Well, I may have to eat my hat. The inside word from The Weinstein Company is that Madonna’s effort as a movie director, “W.E.,” is really really good. Gregg Kilday is reporting that the Weinstein Company has bought the rights to Madonna’s movie. Now I’ve called some people I know–not Harvey or Bob–and they’ve told me the story. They bought the movie outright–no one else saw it. Madonna showed it to TWC first probably because Harvey Weinstein released her “Truth or Dare” twenty years ago. And the people who saw “W.E.,” including Harvey and Bob, loved it.
My first question: does it have any reference to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor as Nazi sympathizers? I am told it’s at least mentioned. But this is also what was said: “It’s a smart and thoughtful and incredibly stylish. A performance by Andrea Riseborough that’s Oscar worthy. I don’t know how the f— she [Madonna] did it. It’s an art picture, there’s no question about it. It’s a picture for women. Bob and Harvey really loved it. This is a lot like Tom Ford’s directing of A Single Man. We were impressed with her. Everyone’s been talking about her in house for two weeks. She’s gotten it all up there on the screen. It’s hard to tell a good story. She managed to do it.”
My sources say this is all really true. They even say that they know there will be skepticism, but that once people see “W.E.,” they’ll get it.
I know, this is insane. People who read this column probably think I’ve been abducted by aliens. I can only go by what I’m told, though. And if “W.E.” is really so good, I’ll be the first to say it. The sales price, by the way, is said to be less than $5 million. More likely in the $4 million range.
