Another Review Round-up: the Louise Brooks inspired film, 'The Chaperone'

As The Chaperone continues to open around the United States, reviews continue to trickle in. The Chaperone has also opened in Australia, and star Elizabeth McGovern was on-hand to introduces the film. An earlier LBS blog on the Australian opening can be found HERE.

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Today, the films opens in Ann Arbor, Michigan where it will show at the historic Michigan Theater. I wrote an article to mark the occasion. My piece, titled "Louise Brooks Returns to Ann Arbor," looks at the shared history of the actress and the well known Midwest college town. The piece appears in the Ann Arbor Observer and can be found HERE.

I have written another similar article, "The Chaperone marks Louise Brooks return to Berkeley," which has yet to appear. Like my previous piece, it too looks at the shared history of another well known college town, which is far more extensive than most realize. (Louise Brooks made a film in Berkeley!) I expect my article will appear in a Bay Area publication sometime soon. And, I will update this blog post when it does.

If you haven't already done so, please check out my full review of The Chaperone, which is titled "Never the Victim: Louise Brooks and The Chaperone." It was published by Film International. [It was pointed out that my piece contains an error, the fact that actress Julia Roberts is not from Kansas, but from Georgia.]

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For a hyperlinked list of some of the earlier reviews and articles, please check out this earlier LBS blog HERE. Otherwise, here are a few more of the interesting reviews and articles so far. I will start with a couple pieces from college towns.

The Chaperone Should’ve Left Its Bland Story In the Past
by Hope Y. Kudo / Harvard Crimson

The Chaperone is tepid, vaguely charming period piece from Downton Abbey creator
by Camryn Bell / Daily Californian

Movie based on Lawrence author’s best-selling novel The Chaperone will have sneak preview at Liberty Hall
by Kathy Hanks / Lawrence Journal World

Lawrence author’s tale of famous Kansan is now a movie, with Downton Abbey pedigree
by Jon Niccum / Kansas City Star
Actress captures allure of Louise Brooks: Haley Lu Richardson dominates The Chaperone as future cult figure
by Tim Miller / Cape Cod Times

The Chaperone review: Youth takes on experience in portrait of two ladies
by Paul Byrnes / The Age

Why Elizabeth McGovern Found Louise Brooks And Her Chaperone So Alluring
by Jeryl Brunner / Forbes

Increasingly, more and more pieces are expressing their frustration that The Chaperone is not a full fledged Louise Brooks bio-pic (which it was never intended to be), and that such a film has yet to be made. IMHO: Haley Lu Richardson deserves an #Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for her role as Louise Brooks in #TheChaperone.

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The film is in limited release - so you will need to check the thechaperonefilm.com website for locations where it is showing. So far, it is not listed as showing in Wichita, Kansas, which is more than a little bit strange. It is not listed as opening in the town where I live - Sacramento, California. Despite the tepid reviews, go see it if you can. Haley Lu Richardson is terrific. I like The Chaperone and think most fans of Louise Brooks will as well.

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