaglom
Producers: Rosemary Marks
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rating: R for language and some sexual content.
Running time: 114 min
Release date: November 19 ltd.
A poignant and funny romance by indie vet Henry Jaglom
tommyc on 23 November 2010
haven't seen the movie (just clips from all of frederick's films). but personally, i can't bear to watch Frederick act - on stage or in film. can't do it. perhaps it's me and a few people i know but i find her style extremely annoying. extremely. best of luck to her but i wouldn't cast her anything i'm directing.
McMurph on 23 November 2010
Interesting... You may have passed up the woman of your dreams because of a weird first impression. I believe Sonny & Cher each thought the other was strange but they at least made the effort to look beyond that. I don't know if you actually work in the industry or not but you would probably have bypassed Lucille Ball, too. Too bad you don't even give her a chance.
tommyc on 23 November 2010
mcmurph. please..don't suppose you know anything about me. you don't. i know about TF than you think. believe me, the opinions expressed here - my opinions - are not first impressions. that's an understatement. that's all i can say.
Lenay on 23 November 2010
I saw Queen of the Lot and loved it. Angelina Jolie, move over. Tanna Frederick is coming!
tommyc on 23 November 2010
really, lenay? really. i don't think Jolie has anything to worry about. and for the reviewer to compare Frederick to Kate Hepburn? ha - i almost choked.
Lenay on 23 November 2010
Tommyc - You haven't even seen Tanna Frederick in anything more than film clips. ive seen her in both movies and live theatre and she's great at both. You're right - Angelina Jolie really doesn't have anything to worry about and she doesn't need to move over. There's room for more than one person at the top. I can see Jolie and Frederick in a blockbuster film together. It would be great.
tommyc on 23 November 2010
how do you know i haven't seen her other movies OR theater? hmmm??? no - you don't know. i have. and i stand by my comments. that's not to say others can't enjoy her performances. they can. i just don't get the praise laid upon her. and i'm not alone in that opinion.
Queen Mary on 23 November 2010
I've read several reviews where Tanna Frederick and Noah Wyle were compared to Spencer Tracy and Kathryn Hepburn. It's absolutely true. I want to see them in more movies together. Queen of the Lot was a blast.
tommyc on 23 November 2010
you're both delusional.
Lenay on 23 November 2010
This is all just a matter of opinion. I like Tanna Frederick and you don't. End of story. I hope things in your life are going well.
tommyc on 23 November 2010
do you wish that, lenay? or are you being facetious? they are going quite well, as a matter of fact. and i don't appreciate Tanna's acting; didn't say i didn't like her as a person. let's make that very clear.
tommyc on 23 November 2010
i've also seen a reviewer regarding one of Tanna's other films who said (paraphrasing), "watch out Oscars, watch for Tanna Frederick". really? hardly.
bollo on 23 November 2010
I think Tanna turned downed Tommyc for a date and he just can't get over it. Um, let other people comment without jumping on everyone else's opinion. There is a term for it, it is called trolling. I've worked with Tanna and she is a sweetheart on and off stage. I know she has some talent, and while I appreciate her, some others (guess who?!) may not. I look forward to checking this out.
Perhaps the issue
bollo on 23 November 2010
...isn't the actor, but the director or screenwriter not living up to their roles as equally. Maybe? Perhaps?
Boxer on 23 November 2010
I saw this movie over the weekend and it was FANTASTIC. Funny, poignant, and a scathing look at Hollywood - past and present. Most importantly, Tanna Frederick's fearless portrayal of a girl obsessed by her need to be famous stands out as one of the greatest observations about our media-obsessed culture, and the twisted need of contemporary women to fill the sense of powerlessness in their lives. Bravo for the courage of this film and Miss Frederick. Also, the on-screen chemistry between Miss Frederick and Noah Wyle is indeed magnificent. - Just an absolute joy to watch!!!
tommyc on 24 November 2010
haha, Bollo....good one. no - not turned down by any stretch of the imagination. trolling? hmmm...it's called "debating". and if you all want to faun all over TF, be my guest. i'm just throwing another opinion out there. it may be unique (but it's not) or in the minority but it is what it is.
tommyc on 24 November 2010
elaborate on your mention of the director and screenwriter comment, bollo. i personally would have no problems working with Jaglom. his style, from what i understand, is A-ok.