The story of young Will Smith vs New York high society
The long-gestating Gemini Man opened this week and promptly took its place on the lower end of the weekend box office top five. The film, which sees an assassin played by Will Smith take on a younger clone of himself, had been poised as a misfire from the get go…and rightfully so. Despite touting innovative cinematic technologies, Ang Lee’s film is dull, lifeless and does nothing but slog through until it reaches a conclusion that would even make the folks over at the Hallmark Channel say: “This is too schmaltzy even for us!”
Seeing a younger and older Smith battle it out on screen does make one nostalgic for a time before the actor became a starwhen the future A-lister was eager to explore the different sides of film acting to see where he fit in. One instance in which a young Will Smith not only fit in, but definitely soared was in the 1993 dramedy Six Degrees of Separation, delivering a performance which remains one of his crowning achievements.
Based on the hit Broadway play, Six Degrees of Separation centers on Ouisa and Flann Kittridge (Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland), an upper class Manhattan couple who have made their wealth by negotiating sales of rare originals on the New York art scene. One night on their way out to dinner, a young man named Paul (Smith), who claims to be a friend of their children, and who is nursing injuries from having just been mugged, is brought up to the Kittridge’s apartment. As the two nurse the young man’s wounds, he bewitches them with tales of philosophy, art and an appetite for life that the couple seems to have lost in recent years. After events the following morning cause Paul to make a hasty departure, Ouisa and Flann begin a search for the young man which takes them on an eye-opening journey.
Judging by the well-made trailer (one of the best of all-time in my opinion), it would be understandable to think that Six Degrees of Separation was a drama. The truth is, it’s quite a hilarious movie, falling squarely into the realm of comedy of manners. A number of moments manage some potent humor, satirical and otherwise, in an effort to lighten up the pensiveness of the material. There’s the element of the pink shirt Ouisa and Flann lend to Paul which belong to their older son, who loses it when he discovers what they’ve done exclaiming: “That shirt was for my new body!” Most of the film’s laughs come from the brilliant dialogue, which allows its upper-crust characters to be goofy. When the thought of Paul potentially being able to murder them in their sleep by slashing their throats occurrs to Ouisa, she worriedly asks her husband: “Would we have woken up?!” But the movie’s biggest recurring laugh comes from Paul’s announcement that his supposed father, Sidney Poitier, is directing a movie version of Cats. The look on Ouisa’s falling face when she first hears this is priceless as she asks: “Someone is making a movie version of Cats,” in the most dumbfounded manner. Two months away from an ACTUAL movie version of Cats in present-day 2019, the joke has never been funnier.
The flip side of Six Degrees of Separation is a light mystery featuring this New York couple who have found themselves completely taken by this figure with a gusto, zest and overall curiosity about the world which is alien to them. In an effort to recapture that sense of romantic ideology into their lives, not to mention get some actual answers, the pair travel all over the city for clues about the mysterious young man, specifically his methods and his motives. There’s a deeper level of mystery to the whole story regarding the true nature/character of Paul, beyond the practical. The Kittridge’s, particularly Ouisa, are desperate to know who he is, where he comes from and what he’s ultimately after. Since the whole film is centered around Ouisa and Flann recalling their initial encounter with Paul to their friends at social functions, we only ever see his character in flashbacks, making him a mystery even to us, the audience, who have only gotten to know him through everyone’s idealized recollections. It’s for this reason that the energy Paul brings into the room is so intriguing. Paul is one of those people with a way of winning over any person in front of him with his charisma, reckless abandon and refreshing outlook on the world around him, leading whoever he comes into contact with to an unexpected awakening.
The trio of actors at the forefront all collectively make Six Degrees of Separation worth every screen minute. Sutherland excels as a man usure of the curiosity he finds himself facing while clinging safely to the ideals of who he worked so hard to become. Watching Channing explore Ouisa’s transformation as she finds herself transfixed and transformed by Paul is a lesson in on-screen vulnerability, not to mention one of the best work done by any actress on film in the 90s. It’s Smith who made a name for himself as the chameleon-like Paul, giving a dual-sided turn that’s so effective, it literally feels as if the actor is inhabiting two different men. Other names, including Ian McKellan, Heather Graham, Mary Beth Hurt, Bruce Davison and Anthony Michael Hall all pop up throughout the course of the film as characters with their own ties to Paul, doing some solid work in the process.
Six Degrees of Separation did as well as it could considering its appeal as a film adaptation of a very New York play was more or less limited to fans of the original material; at least judging by the movie’s paltry box-office returns following its Christmas release. Perhaps original choice Meryl Streep could’ve helped bring in more of an audience, but Channing prevailed, earning Golden Globe and Oscar nominations in the process. At least Six Degrees of Separation was praised from the critical side, with many writing about the energy director Fred Schepisi had inserted into the acclaimed work.
Anytime a stage play is brought to the screen, there’s always a good amount of skepticism from fans of both mediums. The risks of shortchanging the material and/or being too stagey with the execution are always there. Yet Schepisi never falls into this trap, taking his characters all over the city, utilizing book stores, art galleries, Manhattan residences and even Central Park to great effect. The movie’s use of flashbacks and ambiguous brief cuts to future scenes give off a great cinematic playfulness and help to further amp up the mystery of the piece. It’s the film’s ending though, a bravely open-ended one, which helps the story feel right at home on the screen. As we see a thoughtful Ouisa walking along Park Avenue gazing at the world around her, we notice the true effect Paul has had on her. It is here where the true essence of the story is at its most powerful regarding the importance of encounters and experiences. Although most experiences may be momentary, some are profound enough to leave an imprint on the soul. This is true for Ouisa and certainly true about Six Degrees of Separation.