Greta Gerwig's Barbie emerged as a record-breaking standout this year, earning a top spot on my list of the best comedies of 2023. However, its billion-dollar box office triumph wasn't always a certainty. According to the director, investors were apprehensive about the film's prospects due to concerns surrounding a banned Barbie-adjacent short film crafted by Todd Haynes over three decades ago.
In a candid conversation, directors of some of this year's standout films, including Blitz Bazawule (The Color Purple), Bradley Cooper (Maestro), Ava DuVernay (Origin), Greta Gerwig (Barbie), Todd Haynes (May December), and Michael Mann (Ferrari), gathered for The Hollywood Reporter's Director Roundtable. Amid the chat, Greta Gerwig and Haynes got into a captivating discussion about the hurdles the former encountered while bringing Barbie movie to life. Gerwig, acknowledging Haynes' influence, noted the unease his short film instilled in the movie's backers regarding her creative directions. She shared:
It’s a wonderful thing that we’re sitting at the table right now because I think genuinely, you made [the Barbie movie’s backers] nervous about the possibilities about what it could be. … But I would say the approach in that movie that you took, it was something that Noah [Baumbach, Barbie co-writer] and I talked about. The way you used Barbies was part of the cultural history of Barbie. But I think they were like, 'Are you going to do that thing that he did?” And we’re like, ‘Well …’
In 1987, Todd Haynes, then an MFA student at Bard College, collaborated with Cynthia Schneider to co-write and direct Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story. This experimental biographical short explored the final 17 years of the iconic singer's life, focusing on her battle with anorexia and its eventual toll, uniquely using Barbie dolls as characters.
The film sparked controversies with both Mattel and the Carpenter family, each for different reasons. As the movie maker puts it:
Are you kidding? I mean, my use of Barbies was as a subtext to a story about how women’s bodies are commodified and this incredibly heartbreaking story of a young woman suffering from anorexia nervosa. But you took on the cultural meaning of Barbie, and you exploded it and also made a concoction … a confection that everybody could share.
At the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, indie producer Christine Vachon, acknowledged by Todd Haynes with a "Special Thanks" credit for Superstar, shared an interesting anecdote. According to Vachon, Mattel visited their office upon the film's release, seemingly perturbed by its unconventional portrayal of the dolls. However, demonstrating his resourcefulness, the director had already anticipated their concerns. As told by Vachon and reported by Deadline:
Todd bought all those dolls in garage sales. They were Barbie rip-offs, so he was able to prove to Mattel that it was an off-brand. That it wasn't Barbie, but it was what you got if your parents couldn't afford Barbie.
Dissatisfied with his family's depiction in Superstar, Richard Carpenter legally challenged the young filmmaker. Carpenter won the case, citing the lack of proper music rights and effectively preventing the film's theatrical release. Despite this setback, Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story has gained cult status over the years and can be found in certain places around the web.
In retrospect, Barbie investors had nothing to fear, even if Superstar inspired Greta Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach in some way. The film, a critical hit, outperformed Warner Bros.' The Dark Knight and received a glowing 4.5 out of 5 stars from CinemaBlend's Nick Venable. As for Todd Haynes, his latest venture, May December (featuring Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton), is garnering some praise for its dark comedy and heartbreaking scenes. The film is currently positioned to become one of Netflix's best movies. All in all, I'm glad everything worked out for Gerwig and co., and that Haynes continues to make intriguing films today.
You can stream Barbie with a Max (formerly HBO Max) subscription, and catch May December with a Netflix subscription.
