Storyline
An aspiring young actress (Lily Collins) and her ambitious young driver (Alden Ehrenreich) struggle hopefully with the absurd eccentricities of the wildly unpredictable billionaire Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty) for whom they work. It's Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen, songwriter, and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey (Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver Frank Forbes (Ehrenreich), who is engaged to be married to his 7th grade sweetheart and is a deeply religious Methodist. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes' #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have any relationship whatsoever with a contract actress. Hughes' behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed.
Writers: Warren Beatty, Warren Beatty, Lily Collins, Haley Bennett, Taissa Farmiga, Steve Tom, Paul Sorvino, Peter Mackenzie, Ivar Brogger, Dan Desmond, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Broderick, Candice Bergen, Martin Sheen, Hart Bochner, Karl J. Florine, Annette Bening, Lily Collins, Madisyn Ritland, Louise Linton, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cast: Steve Tom -
TV Newsman #2
Paul Sorvino -
Vernon Scott
Peter Mackenzie -
Gene Handsaker
Ivar Brogger -
T.V. Newsman #1
Dan Desmond -
Gladwin Hill
Alden Ehrenreich -
Frank Forbes
Matthew Broderick -
Levar Mathis
Candice Bergen -
Nadine Henly
Martin Sheen -
Noah Dietrich
Hart Bochner -
Colonel Willis
Karl J. Florine -
Air Traffic Controller
Annette Bening -
Lucy Mabrey
Lily Collins -
Marla Mabrey
Madisyn Ritland -
Bella
Louise Linton -
Betty
Trivia: Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin previously appeared in The Departed (2006). See more »
Goofs:
In one scene, Howard and Harlan discuss the fact that Marla is the only RKO contract girl with the initials MM. Later in the film, however, we learned that Mamie's last name also begins with the letter M. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 9/10
The movie greats should never grow old so they can use what they've
learned to keep making swell movies for us like Rules Don't Apply.
Mr. Beatty is of course unique. He does it all and had time for
enviable fun during his prolonged adolescence and now with his
formidable spouse Annette Bening. They were easy and fun with one
another at today's screening. Smart attractive very talented grownups.
Yes, they still exist.
Rules Don't Apply is very funny, if you pay attention. Old Hollywood
gets the shiv a bit but it's awfully nice to be back there. We
luxuriate in vintage cars and clothes and 50s sexual puritanism. The
leads are, as Mr. Beatty said today, honorable actors with integrity.
Nothing cheap or careless. We root for Alden Ehrenreich and Lily
Collins. Miss Bening is funny and tough as the ingenue's zealot Mom. A
ton of familiar faces get their moment. Apparently they like to work
for Mr. Beatty. His mind goes faster than almost anyone's making movies
so it's fun and satisfying to be swept along by his brilliance. As I
watch the world around me lowering its standards, I bask in the depth
of talent and pure entertainment in Rules Don't Apply. More please.
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