I love the Washington Post review of this two-part TV movie that calls this a Carol Burnett spoof of a Joan Crawford movie. Indeed, at times it does feel like you are watching a parody, and there are so many elements of it that are laughable, but you shouldn't be laughing at the plight of the poor in this document of one of the most popular first ladies in world history. When you first see Faye Dunaway as the teenage Eva Duarte, it's unbelievable how ridiculous she looks. I've never seen a teenager with such a big head. I almost felt like I was looking at Stewie Griffin in a Joan Crawford wig left uncombed since "Mildred Pierce". Then there is Jose Ferrer as the passionate singer Magaldi whom Eva leaves her hometown to be with. He's great in the part, that is if you're envisioning Magaldi being played by Bert Lahr.
Certainly Faye Dunaway is commanding in this role, but commanding doesn't mean good. Not only is she over-the-top, but she is made to look ridiculous, and the script is beyond bad. It is filled with so many old movie cliches (and I love old movie cliches, when they are used wisely) that you expect her to all of a sudden break into the Mildred's confrontation with Veda speech. Premiering 8 months before "Mommie Dearest", this is evidence of what's to come, while dancing a tango, Dunaway definitely emulates Crawford in her early films. The camp element gets even more outlandish when Rita Moreno shows up as a singer who is basically a more serious version of her Googie Gomez character from "The Ritz".
"Don't hate the rich. Use them!" a struggling older actress played by Signe Hasso tells Dunaway right before she dies her hair blonde, becoming a radio star after some really hideous stage performances. Already up to this point, her lovers have come and gone, one old fool barking at her after he has used and dumped her, so she's right for manipulating powerful Argentine General Juan Peron (played by James Farentino who easily steals the film) into making her first his mistress than his wife then his first lady.
The plot of this film sounds ripe for an actual Joan Crawford film of the early to mid 1930's, showing the rise of a shop girl up to fame (or infamy), but those films were usually under 90 minutes, and this film clocks in at over 3 hours. It is a handsome production, and you can't take your eyes off of Dunaway, but then again, you can't take your eyes off of a train crash either. Poor Katy Jurado looks like an old witch as her mother, the mistress of a wealthy man, with the efforts to make her look earthy completely unrealistic, adding to the camp value. Madonna is Katherine Cornell in comparison to Dunaway who threatens to chew up the wood on the balcony when she makes her speech. You've heard of Fractured Fairy Tales. This is fractured modern history.
Certainly Faye Dunaway is commanding in this role, but commanding doesn't mean good. Not only is she over-the-top, but she is made to look ridiculous, and the script is beyond bad. It is filled with so many old movie cliches (and I love old movie cliches, when they are used wisely) that you expect her to all of a sudden break into the Mildred's confrontation with Veda speech. Premiering 8 months before "Mommie Dearest", this is evidence of what's to come, while dancing a tango, Dunaway definitely emulates Crawford in her early films. The camp element gets even more outlandish when Rita Moreno shows up as a singer who is basically a more serious version of her Googie Gomez character from "The Ritz".
"Don't hate the rich. Use them!" a struggling older actress played by Signe Hasso tells Dunaway right before she dies her hair blonde, becoming a radio star after some really hideous stage performances. Already up to this point, her lovers have come and gone, one old fool barking at her after he has used and dumped her, so she's right for manipulating powerful Argentine General Juan Peron (played by James Farentino who easily steals the film) into making her first his mistress than his wife then his first lady.
The plot of this film sounds ripe for an actual Joan Crawford film of the early to mid 1930's, showing the rise of a shop girl up to fame (or infamy), but those films were usually under 90 minutes, and this film clocks in at over 3 hours. It is a handsome production, and you can't take your eyes off of Dunaway, but then again, you can't take your eyes off of a train crash either. Poor Katy Jurado looks like an old witch as her mother, the mistress of a wealthy man, with the efforts to make her look earthy completely unrealistic, adding to the camp value. Madonna is Katherine Cornell in comparison to Dunaway who threatens to chew up the wood on the balcony when she makes her speech. You've heard of Fractured Fairy Tales. This is fractured modern history.