march 16–29, 2020 | new york 83
jonois scrutinizing the action from the win-
dow of a ramshackle hut, the quotation from
one of Auberjonois’s first films in one of his
last both eerie and poignant.
We register filth, poverty, and competi-
tion for dwindling natural resources, over-
seen from the manse of an Englishman
(Toby Jones) going by the name Chief Fac-
tor. (He seems to have created a Native
American Raj—a pun?) At the town market,
Cookie and King Lu gaze along with other
merchants on the arrival by boat of Chief
Factor’s latest acquisition, the title character.
Now, one man has dairy and the rest don’t.
It ’s King Lu—the immigrant whose eyes are
always on the main chance, whose brain
teems with get-rich-quick schemes—who
recognizes that men subsisting miserably on
biscuits made from flour and water will go
nuts for something moist and tender. By
night, he and Cookie sneak onto Chief Fac-
tor’s property and milk his cow; by day,
townspeople line up and throw money at
them for more of their doughnutlike “oily
cakes.” King Lu exploits their racism for his
own ends: The source of the cakes’ delicious-
ness is an “ancient Chinese secret.”
It’s exhilarating to watch the pair of out-
casts make gobs of money, plan an opulent
future in San Francisco, and share inti-
mate details of their lives—so exhilarating
that you don’t want to think about what
could happen to them if they’re caught. In
a cold, harsh, unjust society, a bond like
theirs is surely worth the risk. The two
actors are criminally endearing. Magaro’s
Cookie is socially stunted but large-souled
and very sweet, looking addled even before
he’s actually concussed. Lee is almost too
movie-star handsome to be credible, but
it’ s fun to watch him maintain his super-
natural poise while being condescended to
by drooling white gits. Only the writing
lets him down: Once the scheme is at full
throttle, King Lu doesn’t have much to do
ex cept repeat capitalist mantras, going for
the mother lode when he ought to be gear-
ing up to skedaddle. The abrupt finish
leaves you saying, “What ... ?” And then,
“Oh. Right. Right. Oh.”
First Cow is deceptively spare: It’s shot by
Christopher Blauvelt in his and Reichardt’s
customary boxy ratio, which concentrates
the image and keeps your eyes from stray-
ing to far-off corners (there aren’t any),
while the composer, William Tyler, seems
not to be scoring the action so much as gen-
tly, sadly musing on it with banjo and harp.
(Tyler’s country albums are much more
busily orchestrated.) The effect is just so.
You’re left sad but happy. But very sad. But
happy, after all, when you think about Blake
and what a life without friendship could be.
This haunting movie transports you to
PHOTOGRAPH: ALLYSON RIGGS COURTESY OF A24another world—and redefines home. ■
SEASON SPONSORSThompson Arts Center at Park Avenue Armory | 643 Park Avenue at 67th Street
@ParkAveArmory #PAAMariaVespersPARK AVENUE
ARMORY
PRESENTSS SH“A sp ell-binding ritual... Beauty, suff ering, mystery,
heaven and ea rth – Monteverdi’s ravishing Marian Vespers
embodies all of these, as did this production.”
—Opera TodayL U
Photo: M
ichael Vadon
F S: S U Y, H 21 - SU Y, H 29, 2020
K S: Y K. G (2 12) 933-5812
Raphaël Pichon | Ensemble Pygmalion
Pierre Audi| Berlinde De BruyckereADVANCED FORMTRANSMITTED
Y ___ DD ___ AD ___ PD ___ EIC ________ COPY ___ DD ___ AD ___ PD ___ EIC0620CR_Critics_lay [Print]_36887654.indd 83 3/12/20 5:51 PMjonois scrutinizing the action from the win-
dow of a ramshackle hut, the quotation from
one of Auberjonois’s first films in one of his
last both eerie and poignant.
We register filth, poverty, and competi-
tion for dwindling natural resources, over-
seen from the manse of an Englishman
(Toby Jones) going by the name Chief Fac-
tor. (He seems to have created a Native
American Raj—a pun?) At the town market,
Cookie and King Lu gaze along withother
merchants on the arrival by boat ofChief
Factor’s latest acquisition, the title character.
Now, one man has dairy and the restdon’t.
It ’s King Lu—the immigrant whoseeyesare
always on the main chance, whosebrain
teems with get-rich-quick schemes—who
recognizes that men subsisting miserablyon
biscuits made from flour and water willgo
nuts for something moist and tender.By
night, he and Cookie sneak onto Chief Fac-
tor’s property and milk his cow;byday,
townspeople line up and throw moneyat
them for more of their doughnutlike“oily
cakes.” King Lu exploits their racismforhis
own ends: The source of the cakes’ delicious-
ness is an “ancient Chinese secret.”
It’s exhilarating to watch the pair ofout-
casts make gobs of money, plan anopulent
future in San Francisco, and shareinti-
matedetailsoftheirlives—soexhilarating
thatyoudon’t wanttothinkaboutwhat
couldhappentothemif they’recaught.In
a cold,harsh,unjustsociety,a bondlike
theirsissurelyworththerisk.Thetwo
actorsarecriminallyendearing.Magaro’s
Cookieis sociallystuntedbutlarge-souled
andverysweet, lookingaddledevenbefore
he’s actuallyconcussed.Leeis almost too
movie-starhandsometobecredible,but
it’ s funtowatchhimmaintainhissuper-
naturalpoisewhilebeingcondescendedto
bydroolingwhitegits.Onlythewriting
letshimdown:Oncetheschemeis at full
throttle,KingLudoesn’t havemuchtodo
ex ceptrepeat capitalist mantras,goingfor
themotherlodewhenheoughttobegear-
inguptoskedaddle.Theabruptfinish
leavesyousaying,“What...?”Andthen,
“Oh.Right.Right.Oh.”
FirstCowis deceptivelyspare:It’sshotby
ChristopherBlauveltinhisandReichardt’s
customaryboxyratio,whichconcentrates
theimageandkeepsyoureyesfromstray-
ingtofar-offcorners(therearen’t any),
whilethecomposer,WilliamTyler,seems
nottobescoringtheactionsomuchasgen-
tly,sadlymusingonit withbanjoandharp.
(Tyler’s country albumsaremuchmore
busilyorchestrated.)Theeffectisjust so.
You’releft sadbuthappy. Butvery sad.But
happy,afterall,whenyouthinkaboutBlake
andwhata lifewithoutfriendshipcouldbe.
Thishauntingmovietransports youto
anotherworld—andredefineshome. ■
SEASONSPONSORSThompsonArtsCenteratParkAvenueArmory| 643ParkAvenueat67thStreet
@ParkAveArmory#PAAMariaVespersPARK A
ARM
PRESS SH“A sp ell-bindingritual...Beauty,suffering,mystery,
heavenandea rth– Monteverdi’sravishingMarianVespers
embodiesall of these,as didthisproduction.”
—OperaTodayL UPhotoMchael VadonF S:S U Y, H 21 - SU Y, H 29, 2020K S: Y K. G (2 12) 933-5812Raphaël Pichon | Ensemble Pygmalion
Pierre Audi| Berlinde De Bruyckere