The tragic comedy of Ms Florence Foster Jenkins will leave you in stitches. Not too un like how her audience must have felt in the 30s.
Florence Foster Jenkins Synopsis
Florence Foster Jenkins is a wealthy New York socialite with a great passion for music and performing. Amiable and generous, she is also oblivious to the fact that she is an utterly, utterly awful singer. To indulge her, Florence’s loving husband, St. Claire, hires pianist Cosmé McMoon when Florence decides to resume singing lessons; he also applauds enthusiastically during her cringe-worthy practices. This support ultimately blossoms into a big mistake. To St. Claire’s horror, Florence decides to stage a recital at Carnegie Hall. She even intends to give away a thousand tickets to soldiers returning from WWII.
Snappy Review
Prior to watching Florence Foster Jenkins, I spent an hour scouring the Net for information about this legendary soprano. (Ahem)
Throughout this search, one question burnt furiously in my mind. Did the real Florence Foster Jenkins know how terrible her singing was? Did she have some sort of higher comprehension of music? Or was she, as a forummer scorned, no more than a rich and indulgent (white) woman with too much money and time on her hands?
The movie itself answered these questions with a firm no. An answer mostly told through extended scenes of Jenkins’ devoted husband energetically shielding her from mockers and deriders. There were also scenes of music professionals sucking up to her, which suggested Jenkins was kept in blissful ignorance for the sake of her financial patronage.
Yet, as the story unfolded, it became impossible to believe she did not at least have a clue of how awful her singing was. This contradiction didn’t make the movie baffling, though. Rather, it thickened the delicious mystery around the real Florence Foster Jenkins.
At the same time, it encouraged one to consider several questions. Questions like, what is love? What should true love for music be? Must one’s love for music be bridled, just because one can’t play an instrument like a virtuoso, or sing like a star?
For the real Lady Florence, the answer was obviously a loud no.
Might I also add too that if born in our age, Lady Florence would likely be worshiped by a huge cult following on YouTube and social media. I’m sure she’d enjoy a fan base that would put most YT’s superstars to shame.
Click here to view the trailer.
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Ahem! In the spirit of Lady Florence, may I invite you to visit my YouTube Channel. I assure you, you wouldn’t have to endure any form of awful singing.
