Monday, December 13, 2010

ANNE BANCROFT AS EMMA IN "THE TURNING POINT" (1977)

ANNE BANCROFT AS EMMA IN "THE TURNING POINT" (1977)


Emma Jacklin


by Dane Youssef


Emma Jacklin is a legend in her field. A prima ballerina with the American Ballet Company. In the Margot Fonteyn or Anna Pavolova tradition. She has the look of a timeless, ideal classical ballerina. Her powerful and prominent face, her deep and expressive eyes her proper way and presence. But despite the look and charisma of a woman from a more distinguished country such as England or Russia, she's actually from a small rural town in Oaklahoma. But many years in the Big Apple, dancing with the American Ballet Company has allowed her to adopt a "Noo Yawk" accent. Not to mention a more refined and elegant way of speaking: "How not?"


Like all professional girls in the business at the end of the day, she kicks off her toe shoes and when she looks down, she is both disgusted and embarassed. Ballet can be merciless on one's feet, especially a girl's. Her proud pained feet show the years and years of labor and dance. She has some weathered talons, hard to look at, but with the battle scars of an accomplished veteran who has accomplished her goals. She's had to stay thin, healthy and totally lacking in a social life of any kind. All the sacrifces to make it in this league. Strong, graceful, professional, superhuman... and deformed. Like the rest in her field.


Emma has been a principal and is used to thunderous applause and getting the bouquet more often than that Jewish bridesmaid at the wedding that's pushing 35. Night after night, Emma walks onstage to deafening curtain calls and an armful of roses. She goes home at the end of the night to her dogs. To her collection of worn-through toe-shoes, to ice her knees and rub Ben-Gay on her feet. A lonely life, but a successful one. A necessity in her field. But her day in the sun seems to be setting.

The company decides not to pick her for the usual seasonal run of "Giselle." The new young upstart choreographer dislikes Emma's emoting in a piece where it's all gymnastics and acrobatics. And plot and character have no place. She's been having an affair with a wealthy married for some time and year after year. Every year, he asks her to run away with him and every year, she turns him down. But since her career is winding down, this looks like the year she'll finally accept. So suffice to say, he declines. Dancers, sadly--do not have a long shelf life. Actors, writer, painters can do their craft their whole life.


But dancers career is mercifully short. And mercilessly too short. When a dancer starts to teach, choreograph or stage and arrange ballets rather than doing the actual dancing, it means that they can no longer dance. Emma is asked to stage a new piece, she knows what it means. And so does everyone at the table. The inevidable has happened. Her worst fears have inevidably confirmed.


Emma gets cast in new upstart choreographer's piece, but he has no interest in her abilities as a thespian. His ballet is more modern, in the Balanchine tradition. All gymnastic pyrotechnics and no pantomime acting, the choreographer tells her, "The emotion you're showing is perfect... for the mad scene in 'Giselle,' not my ballet!" She's dismissed from his piece.


Just as moststage stage mothers try to live vicariously through their children and use them to live out their unfulfilled dreams, Emma seems to be using Emilia as an anchor to keep her from slipping out of the spotlight. Emilia's godmother seems to be trying to live through her, not her real mother. Emilia looks up to Emma. Her way, her success, her philosophy on life. Emma seems to be trying to be just like her. And as much as Emilia wants that, Deedee wants it more. Rather than being thrilled that her daughter is living the life that Deedee has always wanted, it seems to twist the knife further.


And Emma and Emilia know Deedee's jealousy. They can read her just as she can read the drama that's going on with them. Women's intuition, at it's finest perhaps. After Emma seems to take the place of Emilia's true mother after Deedee shows not only her envy, but her lack of faithfulness. Deedee has fallen from her daughter's good graces and the pedestal that Emilia put Emma on jacks up a little bit higher. Deedee feels she has not only lost her chance at the spotlight, but her daughter as well--the very thing she gave the spotlight up for.


Both Emma and Deedee both issues with each other and themselves. Envy at the seemingly greener grass on the other side at what the other woman has. At one point, Emma gives Emilia a great moment and Deedee feels that Emma is trying to give Emilia what her own mother never could. Deedee feels like she's lost every thing and when the two finally vent all their demons and repressed angst, it leads to some hurtful friendship-breaking words and a very violent catfight. But at their age, it doesn' go very far. At the end of it all, they're laughing and tending to each other. And healing words begin. Their demons seem exorcised.


And these two old friends, these aged women... mere pawns in the ballet universe, have made peace with themselves, each other and their lives. And have learned to love them. Because in the end, it's the journey of life... not just the destination. Or the inevidable end.


Because life is too short for jealousy, regret and pettiness.


--For A Great Prima Ballerina Absolutta, Dane Youssef




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