"Moon" is a documentary by the folks who brought us
"War Room" about putting on the Broadway play
"Moon Over Buffalo" starring Philip Bosco and Carol
Burnett. The documentary starts from the opening press conference
announcing Bosco and Burnett's participation up to opening night,
and then skips to a final shot as Burnett leaves the theater
after the closing performance.
Burnett doesn't appear to be much of a prima dona. The director
and the writer often whisper about her playing the character too
broad, or using too much sthick, and yet what were they doing?
They bring in this very funny woman to obviously sell tickets.
And then they discount her talent and experience. The playwright
appears especially needy and whiney, and I'm sure he must regret
participating in the film.
And ironically, on the opening night of previews in New York,
when set machinery jams and stops the play, Burnett comes out on
stage and saves the evening with the sort of personal Q&A she
did on her television variety program. (Also there are a couple
of clips from the tv show that show how terribly funny she was,
including the bit from the Gone With the Wind skit where she
comes down the stairs as Scarlet O'Hara wearing draperies with
the curtain rod still attached across her shoulder. "I saw
it in the window and couldn't resist," she said).
The documentary catches the angst of putting on a show in
Broadway. It is surprising that the camera was allowed to film as much as it did.
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