Florence Foster Jenkins is a real person. She was an accomplished young pianist whose talents were destroyed by the ravages of a venereal disease contracted from her first husband. She (Meryl Streep) turned to singing as an outlet for her artistic expressions. She was terrible.
Her inherited fortune financed her singing career and she was emotionally supported by her devoted husband (Hugh Grant) in a comfortable platonic relationship.
Publicly mocked for her vocal inadequacies, she turned out to be celebrity much like today’s Rock Stars. To make a mark in history she bought out Madison Gardens in 1944 and gave free tickets for servicemen. Her single recording still holds a high rank in overall sales for 78 RPM discs.
While acting by both Streep and Grant is superb, the theme of the motion picture is a Greek tragedy. Let Jenkins rest in peace. The best rating I can give the show is a C.
“Florence Foster Jenkins” is currently playing in The Villages at Old Mill Playhouse.
Jack Petro reviews movies for Villages-News.com
