CHOP SUEY
2000 - USA

Director: Bruce Weber
Documentary, featuring: Frances Faye, Peter Johnson, Robert Mitchum, Teri Sheppard


- Reviewed by Tim

Chop Suey As far as documentaries go, this one had far less focus than it really should have. Its intent was to paint a picture of the filmmaker himself, but it ended up going off in a few directions that didn't really have much to do with one another. Come to think of it, it seemed more like two separate movies smashed into one.

Half of the film focused on Bruce Weber's photography and his obsession with his teenage muse, Peter Johnson, a wrestler from Wisconsin. There were many still shots and file footage from photo shoots that had Peter in homoerotic situations with other young "perfect" models. Blah, blah, blah…

The other half of the film focused on Weber's like for Jazz, particularly singer Frances Faye. There is narration by Frances' lover Teri Sheppard. I actually enjoyed this portion of the film more than the other. It was more a traditional documentary on a specific person or event. In addition to Sheppard's commentary, there were interviews with those that were close to Faye. It painted an interesting picture of the singer and gave insight to the fact that she pretty open about being a lesbian in the 1930s, 40s and beyond. Sheppard is quoted as saying "There will never ever be anyone like Miss Faye. She was famous for 'Swingin' All the Way' and she did it with a style that was like no one else. She's one of a kind."—and I think that she was.

Overall, I got pretty restless in during the Peter Johnson part of the movie, but I left wanting to know more about Frances Faye.

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