'Melania' is Amazon's airbrushed and astronomically pricey portrait of the First Lady
Briefly

'Melania' is Amazon's airbrushed and astronomically pricey portrait of the First Lady
"If you've seen the trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 prominently featuring shots of stiletto heels walking down corridors you've got the general drift of what director Brett Ratner is up to in Melania. Melania is a high heels-forward documentary. It covers the 20 days prior to her husband's second inauguration, when much planning is required of a First Lady: Ball and banquet invitations, place-settings for a candle-lit dinner in Washington D.C.'s National Building Museum."
"The once-and-future President makes an occasional appearance, including in what appears to be a staged flashback to an election-night phone call. At another point, she drops by with her camera crew as he's rehearsing his inaugural speech, and she suggests that he identify himself as a peacemaker "and a unifier." He incorporates it on the big day in the film to a big burst of applause, which inspires a quick nod to his wife in gratitude."
The documentary follows the twenty days before a presidential inauguration, concentrating on wardrobe, protocol and event planning. Staff prepare ball and banquet invitations, test place-settings and debate tablecloth stripe patterns while previewing a 'golden egg' first course. Melania actively oversees minute details and intervenes in speech rehearsal, suggesting the president present himself as 'a peacemaker and a unifier.' Occasional staged moments and editing shape public moments such as applause and a grateful nod. Production choices emphasize polished image: executive-producer control, musical needle drops, scripted voiceovers, and small wardrobe hiccups amid personal grief and scheduling challenges.
Read at www.npr.org
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