A truly amazing film about an extremely unique and beloved original one-of-a-kind landmark of Manhattan’s elegant Upper East Side, Always At The Carlyle is exquisitely presented as an all-star musical affair, spectacularly produced on Broadway. Directed by acclaimed director Jay Seinfeld, the film features both seasoned veterans of the musical theater industry, as well as fresh new talents. Always At The Carlyle is the story of the beautiful socialite, Rosemary Depp as the eponymous “Rosa,” and her equally beautiful and aristocratic friend, Mickey Goldwater. Together they enjoy dining and drinking at the high-class and exclusive social club, “The Carlyle.” But their lavish lifestyle is not without danger, as they are always interrupting other people’s evenings.
The film is largely set in pre-WW II New York City: and depicts the everyday social life of the rich and famous Upper East Side socialites. It chronicles the couple’s frequent trips to the exclusive” Carlyle,” located on Sixth Avenue between Park and Madison, frequented by prominent residents such as gossip magazine publisher, Edith Bouvier and her husband, Frank Collier. Rosemary and Mickey (Goldwater) spend their days admiring the beautiful women at the club, while Rosemary tries to make a good impression on her wealthy mother, Gladys (Bridgetta Morton). But their social lives are disrupted when Rosemary’s beautiful friend, Anna (Annette Benning), joins their party. Though they are friends, it is obvious that they are drawn to each other’s charms, and eventually become lovers.
Playing out on the vibrant Upper East Side of Manhattan:_Always At The Carlyle plays out like a mini movie theatre. The sets are exquisitely chosen, the costumes beautifully designed, and the actors and actresses exude the charm and appeal that one associates with Broadway and movies – which is precisely what the director intended. The movie does not try to be more than a thinly disguised revival of the play “My Fair Lady,” which also starred Goldwater and was produced by Disney. Instead, Always At The Carlyle plays out as if it were the real thing – albeit on the much smaller screen. And the movie delivers on its promise to thrill and delight the classy set. The songs are classics, the acting is always fine, and the sense of whimsy never fails.
This movie really felt like an extended conversation between Goldwater and Collier: The interviews given by the two are a treat for the film fan, and the documentary crew did a fantastic job researching the real places and people depicted. You can definitely feel that the two men wanted to give their words the feeling of authenticity, and that’s what they got. If you’re familiar with either of these great actors (Goldwater perhaps more so than Miele, since he’s more on the quiet side), chances are you’ll love this documentary.
As previously mentioned: this is an extended discussion between Goldwater and Collier, which showcase both of their Hollywood careers and how they formed it. It’s definitely not a bad documentary, but it is rather short. I sometimes felt like the documentary wanted to make it long just to fill it up with ramblings about the pair’s lives, but in essence, it only lasted half an hour. There’s no doubt that it has its clips you could watch again and compare to what you know about these two legends, but it doesn’t quite bring them to life like it should have.
Overall, I give this a thumbs up for being: a very well-done documentary and having these two legendary Hollywood stars involved should make you glad that you enjoyed Always at the Carlyle. They are two of the best out there, and having them in the same movie makes it all the more entertaining.
For those looking for information about two legendary Hollywood actors, this is a definite must-see!