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Second thing for Zac Efron& #39;s birthday: he& #39;s doing some real superstar-wattage stuff in GREATEST SHOWMAN - like, old-school movie star stuff - and "movie stars" are often underestimated or not really paid close attention to or valued properly. /1
For example in "Rewrite the Stars" - he and Zendaya turn themselves into the Platonic Ideal (in the classical definition of it) of not just romance - but what romance FEELS like. A perfect symbolic pas de deux. Also: he allows himself to swoon for her. That& #39;s real power.
Maybe it& #39;s because he& #39;s a dancer. He understands what having a body means and what his body looks like and how to move it through space to communicate what& #39;s happening. Emotionally.
I have 2 things to say about the final number. He takes over as ringmaster, dancing side by side with Zendaya - surrounded by fireballs/jugglers/dancers - but as he& #39;s dancing he is TOTALLY focused on her. Eyes on her. Checking in. Intimacy.
This kind of effortlessly romantic silent communication btw 2 people was so much a part of partner dancing in old Hollywood movies - the romance isn& #39;t in the words, it& #39;s in being side by side, in each others& #39; arms, enjoying creating this thing together, BEING together.
In the big finale he - ZE - a big star - does not forget about his partner. His partner is the main source of his joy. It& #39;s almost like they& #39;re alone on the stage. And one final observation and this is suuuuuuper granular and will involve you pausing a YouTube video:
For reference: here& #39;s the clip to the final number, the reprise of "The Greatest Show": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_2cDtOWELc&feature=emb_logo">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
When Jackman gives him the hat - and he runs into the ring (2 min. mark) - the scene explodes. It already was exploding - but his excitement - IN his body - that& #39;s the only way he can communicate it - lightning bolts of excitement out of his fingers - takes it next level.
to reiterate, his excitement is twofold: 1. He is excited to be ringmaster. 2. He is in love. ZE makes his entry into the ring about both. it& #39;s what romance FEELS like. This is "representative" acting - very hard to do. You MUST mean it. Otherwise you& #39;d look like a total asshole.
Now here& #39;s the really granular part: Quick moment, gone in a flash: full shot of him around 2:03/4 ( during the "runnin& #39; the night" lyric): It& #39;s not just what he& #39;s doing but who he& #39;s BEING that is so exciting. Soooo jazz-hands show-biz. HUGE smile. RIGHT at us.
And he is not embarrassed. He& #39;s going for the cheap seats. In my world that is usually a compliment. Care about the cheap seats. Give a shit whether or not you REACH us. Try try try to REACH us. His smile in that tiny moment is one of the many reasons why I love and respect him.
