This forensic, unflashy film made a damning case
From Jimmy Savile to Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson to R Kelly, a number of high-profile, influential men whose high-profile, influential connections and enormous success seemingly rendered them invulnerable, have recently been held to account – albeit posthumously, in some cases – by the courage and determination of a few individuals. The latest is Harvey Weinstein, whose trial on charges of rape, criminal sex acts and predatory sexual assault was recently put back to January next year. (He has pleaded not guilty.)
But for all the mention of “sex” on the Weinstein rapsheet, his alleged crimes are, of course, as much about power, or rather the imbalance of power that has defined Hollywood. Ursula Macfarlane’s quietly furious Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein (BBC Two, Sunday) was both an indictment of that culture and a solemn acknowledgement of the women bringing about change.
Rumours of Weinstein’s bullying and aggressive behaviour were legion even before they became public knowledge. Former employees at Miramax, the production company he ran with his brother Bob, spoke belatedly of their unease and dawning realisation that they may have enabled his behaviour. In dismissing the stories
as mere philandering and the women as having reluctantly succumbed to advance their careers, they said they opted not to rock the boat. The combination of confessional and backcovering made for a grim spectacle, emblematic of the wider malaise of complicity in the entertainment world.
There was useful context on Weinstein’s psychology and background, as well as necessary acknowledgement of his central role in the 1990s revival of American indie cinema that made him such an irresistible figure to so many. The film said that his pattern of abuse was established from his earliest days as a music promoter: flatter, bribe, threaten, isolate, intimidate, attack. Ditto the cover-up techniques: bluster, bully and, if all else fails, buy silence.
The focus was rightly on the accusers as much as the alleged perpetrator. Macfarlane trained the camera on former employees, actresses who never quite made it (Caitlin Dulany, Erika Rosenbaum) and those whose careers were abruptly curtailed (Roseanna Arquette, Paz de la Huerta), it was implied, by Weinstein’s machinations. These were not scattergun accounts, but bolstered by dates, names and places. When they have their day in court, Weinstein may find his past catching up with him. Gabriel Tate
If you’re entering middle-age, you might be thinking about ways to make yourself seem younger. Give yourself a sparkly new look, perhaps; maybe see new people. And certainly have an astonishing dental makeover.
This is what long-running Britain’s Got Talent has done with its new spin-off series Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions (ITV, Saturday) in order to continue to make itself look youthful and alluring. It’s filmed inside the huge SSE Arena at Wembley, with even more spectacular production values than before, with competing acts who have previously done well on BGT, plus performers from the spin-off shows from around the world.
And there were new teeth aplenty, from head judge Simon Cowell’s suspiciously neat, nuclear white grin, through to first BGT victor Paul Potts’s new gnashers. Connie Talbot, who came second to Potts when she was a gappy six-year-old reappeared too, now aged 18, with the requisite amount of teeth, tinkling the ivories and singing a song she’d written.
While it was good to catch up with our home-grown favourites, it was the international acts who had a touch of old-fashioned spectacle that made the show enjoyable family fun. Bad Salsa, a dance act from India, were fast and furious, and brought a real touch of Bollywood to the screen. The standout act, however, was American father and daughter stunt act Bello and Annaliese Nock, who performed dangerous moves on two giant hamster wheels. Their danger and athleticism made the audience gasp, and the “Super Fan” panel in the arena voted them their winners. Along with Ukranian sand-artist Kseniya Simonova, given the Golden Buzzer by judge Amanda Holden whose week it was to vote for a favourite, they went through to the final.
But here was the problem. Bar Holden’s buzzer, the judges seemed redundant. All the acts had been proven to be talented; what was the point of Messrs Cowell, Holden, Dixon and Walliams reiterating how fantastic they were? Clair Woodward
Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein ★★★★ Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions ★★★