Jane Fonda’s appearance in Monster-in-Law, after a 15-year
absence, has inspired some extreme responses. Detractors have resurrected
the “Hanoi Jane” label because of her anti-war activities
during the Vietnam War; her fans treat it as the triumphant return of one
of Hollywood’s screen legends. I really can’t support either
view. Granted, going to North Vietnam was extremely stupid, but there is no
evidence that she had a negative impact on the war. As for her illustrious
career, a quick perusal of her filmography reveals few classics. My biggest
problem with Jane Fonda is her unpleasant screen personality. Her
likability factor may be a notch below Bela Lugosi’s.
Early in her career, Hollywood tried to pigeonhole
Fonda as a sex kitten, an image that ran counter to her persona. Her
romantic comedies from the ’60s are truly unmemorable, and the
popular comedy-Western Cat Ballou (1965) is a forgettable relic of its era. Her occasional
forays into serious drama have usually failed, and her best film of the
period, The Chase
(1966), was lambasted. Barbarella (1968) was a transitional film for Fonda. It was at the
forefront of the sexual revolution, and it was the last of her sex-kitten
roles. Her biggest fans try to make excuses for this science-fiction
comic-book sex romp, but Barbarella remains one of Fonda’s best films. It was meant to
be silly.
Fonda really grew as an actress with her next film, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969), an intense Depression-era drama that accurately captures
the desperation of people trying to win a grueling dance marathon. Fonda
has never been in a better film, and it earned the actress her first Oscar
nomination. Fonda’s next film, Klute (1971), gained her another nomination and, this time, a
win. Klute works
best as a character study of an insensitive prostitute, and it is a perfect
match of actress to role. Unfortunately, Klute is a murder thriller with only a weak mystery plot.
Does anyone remember that Donald Sutherland played the title role?
Fonda then squandered her momentum with a bunch of
nonsensical projects before making her first comeback in the late
’70s. Coming Home (1978), the Vietnam drama about a soldier’s wife who falls
in love with a paraplegic veteran (Jon Voight), is her best film since that
time. Both Fonda and Voight received Oscars. A few years later, Fonda
derailed her career as a serious actress by becoming an exercise guru. Was
it really a loss for Hollywood? Is it really a big deal that she’s
back?
DVDs scheduled for release Tuesday (June 14):Hitch, A Dirty Shame, The Nomi Song, and Tarzan II.
This article appears in Jun 9-15, 2005.
