PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: ENTER THE WORLD OF THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented at The Paley Center for Media in New York. This evening celebrates "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," the comedy-drama series about a witty 1950s housewife who embarks upon a career in stand-up comedy after a personal upheaval.
Host Ron Simon (curator, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces Peter Travers Peter Travers (film critic, Rolling Stone). Travers moderates the following panelists: production designer Bill Groom; costume designer Donna Zakowska; cinematographer David Mullen; cast member Rachel Brosnahan (Miriam 'Midge' Maisel); executive producer/writer/director Daniel Palladino; and executive producer/writer/director Amy Sherman-Palladino.
The panelists touch on such topics as: inspiration from Sherman-Palladino's comical father; the "cinematic" nature of the 1950s and the creative freedom provided by Amazon, compared to a more restrictive television network; the married Palladinos' longtime creative partnership on several different series; their collaborative writing process and ability to perform different jobs on a given show; the casting of Brosnahan, mostly known for her dramatic work, because of her talent and "fearlessness"; memories of her nerve-wracking audition, at which she was seriously ill; shutting down major New York City streets for certain shoots, including Mullen's memories of a challenging night filming Brosnahan in a moving cab; the symbolism of Midge's physical journeys from the Upper West Side to Greenwich Village; Sherman-Palladino's matter-of-fact reasons for directing her own scripts, and the importance of hiring talented crew members to bring her visions to life; the respectful, non-"yelly" tone of the set; Sherman-Palladino's memories of pleading with Barbra Streisand to use her music in various scenes; the design and construction processes of Midge's and her parents' spacious apartments, considered middle-class by 1950s standards; the characters' elaborate costumes, with comparisons to their smaller budget on "Gilmore Girls"; Zakowska's enjoyment of the pilot's garment factory scene, shot at a real factory in Brooklyn, which provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse at New York's fashion world; her meticulous inspection of extras' clothing and appearances; depicting a "forgotten New York"; Midge's iconic pink coat and Brosnahan's talent for "using" the costumes in her performance; praise for "Harry Potter" Groom's design of the department store where Midge lands a job; Sherman-Palladino's gratitude for sets that are both visually pleasing and "shootable"; the narrative importance of visually expanding Midge's world after her separation from her husband Joel (Michael Zegen); and their interest in subverting the stereotype of a depressed '50s housewife and showing Midge's genuine happiness with her life before her husband's abrupt departure.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics, among others: how the story directly informs Midge's stand-up material, with comparisons to the many long speeches from Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) on "Gilmore"; the use of real audiences for her nightclub scenes; Groom's enjoyment in conducting extensive historical research when working on period pieces like "Maisel" and "Boardwalk Empire"; shooting in Paris for an upcoming episode; the show's lack of a "political motivation" and the present-day relevance of the sexism faced by Midge and the other female characters; their favorite moments and experiences, including Zakowska's fondness for West Village shoots, Mullen's praise for the sad montage in which Midge moves out of her marital home, set to "Happy Days Are Here Again," and Brosnahan's enjoyment of Midge's ambition and "hunger"; how the character of Sophie Lennon, played by Jane Lynch, is also "trapped" in her seemingly affluent life; and how Palladino's "undramatic" family life informed his interest in writing complex domestic scenes and characters.
Scenes from the series' first season are interspersed throughout the program.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 1999 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:25:03
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 132904
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ron Simon … Host
- Peter Travers … Moderator
- Bill Groom … Panelist
- Donna Zakowska … Panelist
- David Mullen … Panelist
- Rachel Brosnahan … Panelist
- Daniel Palladino … Panelist
- Amy Sherman-Palladino … Panelist
- Lauren Graham
- Jane Lynch
- Barbra Streisand
- Michael Zegen