Joe Gillis expresses his surprise to Norma Desmond about her planned return. To which, the distinguished movie star responds saying she doesn’t like the term “comeback”, instead indicating it’s a re-entry and she’s giving millions of her fans what they’ve long been wanting, gracing the screen once again.
Let’s hold our thoughts on Sunset Blvd’s Gloria Swanson and William Holden for the time being. We’re currently reviewing this year’s nearing conclusion of the Cannes Film Festival, where the significant comeback, or rather “return”, if that’s how the star-of-interest chooses to categorize it, has taken place. There was an air of unpredictability about “The Substance” when it was declared as one of the main competition entrants. It’s uncharacteristic for a full-on horror movie to compete for the Palme d’Or. However, the festival goers were ecstatic when Coralie Fargeat’s feature made its debut on a Sunday evening. The audience took pleasure in the horrific body deformation scenes and the potshots taken at Hollywood’s superficial nature. But, they were mostly thrilled to welcome back the biggest star of 1995.
Demi Moore, although technically overage for her role, played an outstanding multi-purpose performer. As she approaches her fifties, she opts for a mystical substance which enables a younger version of herself, embodied by Margaret Qualley, to miraculously emerge from her spine. She manages to preserve a younger visage, akin to the immortal image in the Picture of Dorian Gray.
Disregarding this, the crux is that Moore has remarkably resurrected her film career. With a performance like this, she might even land herself in the Oscar nomination list granted the material isn’t considered too robust. So why her? Will she leverage this achievement? What can the past teach us?
It’s worth noting that Moore hasn’t secluded herself from the world. She’s kept herself consistently occupied with a movie almost every year since 2000. Yet, it’s a handful of viewers who might have exceeded expectations with films like Corporate Animals (2019), Wild Oats (2016), or Forsaken (2015). Hence, it’s feasible to suggest a dual aspect to her comeback. She garnered significant acclaim for her role in the recent streaming drama, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, where she portrayed a societal elite revolving around Truman Capote. Regardless, the spotlight she received at Cannes was unrivaled.
The similarities between the revival of John Travolta’s acting career at the same festival in 1994 to the current situation are striking. Travolta, the American actor, hadn’t slipped into oblivion at that time either. Before Pulp Fiction, which won the Palme d’Or that year, his most recent notable titles were Look Who’s Talking films – massive although not exactly sophisticated hits. It was his role in Pulp Fiction that restored the glamour he had lost since the late 1970s. Even his Saturday Night Fever persona was somewhat tarnished. By the mid-90s, the rough energy that made the movie a hit had faded from memory due to the decline of disco. After Pulp Fiction, Travolta seized opportunities in high-quality films such as Get Shorty by Barry Sonnenfeld and John Woo’s Face/Off.
The returns of Moore and Travolta gave fans an opportunity to revisit their past or a past interpreted through their parent’s old VHS and DVD collections. By 1994, the embarrassment associated with 70s’ broad-legged trousers was evolving into a form of retro fashion that still exists today. At the same time, the contemporary culture was dealing with a newfound complacency resulting from the end of the Cold War. Moore epitomised this period. She had earlier risen to fame as a member of the “brat pack”. Her provocative pose atop phallic ceramics in Ghost in 1990 elevated her status further. For the following six or seven years, her fame, amplified by her marriage to Bruce Willis, made her one of the highest-paid actresses. Her pictures, along with Willis’, hung in Cannes’ souvenir shops that year as a tribute to her return.
However, The Substance, like Sunset Blvd, serves as a cautionary tale for Moore. Both films centre on their protagonists grappling with a poignant issue. Norma Desmond, a neglected actress from the silent film era, and Elisabeth Sparkle, the lead in The Substance, share a disturbing realization that in the film industry, a woman at 50 might as well be 100. Travolta, barely 40 when Pulp Fiction was released, did not face this prejudice as the rules apply differently to men. Hence, a concern arises whether the industry still has room for a refreshed Demi Moore.
There’s a positive development to share. On the lofty echelons of stardom – we must dispel any misconceptions about actors barely surviving from one salary to another – the entertainment industry has become more accommodating for aging actors. By the 70s, the best that renowned personalities such as Anne Baxter and Janet Leigh – both not very old – could aspire for was to perform a killer guest role on Columbo. Bette Davis was relegated to making guest appearances on the TV western The Virginian. However, such demotion isn’t applicable for icons like Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren or Judi Dench. There is an actual possibility of a late-career bloom for Moore. Judging by her performance in The Substance, she’s certainly capable of it.