“Blue Moon”, interview with director Richard Linklater

February 21, 2025

Richard Linklater on Blue Moon, his 5th collaboration with long time friend and frequent collaborator Ethan Hawke

“Blue Moon”, interview with director Richard Linklater Chiara Nicoletti

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On the tenth year’s anniversary of “Boyhood“, Richard Linklater s back in Berlin to present his new film, “Blue Moon“, with his old partner in crime Ethan Hawke.

The project, following the night legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart had to “celebrate” his former collaborator Richard Rodgers for his ground-breaking hit Oklahoma! , had been in Linklater and Hawke’s plans for almost 12 years.

Brought to the director’s attention by scriptwriter and collaborator Robert Kaplow, the film draws inspiration from letters written between Hart and a young woman, which Kaplow researched for the script.

In the film Lorenz Hart gives a very interesting advice to a young aspiring director: “Beware of love stories, friendship stories are the ones enduring”. Linklater seems to have followed this advice as “Blue Moon” is both a friendship story and an “artistic” love story.

Plot

..You know how in marriage they say “for better or for worse”? I think, in terms of my life, I have entered the “for worse” part, and it happened so quietly I didn’t even recognize it.
Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon tells the story of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart bravely facing the future as his professional and private life unravel at the opening night party for his former partner’s hit show Oklahoma!
By the time this night is over, Hart will have confronted both a world that no longer values his talent and the seeming impossibility of love.

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

Guest

Richard Linklater