S01.E05: Jump

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Problems arise as "Meg" begins production. Ellen takes a chance on Dick. Henry offers to make a brewing scandal over Jack's past go away -- for a price.

Dropping on Netflix on Friday, May 1, 2020.

[Bill1978]

YES! I called it. Can't believe I did! I actually threw my hands up in the air and yelled yes when Henrietta revealed Jack wasn't the father of the twins. I then chuckled when she pointed out that Jack was dumb to not work it out. Guess Jack wrote the Sex Ed book that taught Finn Hudson about babies.

I do love when shows show me the behind the scenes of how productions are made. The table read was interesting to see, the way the script was re-written was fascinating. And I agree with Dick, Meg needs an uplifting ending. The original ending works for a white girl, but if their plan with casting Camille was to bring hope to young African-American girls then the story needs to end more positively.

I'm never a fan of Mafia subplots, but I know for this era of Hollywood it was a strong presence so I can deal with it, just as long as it doesn't take over the plot.

Glad Dick is starting to feel more comfortable with who is and I honestly hope that his friendship with Ellen remains strong.

I swear at least once an episode the costume designer puts Patti LuPone into something to remind that she was the original Norma Desmond in ALW's Sunset Boulevard.

I really want to finish the last two episodes, but alas I am tired. And they will have to wait until the morning.

[Spartan Girl]

Kudos to Jim Parsons for playing such a dirtbag. 

If this was anything like the real Rock Hudson went through, my heart goes out to him.

I do like the de facto family Raymond, Archie, Rock, and Jack all formed with each other.

[SeanC]

The reveal with the wife is a bit of a cop-out.

Depictions of producers giving notes almost invariably focus on them dumbing things down, etc., so I enjoyed seeing this sort of production meeting where his script advice is actually useful.  Though it's ironic that all this rewriting is turning a tragedy into a feel-good movie, which is normally something associated with dumbing a film down in Hollywood.

[tennisgurl]

Rather convenient that not only was Jacks wife having an affair, but the twins arent his (and he is really bad at math) so now he can continue his Hollywood life without having this family stuff tying him down in this other subplot. 

Dicks notes on the movie were actually really good, and I like seeing how the movie is actually being made, with the set design and budget meetings and table reads and such. Its funny that he basically had the same notes that I had when I watched the last episode, that if they want to do a movie where young black girls can see someone like them on screen as a leading lady and be inspired by that, they might want to go for a more uplifting ending. Young black woman comes to Hollywood and is crushed by rejection and symbolically kills herself doesn't really sound like the vibe they want, so I am glad that they're changing the ending. 

Its not a story about 1940s Hollywood without mobsters!

[Cheezwiz]

Awww... I really felt for poor Ellen this episode, but glad Dick is starting to feel more comfortable with himself. I really like the scenes with Ellen Avis & Jeanne: girl power!

10 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Rather convenient that not only was Jacks wife having an affair, but the twins arent his (and he is really bad at math) so now he can continue his Hollywood life without having this family stuff tying him down in this other subplot. 

That was my exact reaction as well: how conveeeeeeenient!!! He won't be saddled with a wife and kids, and can now boink blondie with abandon.

On 5/2/2020 at 6:47 PM, Spartan Girl said:

If this was anything like the real Rock Hudson went through, my heart goes out to him.

Apparently it was. The real-life Henry Willson was just awful, but don't worry, he did NOT become a producer, and was visited by karma big-time in real life some years later. Also did anyone catch the little scene that revealed his secretary's name this episode? Phyllis Gates? She was a real life person.

The studio fixing mobster stuff might seem cliche, but so much of that staff went on in Hollywood back in the day. It's unbelievable how much stuff they had to sweep under the rug and hide from tabloid press.

So far the only problem I have with this show is the actress playing Camille. Though lovely, she is really not a good actress. And I don't mean in a faux way because she's playing an inexperienced character, I mean, she's just really flat and uninteresting. I find myself tuning out whenever she's onscreen. I wish they had found someone a bit more dynamic or charismatic for the part. The other young actors seem to have varying talent, but it's the veterans in the show I'm most interested in.

[theschnauzers]

About Jack and his wife’s pregnancy, Darren Criss tweeted out this little Glee Easter egg:

https://twitter.com/darrencriss/status/1258563456065662978?s=21

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by theschnauzers

[iMonrey]

I'm a little confused about how they think this picture can even get made. They have already acknowledged that the Hayes Code prohibits depicting interracial relationships in films. It's not against the rules to cast a women of color in a lead role, but it certainly is to cast a white man as her love interest. I expected them to recast Jack's part once they decided to use Camille as the lead. How do they ever expect to get the film released when it so clearly flaunts the rules? 

All the picketing and protests and boycotts are a separate issue. They simply were not allowed to make a film like this. 

[JBC344]

I'm surprised that viewers are "surprised" by Jack's storyline. It was pretty much telegraphed from the first episode. I'm actually surprised it wasn't revealed earlier. 

Was bisexuality ever rumored to be in Hattie's past? I know this is a revision on history but usually the revisions are routed in something. 

Talleluh made sense but wasn't sure if I missed something with Hattie. 

Great seeing Anna Mae Wong back. 

Just wanted to add I'm really loving Mira Sorvino as Jeanne. She is doing a lot with a "small" role. Loved her scenes with Avis and Ellen. I'm assuming Ryan and company wrote that scene as a meta moment for Mira. After what Harvey Weinstein did to her I'm sure that scene had special meaning for Mira. 

[sugarbaker design]

14 hours ago, JBC344 said:

Was bisexuality ever rumored to be in Hattie's 

The McDaniel/Bankhead affair rumor is as old as the hills.

14 hours ago, JBC344 said:

Just wanted to add I'm really loving Mira Sorvino as Jeanne. 

Ditto!  MS, Holland Taylor and Joe Mantello are killing it.  They are the true MVP's of Hollywood.

[Florinaldo]

On 5/13/2020 at 12:31 PM, iMonrey said:

They have already acknowledged that the Hayes Code prohibits depicting interracial relationships in films. It's not against the rules to cast a women of color in a lead role, but it certainly is to cast a white man as her love interest.

The Hays Code was a voluntary institution; producers were not under any legal obligation to respect its edicts, although the big studios chose to do it because of the pressure of competition and also fear of local boycotts or court action in some states, or being denied exhibition in some theaters. A few small studios went around it and a even a few some major films were released without the Code's seal of approval, a famous example being Otto Preminger's The Moon is Blue. The Comics Code Authority went through a very similar history.

It's the same thing today, and a production company can choose to release a movie without an MPAA classification.

So it is plausible that a studio might have tried to produce and release a movie outside of the Hays Code, but it is indeed a strong leap of faith to believe that a big one like Ace would have done so in the 40s, even though the acting head of the studio strongly believed in the project.

[darkestboy]

Ah the Jack story with his wife was way too convenient but I guess he's now free to pursue Claire, which the show will no doubt do.

I felt this was great for the older characters as Avis, Ellen, Dick and Jeanne all got some excellent moments in this episode.

Archie and Rock were cute as usual with the small screen time they had together. Henry's still horrible but he's useful I guess.

Loved the script reading scene with everyone. Felt for Raymond and Camille when that racist asshole called the latter.

Nice scenes with Hattie and Tallulah as well, 8/10

[janie jones]

On 5/31/2020 at 6:32 PM, darkestboy said:

Ah the Jack story with his wife was way too convenient but I guess he's now free to pursue Claire, which the show will no doubt do.

I don't know what the point was of making him married.  To show that he desperately needed the money?  They could have given him a sick relative back home or something.  To show his reluctance at participating in the prostitution?  Well, he wasn't that reluctant anyway.

[hoodooznoodooz]

On 5/2/2020 at 8:05 AM, Bill1978 said:

 I agree with Dick, Meg needs an uplifting ending. The original ending works for a white girl, but if their plan with casting Camille was to bring hope to young African-American girls then the story needs to end more positively.

 

It annoys me that they wanted this film to inspire young African-American girls, but they allowed Sam to dictate what convinces Meg not to end her life. He begs her to be the only star in his sky, Bob Loblaw. After she climbs down, he tells her that they didn’t cut her scenes. 

Also, I know this was a thing, but Meg lifting her foot during the kiss weakened the whole scene.

[sealit]

I’m late to the party, but really enjoying this show. It’s a walk down memory lane. My college boyfriend had Camille’s pink tile with the red strip around the bathtub in his house on Barrington. And the cafeteria at Ace studios? Reminds me of visiting my grandparents at the Motion Picture Home. It looks so similar to their lunchroom, right down to the single carnation and framed pictures of the famous people on the wall. It makes me a little teary to think of my grandpa in his prime working at this time in Hollywood history. 

[Bruinsfan]

On 5/8/2020 at 12:41 AM, Cheezwiz said:

So far the only problem I have with this show is the actress playing Camille. Though lovely, she is really not a good actress. And I don't mean in a faux way because she's playing an inexperienced character, I mean, she's just really flat and uninteresting. I find myself tuning out whenever she's onscreen. I wish they had found someone a bit more dynamic or charismatic for the part. The other young actors seem to have varying talent, but it's the veterans in the show I'm most interested in.

I find myself wondering how much better Andy Allo would have been as Camille if she'd been cast in this instead of Upload. She's anything but bland, and manages to infuse even quiet contemplative moments with a lot of power.

 

On 6/2/2020 at 10:22 AM, janie jones said:

I don't know what the point was of making him married.  To show that he desperately needed the money?  They could have given him a sick relative back home or something.  To show his reluctance at participating in the prostitution?  Well, he wasn't that reluctant anyway.

Yeah, I'm imagining Jack saying in that aw-shucks Jimmie Stewart voice of his "That's right, Henrietta, I'm a prostitute. And a darn good one, too! Why, if I'd been willing to service fellas instead of sending them to the other boys down at the station, we'd own this house by now!"

Edited July 28, 2020 by Bruinsfan