NEW YORK (WABC) — Every once in a while, there comes that moment when a film makes you fall in love, not just with the story, but with the art of storytelling itself.
“Blue Moon” is one of those movies. The film captures a pivotal moment in Broadway history, beginning with Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the end of
Rodgers and Hart.
Andrew Scott takes on the role of Richard Rodgers. Ethan Hawke brings Lorenz Hart to life.
A somehow joyful performance, although we’re watching a man face his darkest hour.
“It’s so interesting what you’re saying because it’s you’re feeling the opposite thing of what the obvious thing is to feel, which is really flattering to the two of us, actually, because it is a triumph for Rodgers. And there’s a pervasive sadness that he’s the one person that understands really what the loss is here. And and he’s not sure that he’s going to land on the other horizon. It’s part of his essence,” Hawke said.
“Because it’s painful to watch because, of course, we then are then the audience has a job to do,” Scott said.
If they got to sit down between Hart and Rodgers, they’d have some interesting questions.
“I would like to know how they rehearsed. Like how do you like, wow. What was it like when they’re trying to do the first time they’re doing ‘My Funny Valentine?’ Like, how do you find that when you’re directing the performer to sing it? What’s the important
thing and what are they thinking about? I had an amazing experience of this like where I once met Sondheim at an opening night party. It was an opening night of ‘Before Sunset’ and Rick wasn’t there and Sondheim cornered to want to know the rehearsal process. He he was obsessed. He was obsessed with like that movie it seems like you’re improvising, but there’s no way to improvise. I want to know the rehearsal. And what you mean when you rehearse? What did you do? Are there exercises? Who wrote what? Why? How did that line come about? And I would like to if I were with the two of them, I would love the opportunity if they wouldn’t get mad at me to geek out about process,” Hawke said.
“To be able to see, oh God, they really were floundering there. See people smoking and going, etcetera, or getting on each other’s nerves or taking a break because of, you know, when they’re when they’re dressed and they go home and take a bath, you know, that’s the kind of stuff that you want to know,” Scott said.
“That’s the part where the magic happens,” Hawke said.
Then they talked about the movies that influenced them when they were growing up.
“This is kind of of easy for me because for some reason, I wrote it. I had it on my wall for years. I’ve just it was on my door when I first got my first apartment. I put it on my door, which is, R.P. McMurphy from ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.’ He said, well, ‘At least I tried.’ And I love that line because he tries to rip up the sink and throw it through the window, and he loses the bet. But he says, well, ‘At least I tried,'” Hawke said. “And I always thought, well, that’s words to live by. Just go down swinging.”
———-
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* More New York City news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2025 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
