Eames: The Architect and The Painter (documentary)  

SPOILER ALERT: Saw it...
SPOILER ALERT:
Saw it yesterday in Chicago @ Gene Siskel. Very interesting film. I thought it was well put together, and learned a lot of things I didn't know before. I did think they left out some significant portions, but made up for it by other interesting facts. Some attention to the non-attribution of the other designers who worked at the office on the pieces not being "The Eames Office' - and instead "Charles Eames". No mention of Harry Bertoia, no Marilyn Neuhart (though a lot of John) - and no mention of how Eames came to Herman Miller by way of George Nelson. I think Charles may have been more arrogant than I knew - we all have our faults though, and he lived an amazing life. It showed Ray's life in the shadow of Charles - and something I didn't know that he had an affair a year before he passed - He wanted to close the Eames Office in LA and start a new office in NY with his 20 something new love. End talked about Ray's continuation to keep the office open, and ultimately deciding to close and catalog the office. No mention of the teams work to finish Charles last furniture piece (The Eames Sofa) or Ray's work and research of sustainability and her decision to end the molded plastic chairs due to their non-recyclable nature. A lot of nice clips of interviews with the Eames' that I had never seen. Also - I felt like it made it seem that Charles wasn't passionate about his furniture and just did pieces every now and then to make Herman Miller happy and allow them to do other things. Nice start of a documentary, but would be nice if on DVD they would do an extended cut.

so is it like the movie "Ray"...
so is it like the movie "Ray" where they only focus on the negative in Ray Charles life? Leaving out most of the details and leaving the viewer thinking he was a lazy sex addicted drug addict who at times played some music. 😛
I find retrospective documentaries frustrating because it is so easy for them to leave out what I feel is important information. They tend to focus on subject matter that allows for drama and will "sell pappers" as they say in the tabloid business.

Poor Poor Charles
I was excited because New Orleans actually was the second city to be shown this documentary. Then I watched it.
Before viewing the film, one show be able to assume the contents from it's title. Eames: The Architect and The Painter. Charles really wasn't by definition, a true architect, nor was Ray a painter. The documentary is about the personal endeavors of two romantic partners living their life together. The focus is their relationship.....and a few stories of two driven individuals that complimented each other.
Charles Eames was no Louis Kahn but by the end of the film, you realize they're both somewhat similar.