Psycane’s Reviews > The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo > Status Update

I like getting at complicated messy people and relationships, but Hugo never quite feels like more than a composite, more than the biography of her rather than her in her own words. It feels like it doesn't quite have the confidence to give the complicated relationship dynamics the nuance they need, and thus unintentionally is a bit questionable in this latter part in its handling of her sexuality

Like what an unapologetically sexual being she is in spite of how this was treated of female stars at the time. You can see her in Elizabeth Taylor's shoes, forced by the studio to do a film transparently based on her love life, yelling "I WAS THE SLUT OF ALL TIME!" to raucous laughter. I presume she'll get the last laugh, as Taylor did when she won her first Oscar for the very film containing that infamous line.

The way the press will boomerang in how they refer to a celebrity at any given time, yet always need a point of negative/positive comparison, is accurate even today yes, but especially in Hollywood press of the time period if you've spent any time looking at 30s-80s newspapers.

Oh, maybe more Hepburn than I thought lol. Also add Tippi Hedron and, I can't believe I forgot, Olivia De Havilland

Reid certainly did her due diligence in researching the industry, journalism, and, of course, actresses of early-to-mid 20th Century. Hugo is Myrna Loy, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, a pinch of Deborah Kerr and Marilyn Monroe, a dash of Katherine Hepburn and Merle Oberon, and a little Clara Bow to garnish. But I'm still waiting for her to be fully-realized. Monique even more so.