Like many people my age, my knowledge of Jane Fonda has been limited to understanding that she came from Hollywood royalty, won a few Oscars before I was born, and created a ton of controversy by becoming a leading celebrity activist. While I always knew there was much more to her story, I never really had the werewithal to find out more about the Hollywood legend until recently with the upcoming release of the HBO Documentary JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS. Though director Susan Lacy doesn’t deviate from the standard biopic blueprint, she doesn’t have to because Fonda’s fascinating and unique journey makes for one hell of an intriguing film all in its own.
As with most biographical docs, JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS starts at the beginning. Act one of the controversial actress’s life is defined by her legendary actor/father Henry. Though her childhood was frequently depicted as an all-American upbringing, it is revealed that her early days were actually far less idyllic. Her father, while revered by the masses, was a mostly absent and often callous patriarch. Her mother, though loving and nurturing, suffered from severe mental illness that would eventually take her away from her beloved children forever. This early trauma paved the way for Jane’s “people pleasing” tendencies for decades to come.
Not surprisingly, Acts 2-4 also revolve around men in Fonda’s life- the three husbands who also defined very specific eras in her happy but somewhat tumultuous mid life.
French playboy director Roger Vadim famously turned America’s girl-next-door into a sex kitten with their seminal (pun fully intended) sci-fi romp, BARBARELLA. Apparently their marriage followed a similar theme as the couple enjoyed a hedonistic lifestyle in the French countryside until the birth of Fonda's first child Vanessa.
After her eventual divorce from Vadim, Fonda’s interests turned more serious as she took up the mantle of various social issues- most notoriously the Vietnam conflict. Along the way, Fonda was charmed by a fellow activist and soon-to-be second husband Tom Hayden. While Fonda continued to make Hollywood films, her years with Hayden were very happy and decidedly un-glamorous as they tackled various social issues, welcomed a son, and even unofficially adopted a second daughter.
After the demise of her second marriage, Fonda very famously fell for billionaire tycoon Ted Turner. This era of her life was marked by a hiatus from acting and a retreat to Turner’s Montana estate. Though Fonda had a lovely decade with the charismatic man, she eventually came to realize that after all these years she had never really lived by her own personal credo.
Which brings us to Act 5- Jane. Finally, after decades of being defined by the men around her, Jane Fonda is finally enjoying life on her own terms, discovering that being sexy, socially conscious, and creative are not mutually exclusive.
If all of this sounds spoiler-ish, believe me when I say that the details within each of these acts are staggering. An abundance of archival footage throughout Fonda’s very public persona paired with current day interviews help flesh out the details of her fascinating life. From old family films of her childhood frolicking in the Santa Monica hills to her infamous visit to Hanoi fraternizing with the North Vietnamese, there is no shortage of imagery from every stage of Fonda’s story.
Though the film is centered firmly on its titular subject, Lacy has also managed to structure the film in a way that speaks to the evolution of women in general through the second half of the twentieth century and into the new millennium. While Fonda will never quite be “one of us,” there is much that can be related to in her experiences, and Lacy does a wonderful job harnessing her essence and “every woman” vibe in cinematic form.
JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS is a captivating portrait of an incredibly complex person who spent a lifetime dealing with the constraints of family dynamics, feminine expectations, and speaking her own mind while remaining accountable for some of the parts she truly regrets. She doesn’t gloss over the mistakes she made in Vietnam, but perhaps even more poignantly she doesn’t shy away from acknowledging her shortcomings as a mother to her daughter Vanessa nor the trauma she endured regarding her troubled childhood. Obviously the hot button topic surrounding her is still the alleged treason, but it is her most personal and intimate admissions of guilt surrounging other shortcomings in her life that end up wowing the most.
The film certainly gives Fonda a platform to explain where her head was during those controversial days. While she takes full responsibility for her missteps, hearing her explain the context of what was going on in her life at the time is a great reminder that nobody (certainly not award-winning Hollywood royalty) is perfect. Furthermore, the film serves as an example that owning and moving on from even the most polarizing mistakes is the mark of a truly intelligent person.
I usually shy away from docs with two hour-plus running times, but I honestly cannot think of one act or chapter that isn’t 100% pertinent in JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS. The film premieres on HBO 9/24, and if, like me, you were always curious about the story behind the infamous Hollywood princess, you don't want to miss this one. Thanks for reading.
Until next time,
Rebecca Elliott
aka Annette Kellerman
