Frida is a movie about art that is a work of art in itself. The film’s unique visual language takes us into an artist’s head and reminds us that art is best enjoyed when it moves, breathes and is painted on a giant canvas, as only the movies can provide. American Film Institute, 2002, upon selection of Frida for the year’s Top Ten films
Plot
Frida is about the life of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter who was the wife of famed muralist Diego Rivera, her tumultuous relationship with him, her many friends, and her struggles with injuries sustained in a horrible bus crash when she was only 18. The film stars Salma Hayek, who also helped produce the film, and became such a fan of Kahlo’s that she kept pushing to get this movie made. Diego is played by Alfred Molina, who gained 30 lbs. for the role, and there are several other famous faces such as Geoffrey Rush, Antonio Banderas, and Ashley Judd.
The film begins as Frida is on the brink of adulthood. We see her as an 18-year old, all exuberance and teenaged energy. A bunch of her pals from school have heard that Diego Rivera is painting one of his murals in an auditorium nearby, and he is using a nude model. A naked lady! So they all go and peek from behind the auditorium seats to see.
Shortly after this scene, Frida is taking a bus home, and there is a tragic accident which leaves her badly injured and crippled for the rest of her life. We follow her as she recovers from this, and see her determination to have Diego Rivera critique her artwork, because she is an aspiring artist and yearns to study with a master painter like him. At first, he scoffs, because she is only female and too young besides, but then he sees some of her paintings and agrees that she has talent.
As Frida grows into womanhood, she becomes quite a sensual and exotic creature. The working relationship between her and Rivera becomes something more complicated, and they decide to get married. She tells him that she expects his loyalty, if not his fidelity, because he expresses doubts that he may be able to stay faithful to her when he works in such a tempting environment. Throughout the film, I never had the feeling that they did not really love each other, and it is obvious at times how much he cares for her, but he just can’t seem to help himself and commits several infidelities. Eventually he has an affair with her sister, which is just too much for Frida to bear and she leaves him after many years of marriage.
Critical Acclaims
Frida won an Academy Award in 2002 for Best Makeup, while Salma Hayek was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Frida also won for Best Musical Score. Hayek does a superb job of portraying both Kahlo’s pain and her strength of spirit-she just never gave up, and lived life to the fullest extent she could. She left a legacy of her life through her paintings, which range from self-portraits and still lives to depictions of painful imagery. The costume designer for the film chose many of the dresses based on photographs of Frida Kahlo and others in her life. Frida had a reputation as being quite stylish and glamorous, and Hayek wears as many as 50 different costumes during the movie. Many of the outfits featured, especially the headpieces and hair decorations, were actually purchased from street vendors when the film crew was on location in Mexico City.
Sources, and Further Information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,388460,00.html
