Molly Ringwald on Filming “King Lear” with Jean-Luc Godard

Plus: the political mystery of Kyrsten Sinema; photographs of the World Cup; and some good news on inflation. View in browser | Update your preferences Wednesday, December 14, 2022 In today’s newsletter, a personal essay by Molly Ringwald, and then: • The political mystery of Kyrsten Sinema • Photographs of the World Cup in Qatar • Some good news on inflation Shooting Shakespeare with Jean-Luc Godard The actress and writer Molly Ringwald recalls working with French cinema’s enfant terrible. Illustration by Isabel Seliger In 1986, Molly Ringwald had just finished acting in the trilogy of John Hughes films—“Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Pretty in Pink”—that had made her an iconic representation of the American teen-age girl. That summer, she received a call from her agent, who said that the “esoteric” Franco-Swiss director Jean-Luc Godard wanted to cast Ringwald as Cordelia in his upcoming adaptation of “King Lear.” Ringwald was a burgeoning Francophile, and, as she recalls in a delightful Personal History for this week’s magazine, she was also “itching for something less mainstream.” She agreed to meet with Godard, and was soon down the rabbit hole, filming in Switzerland with the likes of Burgess Meredith, the opera director Peter Sellars, and a young Julie Delpy. Ringwald’s essay is full of wonderful passages, giving us a portrait of the antic, melancholic genius of Godard, who died this fall, at the age of ninety-one. “Looking back on it now,” Ringwald writes, “I think he was actually a bit shy, trapped in his mind. Perhaps the only way he could make sense of anything was to film and edit it.” —Michael Agger, culture editor Read the story Listen to Ringwald read the story | Lire en français World Cup 2022 Photo Booth Max Pinckers’s Spectacular World Cup Finding documentary photography’s blind spots at the world’s biggest sporting event. By Sam Knight More on the World Cup: Lionel Messi and Argentina have advanced to the World Cup final, after beating Croatia in last night’s game. The Argentinean captain—who has never won a cup for his country—has suggested that he will retire from international play after the final, on Sunday, so the match may be his last chance. Soccer, as Graciela Mochkofsky wrote earlier this month, is “so deeply embedded in the national identity” of Argentina that Messi’s presence is “emotionally critical for the team, and for the country.” From the News Desk Persons of Interest A Professor Who Challenges the Washington Consensus on China Jessica Chen Weiss argues that Biden Administration policy is contributing to an “action-reaction spiral.” By Ian Johnson The Political Scene The Political Mystery of Kyrsten Sinema Surely there’s some electoral calculation behind the Arizona senator’s decision to leave the Democratic Party, but the timing is especially confusing. By Benjamin Wallace-Wells Our Columnists Some Good News on Inflation The latest Consumer Price Index indicates moderating price pressures—something the Federal Reserve should take on board in setting interest rates. By John Cassidy Editor’s Pick Page-Turner “Love and Rockets” Is Still Independent Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez’s collaboration began with a simple proposition: each brother would be able to do whatever he wanted. By Sam Thielman Culture Dept. Culture Desk Learning Farsi Like an American A son of Iranian immigrants hopes to bestow upon his young daughter a bilingualism that has eluded him. By Navied Mahdavian The Front Row “Empire of Light,” Reviewed: Sam Mendes’s Synthetic Paean to Movie Magic The film’s nostalgia is incongruous with the contemporary social ills that it diagnoses. By Richard Brody Gift List Dept. Missed Out on Black Friday Deals? Try Government Surplus New York’s municipalities are selling twenty-five-foot fire hoses, a pair of Nikes given to Mayor Bloomberg as a gift, and a school bus without working brakes. By Adam Iscoe Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Will Nediger Daily Shouts Conspiracy Moms: The Secret of the “Eyes Wide Shut” Holiday Party “It’s all here. My entire life. Unpaid parking tickets, my cat’s medication, even my subscription to the Hallmark Channel.” By Sam Marlow Crossword A Lightly Challenging Puzzle “Hamilton” narrator: four letters. By Aimee Lucido Daily Cartoon Wednesday, December 14th By Julia Suits P.S. For a deep dive—or just an introduction—to Jean-Luc Godard’s œuvre, take a look at Richard Brody’s list of the filmmaker’s greatest and most affecting works. Compiled shortly after Godard’s death, Brody’s recommendations include “Masculine Feminine,” and, of course, “King Lear,” a movie that “encapsulates, in a mere ninety minutes, Godard’s own cinematic life.” As Brody writes, “I haven’t picked them, they picked me.” Today’s newsletter was written by Michael Agger and Jessie Li. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. 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