Blue Moon
A commanding performance of a tragic musical icon
31 Dec 2025 
Russ Matthews When someone says "Blue Moon," there are generations that can still sing along and respond with, "you saw me standing alone." A tune composed by a young Polish immigrant named Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) still echoes through history since he penned it in 1931. Yet, many may not realise that this man was writing partners with Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) before his legendary partnership with Oscar Hammerstein II.
Despite writing My Funny Valentine and The Lady Is a Tramp during his enviable career, Hart lived a promiscuous and tragic life. Famed film director Richard Linklater (Hit Man, Boyhood) chose to bring this composer to the big screen through letters that were discovered between the musician and a significantly younger infatuation named Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley). A famed tale occurring on March 31, 1943, that has Lorenz Hart sitting at the bar of Sardi’s restaurant after leaving the premiere of Oklahoma! As he wallows in a cloud of less-than-shadowed envy and borderline sobriety, the songwriter contemplates his life, secret love and lost career options to Eddie the bartender (Bobby Cannavale), waiting for Elizabeth to arrive.
The Linklater/Hawke partnership has spanned the decades and continues to push the boundaries of independent cinema. In this outing, the pair delve into a character play that plays on the mind as well as visual mastery. As Hawke dives into this character with a heartbreaking abandon that deserves awards attention, Linklater uses camera work to show the physical and emotional limitations of his subject. This artistic combination conveys how captivating someone’s life can be as they implode, the audience watching on in devastating awe.
Blue Moon unpacks and reveals how someone can destroy their life and career by a series of simple choices. Lorenz Hart still lives on in song, but his alcoholism, sexual discrimination and pride got in the way of him potentially becoming something more than a composer of a few memorable songs. Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke work to deliver a fascinating expression of tragedy, artistry, and the way regret is a vicious counterpart.
REEL DIALOGUE: You don’t have to live with bad choices
Blue Moon is a lesson in how life’s choices have ripple effects through history. The issue of gaining wisdom can be sought out through the latest motivational speaker, great philosophers of the past or maybe someone who personifies good personal judgement in life. The only problem with all these sources is that even though they may be smart in one area, this does not mean that they always make the best choices.
That brings us back to the niggling issue of seeking wisdom. Can it be found in this life?
The first step is finding the source of all wisdom and the holder of these insights. The Bible says that the beginning of knowledge lies in the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 1:7) Which means the first place to go to for insights is to God, who gives out his wisdom freely to all who seek after him and listen.
This revelation is a groundbreaking concept, that all knowledge and wisdom can be found in God of the Bible. It is there for the taking, but there is a catch. Belief.
Bible References
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
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