But If I Have Not Love, I Am Nothing

On September 27, 1947, Marvin Aday was born in the town of Dallas, Texas. He was an only child. His father was a police officer and his mother a schoolteacher. While growing up, Marvin and his mom often had to go out and search for his dad.

Orvis Aday, Marvin’s father, was an alcoholic who frequently went on drinking binges for days on end. As a result of the disruption and trauma of having to drive the streets of Dallas to every pub to find his father, young Marvin ended up spending a lot of time staying with his grandmother. 

During his high school career, he received recognition as a talented actor, featuring in various school plays, but it was in the music industry that he would eventually make a real name for himself.

Shortly after his mother died and he received his inheritance, Marvin left for California. When he arrived in Los Angeles, he started a band and during their very first recording he hit a note so high that he blew one of the fuses of the recording monitor.

With powerful vocals that stretched over a three-octave range, he was instantly offered three recording contracts, but he turned all of them down.

In 1992, he collaborated with songwriter Jim Steinman and set about making an album. Together they produced a song that would capture the hearts and the imagination of people on such a tremendous scale that it would reach ‘Certified Platinum Single Status’ in the United States and be the number one hit in 28 other countries. In the UK it went on to become the best selling album of 1993.

Of course, Michael is better known by the moniker, ‘Meat Loaf’ and the acclaimed song was, ‘I’d Do Anything for Love’ (But I Won’t Do That).

The concept of finding love and loving someone in return seems to be imprinted on our DNA, at times. People write poetry about it, books, articles and of course, also movies.

In The Paperboy, Zac Efron plays the role of Jack Jansen, a teenager who recently was expelled from college for acts of vandalism. Jack is the younger of two brothers. His older brother, Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) works as an investigative journalist for the Miami Times. Back in their hometown, Jack’s father is the publisher of the town’s paper and with his new girlfriend also distributes the Miami Times. Jack is the paperboy.

When Ward uncovers a story that might exonerate a man who is currently awaiting execution on death row, he spots an opportunity to make a name for himself; and along with one of his colleagues, an Englishman, Yardley Acheman (David Oyelowo), they decide to head back to Ward’s hometown of Lately, Florida.

Going back home is somewhat of a sensitive issue to Ward, knowing he has to face his dad, a man from whom he is completely alienated. Ward’s father also has a new woman in his life – Ellen, someone both the Jensen brothers dislike very much and refuse to accept. Their mother has been dead for a number of years.

However, the information that he has been supplied with concerning this story is too compelling for him to ignore. Cue Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman). Charlotte is a southern gal and a complete tramp who has fallen in love with Hillary Wetter (John Cusack) the man Ward and his associate is trying to get off death row. Since Charlotte and Hillary are also now engaged, they’ve been writing each other non-stop, giving Charlotte a unique opportunity to gather information concerning the injustice her man has been subjected to. 

The person Charlotte has the most profound effect on is the young Jack. He is a young man who is coming of age and he has to do so in the overwhelming Florida heat, something that seems to make his hormones rage within him more vehemently than a swarm of angry bees. Charlotte’s casual attitude to when it comes to her sexuality doesn’t make things easier for him and Jack falls madly in love with her.

As an audience, pretty soon you realise that Hillary is going to manipulate Charlotte’s love for him the moment he gets out of prison. Unfortunately, she’s the only one who doesn’t seem to think so. 

Although the story really centers around Jack and his feelings for Charlotte, a young man who for the first time in his life is truly captivated by a woman, the movie also explores the inner workings of the other characters and the motivation behind their actions.

The Paperboy was met with mixed emotions. At Cannes, it received the longest standing ovation at 16 minutes, while Rotten Tomatoes regards it as a complete flop. It has to be said that all the actors were simply superb in their interpretations of their characters and Director Lee Daniels really pushes the envelope in exposing all of their flaws. 

There is without a doubt a very raw element in the delivery of all the performances, a realness that is quite haunting at times. All of the cast involved can pride themselves for some very brave decisions.

Through it all, Daniels manages to sketch a vivid picture of the lengths people will go to for the sake of love; something most people would readily agree that, ‘I’d do anything for love’ often ending up heartbroken and bitter because they failed to understand, ‘But I won’t do that’.