WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?
A movie review by Joe Barlow
(c) Copyright 1998
STARRING: Halle Berry, Vivica Fox, Lela Rochon, Larenz Tate,
Little Richard
DIRECTOR: Gregory Nava
WRITER: Tina Andrews
RATED/YEAR: R/1998
RATING: *** 1/2 (out of a possible *****)
Give Gregory Nava and Tina Andrews an "A" for effort. If "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" isn't completely successful, it's only because the creators' vision is too grand for the constraints of a two-hour movie. The film tries to be everything: a mystery, a comedy, a drama, a love story, a documentary, a character study, a concert film. That's a tall order, but what's remarkable is how close Nava and Andrews come to actually pulling it off. The movie is compelling; even if portions of it are slightly uneven, it remains solid (and touching) entertainment.
The film is based on the life of Frankie Lymon, the teen singer who hit the Top Ten with "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?", a catchy tune he penned with one of his schoolmates. Rendered obsolete by the British Invasion after a brief flash of stardom, Frankie descended into drug abuse, poverty, and obscurity. Several years later, having never regained his former fame, he died of a heroin overdose. He was only 26 at the time.
We can all agree that this tale is a tragedy, but an additional factor makes Lymon's story even more fascinating: he left behind three women, all claiming to be his wife... and none realising they weren't alone in this claim. Since Frankie's music publisher owes the Lymon estate an estimated four million dollars in back payments, it's easy to understand why each woman wants to be named his heir.
Contrary to the romantic-comedy impression projected by the movie's trailer, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" is basically a courtroom drama focusing on the three wives' attempts to prove their cases. Along the way, we'll see numerous flashbacks of each woman's memories of Frankie, which, although contradictory, help to show us different facets of who he was. But we know the truth is buried somewhere in their testimonies, which is exactly why the story is so interesting.
We learn via flashback of Frankie's early days and success, and see first-hand how charming he could be... as well as his darker, more manipulative side. Perhaps most importantly, we witness just how valueable music was to him. Lymon didn't sing for the money; he sang because his soul demanded it. In these early concert scenes, Lymon (flawlessly portrayed by Larenz Tate) is energetic. He doesn't so much SING the music as CHANNEL it to the audience. His happiness is so apparent, his joy for performing so all-encompassing and contagious, that even if you don't like his songs, you'll respect the attitude with which he shares them.
The film skips nimbly through the thirteen years encompassing Frankie's first brush of success, his relationship with all three women, and the circumstances leading up to his death. Occasionally, important details are glossed over (Frankie reportedly causes a "national scandal" by dancing with a white girl on television... but what are the exact details and repurcussions?), but on the whole, things move along at a pleasantly brisk clip. There's no time to get bored while Frankie's on the screen.
The flashback footage is effective, and does a great job of capturing the frantic early days of rock and roll. The costumes, hairstyles and scenery are a sight to behold, and seeing them through Frankie's eyes, we're caught up in the wonder and excitement of a by-gone era. Because of this intimate portrait, we're able to sympathize with him when his career goes sour. I was impressed and surprised by how much the filmmakers made me care about him.
The film's photography is not without artistry, either. Remember those incredible transitions in "Titanic," used to simulate the passage of years? Well, "Why Do Fools..." employs one such moment that's the equal of anything in Cameron's epic. It's the 80s, during the trial. Little Richard (in a scene-stealing cameo) is on the witness stand, discussing his friendship with the late Mr. Lymon. As Richard talks about the days he spent on the road with Frankie, the camera slowly pans over to a nearby window... but the sights outside are clearly those of 1955. We zoom outside, revealing a large auditorium. Displayed proudly on the marquee: "TONIGHT ONLY! LITTLE RICHARD! THE PLATTERS! FRANKIE LYMON AND THE TEENAGERS!" Excited teens hurry into the theater, and after a moment, so do we. The camera "runs" along, just another excited teen, as we dash into the auditorium and discover The Platters on stage. The camera spins around, giving us a full view of the crowded theater; then, we're swept onto the stage. We drift over to the wings where we discover the young Frankie, waiting to go on. After a moment, The Platters conclude their lovely song, and Lymon hits the stage. We're right there with him as he and The Teenagers, his backing group, perform a show-stopping rendition of "Baby Baby." The camera swoops dramatically around the group in a grand circle, and there we remain until the song's conclusion. Frankie waves to the audience, then he's off the stage... and only then do we realise that all these events, beginning with Little Richard's appearance on the witness stand, were depicted via one single unbroken shot. It's one of the most memorable camera movements I've ever seen, seamlessly bridging twenty years of American history without so much as a jump cut.
So exciting are these scenes that the courtroom story becomes a bit of a bore. It doesn't help that the three women are clearly only after Frankie's money; even in the flashback scenes, with the exception of his third wife, Emira (Lela Rochon), none of the women truly seem to love him. Frankie's first wife, Zola Taylor (Halle Berry), is too hung up on her career to give him much time (she's a vocalist for The Platters). Second wife Elizabeth (Vivica Fox) honestly seems to prefer her dog. Frankie and Emira, on the other hand, have a strong chemistry when they're on-screen together. She's sweet, unassuming, and cares deeply for Frankie; in turn, he worships her and uses her presence as an inspiration to clean up his act... or at least try. Unfortunately, Emira's last line in the movie capsizes the whole illusion. Greed corrupts everyone in the end, apparently.
One thing that initially bothered me about the film was the fact that Frankie's personality is never concretely defined. Since we get to know him only through the eyes of three self-serving women, there is an abundance of confusion, contradictions, and accusations. Why does Frankie feel the need to marry three women? We don't know; even at the time of his death, the matter is left wide open. This disappointed me as I left the theater, but having mulled the matter over at some length, I no longer think that way. The story is told through the rememberences of three women; since THEY don't know the games Frankie was playing, it occurred to me that the movie CAN'T convey the answer. Not only is this not a flaw, as I originally thought, but it actually adds a degree of realism uncommon in a biographical film. Director Nava and screenwriter Andrews were wise not to make Frankie into a saint. He may be a shadowy, mysterious person, but through this movie (and their reverence), I feel that I know him a little better.
One final note. The day after seeing this film, I bought the "Frankie Lymon's Greatest Hits" CD. As I've grown familiar with these tunes, I've realised that this movie is probably unneccessary: we don't need a biography on Lymon to discover who he is, because everything you need to know about him is in his voice and his music. The women, the the drugs, the financial setbacks... none of that matters. In a hundred years, Frankie Lymon won't be remembered for anything but his sweet voice, his incredible showmanship, and a talent which self-destructed all too quickly beneath the pressures of public life. Today, for the first time, I mourn a true rock and roll original.
Thanks for the music, Frankie.
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