Blue Moon

The second biographical film Richard Linklater has released this year, this time devoted not to the French New Wave but to the golden age of the American musical. On March 31, 1943, the legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart flees the premiere of the musical *Oklahoma!* and heads to a bar to drink himself numb. The reason: his longtime collaborator, composer Richard Rodgers, is now working with a new librettist, Oscar Hammerstein.

But believe it or not, Hart is not drawn there by a desire to settle scores with his former partner or to graciously congratulate him on his success. He is waiting for a twenty-year-old woman he loves—hopelessly and devotedly. The entire film unfolds within these four walls. For the sharp-tongued Hart, tormented by loneliness, they are a painful cage; for a modern viewer nostalgic for dim lights and a piano accompanist, they are a comfort zone. (A. Dolin)

The starring role is played by Ethan Hawke, whom you will of course immediately recognize if you’ve seen Linklater’s *Before Sunrise*, *Before Sunset*, and *Before Midnight* trilogy.