Frida

I just watched Frida, the 2002 film with Salma Hayek (Frida Kahlo) and Alfred Molina (Diego Riveria). It's bloody good. It's a thrashing romp through their lives together. Though it really should be called Frida & Diego, as Molina was really the main character on the film. And to his Molina puts in a superb performance. Frida seems to oscillate between painting, illness and sex whereas Molina has a more rounded role.





Diego Rivera was an artist unknown to me before watching this film but afterwards I find his synthesis of socialist grandeur and tradtional Mexican style compelling. This is an example of the anglo-centrism that is difficult to avoid. My dream holiday is to Mexico, and I have read extensively about the country yet I never heard of Rivera. Frida has rectified this (this does not mean I approve of his phillandering).

 Despite a slightly limited part Hayek too is excellent. As a native Spanish speaker her dialogue has an air authenticity beyond most biopics.  She portrays the sadness and illness in Kahlo's life fully and she is a perfect fit for the role. She is a passionate artist. She is Kahlo.

It has Trotsky in the form of Geoffry Rush too albeit briefly. His appearance is a reminder of the left wing politics of Kahlo and Rivera. The world war and fascism often dominates tales of that time (30s and 40s) yet here the topics are Stalin, the USSR and socialism albeit as a distant development.

As a biopic of one of the great artists, Frida is suitably shot: It is a beautiful film. The opening scene is a taster for the coming beauty, in which a injured Frida lies bleeding as gold dust floats down onto her amid the wreckage of a crashed bus. It was nominated for several cinematography awards and it should have won them all. There are several scenes in which some of Kahlo's paintings are merged with reality to stunning effect. It did win two Oscars, one for "Best Music, Original Score" and one for "Best Makeup". These two feel like sympathy Awards, in the face of the Lord of the Rings and A Beautiful Mind winning the awards Frida deserved more in my opinion.

It's full of tasty sex scenes, with Hayeks fine figure acting as the centre piece in many. The lovelorn tale of Kahlo's life is slightly sanitised, so that the less savoury aspects of Riveria's behaviour are omitted. This helps craft a mainstream film, with a less depressive story than would otherwise have been. Despite this the story is harsh and full of sadness.

It's bloody good and everyone who likes "Art" should see it.