A new series by Juan Carlos Ojano
The Best Actress shortlist in this particular year is noteworthy in that all of them appear at the very beginning of their films. Three of the five are in the very first shot of their films. One is the first person we see in the film. Meanwhile, another film begins with a different actress (a younger version of the character), but is still the character of the nominated performer.
While not always indicative of how centered they are in the respective narrative of their films, it is nevertheless a striking gesture that informs how we were supposed to enter their stories. Even in two instances where there are other leads aside from the Best Actress nominee, the five films featuring these actresses position them as navigators of their own stories.
Are you ready? The year is 2019...
Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman in HARRIET
Directed by Kasi Lemmons / Written by Gregory Allen Howard and Kasi Lemmons
After a wide shot panning to the right as an emotional score plays, we see Erivo lying on the ground, eyes closed. Her face is tense, seemingly between conscious and unconscious. As it turns out, she’s having a nightmarish vision. It’s a memory from her childhood, with her family being torn apart by White men, presumably due to slavery. She then wakes up. This introduction already shows her as a character with the necessary fuel for her impending fight, an omen weighing heavily on her. The contrast between the stillness of the present and the jarring filming and editing of the flashbacks is also evident, signaling a disruption to her peace as a person who is forged to take up the reins and eventually lead this fight for freedom. Lemmons immediately telegraphs Tubman’s psyche and motivation in this moment.
Scarlett Johansson as Nicole Barber in MARRIAGE STORY
Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach
What is interesting about this opening is that while it begins squarely on Nicole’s face (stunningly lit and framed, by the way), this character introduction is told through the perspective of Charlie (Adam Driver), her husband, in voiceover. It’s a litany of details that endears him to Nicole, with the first one showing Nicole talking to an animal rights volunteer. His voiceover talks about her ability to really listen when someone is talking. Johansson will reciprocate this later in Driver’s formal character introduction. This mutual adoration will be the emotional foundation of the legal battle once she files for divorce. This two-part opening also shows that Nicole and Charlie (Johansson and Driver) will be on equal footing throughout this story, with Baumbach establishing intimacy to both characters.
Saoirse Ronan as Josephine “Jo” March in LITTLE WOMEN
Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig
Perhaps the most striking introduction among the five, the film begins with Ronan looking down in front of a door. She breathes, releases her hands from a clench, and then looks up. It’s as if she is about to face an intense battle. We do not know yet what is at the other side of the door. And then she enters the room calmly and with a searching but determined face. She walks across the end of the room - filled with men, but not one of them noticing her as she walks - and then stands in front of her editor. Through visual strategy in these two shots, Gerwig informs us that what Jo is doing - pursuing a career in the male-dominated world of publishing - is a battle she'll be fighting. The film will even circle back to this gender dynamic towards the end of the film.
Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in BOMBSHELL
Directed by Jay Roach / Written by Charles Randolph
This one’s interesting: we hear Theron even before we see her. We hear Megyn Kelly's political commentary as the company logos and the opening title cards play. The film introduces us to Kelly while specifying the milieu: it’s the Republican primaries and she is eager to ask the tough questions even to then-candidate Donald Trump. Her voice becomes a defining characteristic. We proceed to catch a first glimpse of her through TV screens in a studio control room as she reads a rape accusation from Trump’s ex-wife. This introduction highlights the gendered lens of Fox News, crucial as the film dives into the culture of sexual abuse in the network. Also, this opening salvo showcases Theron’s transformation into the controversial media personality - vocally and visually.
Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in JUDY
Directed by Rupert Goold / Written by Tom Edge
The film began with an extended flashback on the set of The Wizard of Oz, with a domineering Louis B. Mayer talking to a teenage Judy Garland (played by a different actress). This sets up our actual introduction with Zellweger. After the film’s title card in shimmering red dissolves into black, we see her fixing up her son’s attire in a (hotel) kitchen while her daughter is waiting. A man approaches her to hand her the payment, but it’s lower than her usual fee. The opening highlights the contrast between Garland’s experiences in show business: then a young and fresh talent but a cog in the extravagant studio machinery, now an aging star beyond her heyday in a demeaning environment, perservering anyway, especially because of her children. The difference is striking.
Any other observations from these introductions? Which was your favorite? Let us know in the comments.