Hollywood (2020 Creator Ryan Murphy)

Had I realised it was from Feud's Ryan Murphy I would have jumped on it much quicker. A 'What If' wish fulfilment film about Hollywood, race and sexuality, and why not? It's something different, and enjoyable, though I'm sure the target of much criticism, particularly with the George Floyd protests ringing in our ears.

The main five are: David Corenswet (actor-gigolo), Darren Criss (director), Laura Harrier (BlacKkKlansman), Jeremy Pope (writer), Jake Picking (Rock).

The older cast is maybe more assured: Jim Parsons is great, Rob Reiner, Patti LuPone (his wife), Samara Weaving (daughter, who Q places from Home and Away), Michelle Krusiek (Anna May Wong), Holland Taylor (Legally Blonde), Joe Mantello (head of production), Dylan McDermott ('gas station' manager), Queen Latifah (Hattie), William Frederick Knight (editor), Maude Apatow, Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite).

A minor cavil (which may be intentional) is that the film terms 'lensed', helmed' and 'green lit' all sound anachronistic to me.

Handsomely photographed (mainly) by Simon Dennis (The Limehouse Golem, Peaky Blinders), good music by Nathan Barr (good interview with him here), and from Woody Allen's record collection. Production design by Matthew Flood Ferguson.

Ryan Murphy Productions via Netflix.

Made us start debating race in Hollywood. How Hattie's Oscar win changed nothing. How though Poitier had his double whammy in 1967, he wasn't the lead. And that maybe the first mainstream film with a black lead was Shaft. And how relatively few films since have had one. Lots of great co-stars. Maybe just more recently, the tide's turned, with TV's Luther, and Ray, Django Unchained, Precious, Black Panther, Moonlight, 12 Years a Slave, The Butler, The Eddy...

Here's the real Anna May Wong, by the way:

Her best known films were probably Fairbanks' Thief of Bagdad and Shanghai Express, and was indeed turned down for The Good Earth as not having the right kind of oriental look - Luise Rainer played the role in make-up and did win the Oscar. So it's lovely that she's been 'reborn' and given her proper moment in the spotlight.