In “Gaslit”, a series available on STARZPLAY, Julia Roberts embodies a woman with a fiery temperament, determined to reveal the truth around the Watergate scandal. A fascinating biopic for his actress and for what he teaches us of the time.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT ?
“Gaslit” is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the scandal – from the opportunistic and bumbling subordinates of Nixon, to the deranged fanatics who aided and abetted crimes, to the tragic whistleblowers who eventually brought down the entire corrupt enterprise.
Gaslit, a series created by Robbie Pickering.
WHO IS IT WITH?
After Homecoming, Julia Roberts returns to the playoffs. The Oscar-winning actress carries this political work on her shoulders, a portrait of a woman who does not lack bite. She plays Martha Mitchell, wife of a member of the Nixon government, determined to point the finger at the shenanigans of the president following the Watergate scandal. In the role of her husband, John Mitchell, it is Sean Penn who gives her the reply.
The two Hollywood stars have known each other for a long time, but this is the first time they have worked together. The actor, covered with prostheses, is unrecognizable. In secondary roles, Dan Stevens (The beauty and the Beast) plays White House legal counsel John Dean. As for Betty Gilpin (The Hunt), she plays his wife, Mo Dean.
WELL WORTH A LOOK ?
More than a state scandal, the Watergate affair marks a turning point in the history of American society. In 1974, then-President Richard Nixon resigned. This is the first and only time that an American head of state has left office in full term.
In Hollywood, there is a before and after Watergate. Many films are produced to trace this event – The President’s Men to name but one. Above all, a sub-genre saw its popularity explode: the conspiracy thriller, such as Because of an assassination with Warren Beatty.
Almost fifty years later, what remains to be told and discovered from this scandal? The most refractory will say that the case has been dealt with up and down and from all angles. Gaslit is there to prove them wrong. This eight-episode series dives back into this story through the eyes of Martha Mitchell, played by Julia Roberts. The actress uses her Hollywood star aura to highlight this woman who shook the White House.
STARZPLAY Never stingy with crisp information, Martha Mitchell was very popular with journalists.
Martha Mitchell’s name means nothing to you and that’s normal. On the other side of the Atlantic, this worldly figure has gradually fallen into oblivion. In France, it is unknown to the general public. At the time, she was the wife of John Mitchell, President Nixon’s Attorney General. Feminine and elegant, she was everything society expected of a model politician’s wife. Well almost. The expression “Be beautiful and shut up” only half applied to her. Play the green plant? It was out of the question.
A great Julia Roberts
Known for her outspokenness and her outspoken tongue, she was even nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” – “The mouth of the South” in French, in reference to his speech rate and his origins in Arkansas. It is she who, in front of the cameras of the American media, points the finger at the government and, above all, at the president in person. The series follows, with rhythm and passion, the hell that this wife has gone through, who has become a target to be muzzled.
Without real surprise, Julia Roberts shines in each of her appearances. She puts her charisma and acting strength at the service of this rebellious and avant-garde character. She even eclipses Sean Penn who, camouflaged under centimeters of latex prostheses, is more of a foil. Whatever, the heroine of the series remains Martha Mitchell and Julia Roberts is there to highlight it.
STARZPLAY
Sean Penn on the arm of Julia Roberts in “Gaslit”.
The artistic direction is also stunning. Costumes, hairstyles, accessories and sets, everything is there to revive the atmosphere of the seventies, more realistic than ever. The work is also worthy of interest for what it tells about the mechanisms of manipulation. The title, Gaslitdesignates one of the most widespread methods: to destabilize an individual by making him pass for being unbalanced.
It was this mechanism that was used against Martha Mitchell to silence her. The wife was even kidnapped and drugged to keep under surveillance. While today’s society wants to listen more to women, Gaslit recalls how difficult it was for some of them to be heard and taken seriously.
Gaslit is available on STARZPLAY, also via CANAL+ Series.