** SPOILERS ** ALL RIGHTS TO RESPECTIVE OWNERS **
I’ve seen this movie several times, not just because of something or someone, I just think it’s a damn wonderful film. There’s very valid points made, and this film gets you to rethink your views on the magazine, publishing, and fashion industries.
I really enjoy the intro, just because of the point made. There’s such a similarity, as well as such a disconnect.
Stanley Tucci picks the most interesting characters. He’s always super enjoyable to watch.
The “runner” task sequences are funny and supposed to be unbelievable/ridiculous. Running errands. Someone in fashion being interviewed on British Vogue said that it was a good book and film, but there’s a lot to answer for.
As we learn the rules from Emily, we see the difference between their jobs. It’s a separation. Emily makes it sound like Andrea is so low, yet not too long ago, Emily was doing what Andrea is doing.
The switching of shoes is more symbolic than we realize at first. She’s not at Northwestern University anymore, she’s at Runway Magazine. It’s not a super slow motion shot with dramatic music, it’s done almost in passing, and if you’re just watching the film, it’s an act almost overlooked.
The run through is where the editors bring in options for the shoot. I like the idea that the editors were trying things on with her there. As for real run throughs, I don’t believe they’re run this way. Nigel tells Andrea to stand, watch, listen. Miranda consults Nigel, and I thought that was interesting. She consults no one, istens to almost no one, except for Nigel. Now, the famous/infamous belt sequence. Andrea snorts, and calls the essence of their livelihoods “stuff,” and Miranda chews her out. We learn how an idea comes from the top down, and gets to the masses via a subject. What's the subject? The color of Andrea's sweater. Nigel looks at Miranda with a look of, “Here she goes again.” We’re all held accountable to someone. We all answer to someone, whoever that happens to be.
The name dropping is very clever. Miranda initially refers to this person as DeMarchelier, and Emily refers to the same person as “Patrick.” Put the 2 together, it’s Patrick DeMarchelier, the world-famous fashion photographer.
In her own hotel room, she puts on a bit more mascara as we have a flashback to the beginning of the film when she goes over her articles. That was a perfect time to fit in the flashback because the whole time Andrea is being reamed by her friends (and rightly so), they simply talk about how she used to be. Then Andrea has the flashback, and it’s powerful, honestly.
Andrea tries to warn Miranda about her replacement, but Irv Ravitz is already in Miranda’s hotel room. We find out that instead of Nigel being James Holt’s business partner, it’s Jacqueline, head of French Runway, due to Miranda’s recommendation. Miranda threw Nigel under the bus. We find out in the car with Miranda and Andrea that Miranda knew what was going to happen. She had it all planned, just to keep Jacqueline away from USA Runway.
If you know nothing of corporate culture, the exposure of Miranda’s depravity is amazing. You get a smidgeon of how depraved she is, how depraved the elites are probably in general. Yes she's female, yes she's an editor, but she's not above criticism, the same way a male editor is.
Miranda only slightly changes her tone of voice when she’s annoyed or angry. But you get so scared because of it.
We just get it after a while that Miranda doesn’t have a moment to waste.
We also hear all these underhanded comments on Miranda at this party Andrea goes to pick something up. This further illustrates a double standard of female to male editors. If a woman is an editor, she’s a snake. If a man is an editor, he’s doing his job, that’s the way he’s supposed to be.
When Andrea delivers the book again, properly the second time on screen, Miranda calls her into the living room for the book. Miranda tells Andrea that her team in Paris needs to be the best, and that no longer includes Emily. Andrea’s face drops. Andrea doesn’t want to fire her. Miranda threatens her future if she doesn’t fire Emily.
You feel the sadness and confliction Andrea’s going through at the time, where she’s questioning what she’s doing at Runway herself. She doesn’t need to think it out loud in a cliché way, we see her look at old pictures when she’s trying to figure out what to do.
Miranda tells Andrea to fire Emily herself. Andrea is stunned to say the least. Emily is hit by a car, and Andrea visits her in the hospital. Emily is pissed, but Andrea’s practically asking for forgiveness. However, we get the feeling that if this was the other way around, Emily would do the exact same thing. Emily is mad that Andrea will have expensive clothes. Basically, Andrea pulls a Newt Gingrich.
Newt Gingrich, ex Congressman, went to deliver divorce papers to one of his former wives in the hospital, I think just after one of them gave birth to one of his children.
When Andrea fucks up and she cries to Nigel, but Nigel gets her to wise up, is a very informative scene. He explains how she takes her position for granted and doesn’t fully understand the privilege it is to work there or the significance of. If you never understood what it was to have a fashion magazine as a hardcopy or otherwise, this is the scene for you.
One of the most powerful lines is,” What they did, what they created, is greater than art, because you live your life in it.”
I had to see this film about four times to learn what Jarlsburgh is, and I found out that it’s cheese. I learned what the event “Take Back the Night,” is from the intro of this film. As a side note, per the Devil Wears Prada commentary on DVD, Emily wears a lot of Vivienne Westwood. In most sequences, I want to wear what Emily is wearing.
Out of $13.50 USD AMC charges, I think it’s worth $12.50 USD. It too is a damn near perfect film, but I think it could’ve used a better ending, maybe something more unexpected.
This is super representative as to the way things were and are. But the industry of fashion is changing…