Ultimately, the book has an antagonist who is not respectable, but the movie has an antagonist that is. Having an antagonist who is respectable almost always elevate the protagonist as well.
Well said, simple. There would be No Runway Magazine without Miranda Priestly, No Apple without SJ, No Disney without Walt, No Star Base(Space X) without Elon Musk, these people make an impact, there not always wonderful, and there not going to be nice about it either, sayin. Great movie, I can’t ever, not ever get enough of the DWP! Thanks.
In my eyes the biggest antagonist in the movie is her partner, he's heartless, unappreciative, unsupportive. She's trying her best, succeeding even and he never ever compliments her for her achievements. The ending had this one thing I'd have changed. She would've found someone else who's not a moron
Because filmmakers were interested in buying the writer's perspective and experience as Anna Wintour's assistant rather than the book though it helps out in writing screenplay and dialogues. Fashion is completely based on visual marketing, depicting it through words in a book can NEVER work out well in comparison to a film.
You are right, there aren't too many. One outstanding adaptation is The Heiress (1949), based on the stage play which itself was based on the book "Washington Square" by the incredible Henry James. If you haven't seen it, it's a fantastic film. I think you'd be rivetted by the performances. In particular, Olivia de Havilland (who won her 2nd Best Actress Oscar for the film) and Ralph Richardson as her domineering father. It's great film to watch one quiet evening, with the lights turned low and no distractions - don't drag someone along that cannot handle B&W film or rolls their eyes at non-action/horror films starring a female protagonist. It's themes about love, romance, and rejection are timeless.
@@macc.1132 I do agree with you , it's an excellent film. I have always been an enormous fan of Olivia de Havilland. She is a great dramatic actress who is also wonderful in comedies. I loved her in "The Strawberry Blonde," for me a very underrated film. I am a super fan of 1940's dramas, commedies, noirs, musicals........ You made me laugh with, "don't drag someone along that can't HANDLE B&W films." Of all my friends there's only one who will watch B&W films with me, and it makes me feel rather sad.
My favorite scene, hands down, is the very last - where Miranda smiles ruefully for a split second after seeing Andy wave to her, then snaps right back into character. Meryl Streep deserved an Oscar purely for the expression on her face as she utters: "Go."
I loved when she got out of the car in Paris, right after she said “everybody wants to be us” there is a small moment people probably don’t notice but she pulls up, opens the door and does an obnoxious fake smile almost gloating in all the attention. Knowing that her photo would be taken and looking like she’s laughing almost. It was like you said she snapped into character as soon as the door opened and the cameras were there. Iconic film.
Something that I think people really didn't catch on and talk on enough is how that was the Miranda Smile everyone around her works so hard to earn. Remember in the designer's collection preview scene, Nigel explains that Miranda shows her approval in her own way: one nod, good; 2 nods, very good; shakes head, bad; purses lips, catastrophe. Nigel also explained, "There's only one smile on record and that was Tom Ford in 2001," which further shows that it's *THAT* hard to impress Miranda, let alone get her to smile. And then we see in the final scene, when she gets in the car after Andy waves to her, we saw the second smile...while not on record, it showed that Andy EARNED Miranda's respect and impressed her enough to get a smile.
Same here. I'm a dude. I sniff the pages. But the movie gently shamed my ignorance and showed me an industry worthy of respect. Forever grateful for that. And Streep for being so deliciously perfect.
It's not really about "fashion" . Maybe just a bit. What it represents to me is the cruelty of a brilliantly talented but abusive matriarch. People vying for acceptance. Willing to be moved into a groveling subservience in order to attain the slightest acceptance. We can't pick up and walk out on our parents until we have arrived (like Andie) at our complete maturation. She stopped needing the acceptance from this woman. Realized that everything she was learning really cost too much. Andie becomes an adult woman....where as in the start of the movie she had been a girl.
@@TMIDiva I think it's about fashion. I think it's also about narcissists. But I love the movie for teaching me that there's a fundamental justification for that industry.
@@badgerbadgerton966 Yes. But the mark of something really exceptional is that it has a layered meaning. Brilliance is the ability to hold several opposing understandings and give them equal credence. Fashion is the throne of narcissists. Self adornment as a constant motivation
The original line, "Everybody wants this, everybody wants to be us." was originally written as, "Everybody want this, everybody wants to be me" because Streep felt Miranda wasn't that vain. It was brilliant. The film would have been interpreted different had this line not changed.
Yeah. The inclusion of us also changes the perception Andy would have. It goes from "well maybe i don't want to be you so I'm not included" to "you are part of this"
@samozakochanie Exactly! Everyone wants to be *us* shows perfectly the main difference between book Andy and movie Andy. Movie Andy had already changed, movie Andy was well on her way to become Emily, then evolve into Miranda; thang minuscule change of a word depicts the whole change of character between the book and the movie.
Nigel as a character is much more tragic when you realize it's a stand in for Andre Leon Talley. Who was famously dumped from Vogue years later in the mid 2010s by Wintour :(
Sometimes power makes people forget that we are all simply human. We all have struggles we all deal with life. Instead of being consume by other envy or pride we should focus on the things that really matter in life. That it’s ourselves and treating everyone around us with dignity and respect.
This scene made me realize that Miranda could turn you into someone who would care for a profession you didnt want in the first place. Andy didnt kbow she did what she did because Miranda mafe it so subtle, Andy didnt realize that she did a diservice to a colleague.
Meryl is way over rated. Anne said she was a horrible person to her during the taping of the movie. Meryl thinks she is a goddess I don’t like her at all
@Kandice M They were the real pros of fashion. It would be so lovely to get real fashion professionals to write a sequel, with much more real insight into the choices fashionistas make.
Anne Hathaway can't match meryl's acting here but her aura and strong presence as Andy is one of the reasons why i love her character. It feels im sad whenever she's sad and etc.
I always interpreted this movie as being about a tough woman who has hidden vulnerability, and a vulnerable woman who has hidden toughness. It's a yin and yang story, and it's far more sophisticated in it's character development than people give it credit for. Well done review.
Andy sending her boss into a hurricane 😂😂😂. She spent more time planning her father’s visit and Miranda knew that. Hurricanes just don’t pop up like a tornado 😅😂😂
The fact that people are still analyzing and talking about this movie 15 years later, and that people are actively and happily still watching these, shows how iconic this movie is. One of my favorites, even my dad loves the cerulean sweater scene, and will stop to watch the movie on any channel if he sees it’s on.
i learned about pantone colors in my job, it changed how i look at manufacturing....just this blue sweater....we would look through the pantone colors for colors on the smallest detail of our marketing products, not just blue, so i think of that when Andi says that 😄
For me, the best part of this movie is this Andy's quote: "Okay, she’s tough, but if Miranda were a man…no one would notice anything about her, except how great she is at her job"
@@christopherbrown5409 Ahhh, if only we could transplant you into a woman's body and have you serve as a female executive for a week. I've watched male executives literally put their hand out in front of a female exec's face in a conference room full of people in order to essentially shut them up. I've sat in meetings with mostly male execs griping about how another female exec is "too aggressive" or "needs to dress better". Often the men critiquing the woman's appearance are the older, fat trolls. And I'm just giving you a tiny sliver of 25 years of experience of how women execs are treated in the workplace. You, sir, are full of a dumptruck of crap.
@@hutch1197 and there are laws to protect the female execs from things like that, and you and those female execs and employees almost certainly talked cash money shit about those male execs and coworkers afterwards, so what was your dump truck of crap point, exactly?
@@christopherbrown5409 consider the fact that no matter how much Miranda belittled her employees, none of them spoke up about it. It’s a known fact that men in power have been sexist towards women in the workplace. If you were one of those women, would you jeopardize your career by reporting it? Running the risk of losing your main source of income, and not being able to pay your bills?
“I need the best possible team around me, that no longer includes Emily.” - she says in her monotone voice. This in my opinion is the first time we see how cut throat Miranda can really be. I felt that betrayal in my bones as if a was Emily. Imagine putting your all, everyday into your dream job and you end up loosing your bosses respect and the event you’ve been planing for all year because you get mono? She’s ruthless
yeah it wasn't just because she got mono...she saw Andy excelling and realized that Emily wasn't that great at her job. Just because you put your all into your job and it's your dream doesn't mean you're the best candidate for the position. I don't think this move on Miranda's part was ruthless, it was practical. Remember when Emily couldn't remember the person's name and Andy did? Miranda realized at that point Emily had to go.
Yeah, but many of us have lived through situations like these in the real world. So why not put them on show? Makes you think about the choice of ‘humanizing’ Miranda in the movie though…
I’ve always loved Miranda and Nigel’s professional relationship in this movie. It especially helps that Meryl and Stanley have amazing chemistry as actors.
yeah also it shows what happens when youre too valuable to an employer. Ya will stay in your current position helping them than moving on in your career. I feel bad for Nigel as a teenager but as an adult who was a manager. I completely understand why Miranda did what she did.
Some needed context: Anna Wintour has so much power that when the book was first published, some publications refused to review it out of fear of retribution. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Wintour before the book (she has apparently mellowed out a lot since the movie’s popularity boosted her profile in the wider public’s eye, whereas before she could afford to be more of a tyrant in relative privacy). One of the more famous story about Wintour in the past is that employees were NEVER to make eye contact with her, and once, when Wintour tripped and fell down in the hallway, people pretended not to see her (out of fear of making eye contact) rather than help her up. The original buzz around the book wasn’t that it was an entertaining read, but that it was a startlingly accurate portrayal of how Wintour ran her ship. However, Wintour’s power over the American fashion & celebrity industry meant that any movie adaptation HAD to paint her in a sympathetic light. In the end, that was the best choice for the story, but I believe the differences in Miranda’s character in the book vs the script is largely because there was pressure to make Miranda/Wintour look more sympathetic. Fun side fact, Miranda’s office in the movie was almost an exact replica of Wintour’s real office, and Wintour famously remodeled it afterwards.
As someone who wasn't interested in the fashion world at all at the time, I thought it was about Meryl Streep's reputation (because I've found Miranda Priestly to be an especially horrible human being). But now that I know of this industry... Yeah, that checks out.
That’s why I love the book so much! The movie praises the tyrants of the fashion industry while the book exposes them for who they really are. Also, that story of tripping and falling in the hallway reminds me of a story of a queen whom nobody was allowed to touch. One day, she fell in water and began to drown, but nobody could do anything about it because nobody was allowed to touch her, so they just sat and watched her drown. Pretty sick if you ask me.
I was an Andy for a Miranda (in the art world, not the fashion industry) and the tension between my anger towards how I was treated and my desire to impress someone so profoundly good at what she did really rocked my world. You don't get it until you're in it. You make so many excuses for the person because you have to justify why you're there to all the people telling you to quit. You're also so constantly belittled that you start to believe you're incompetent, which actually somehow makes you work harder. And on top of it all, the environment you're in and the people you meet make you feel like you have access to this glamorous other world which gives you some sick sense of worth and "cool". It messes with your head big time. After I quit, I went back there for an event and "Miranda" literally looked shorter than I remembered because I had re-gained a sense of self respect that I had lost when I worked for her. I don't really know where I'm going with this except to reinforce that Miranda was a tremendously well written and performed character and that smart, capable antagonists are always the hardest ones to hate, no matter what they do to you.
I love your take. Sometimes I feel like the so called auteurs are given so much leeway even when they are abusive. No one is denying they are good at their job, but mostly people will make up excuses for the them. Maybe I'm wrong but like in this essay in the same breathe he says she abuses her workers but also says she not really abusive but a perfectionist. Yes Miranda has admirable traits and is a well written antagonist but pretending she is not abusive or it's just merely a clash of ideologies is putting her on a pedestal.
Something like this has always baffled me? You hear of some poor assistant suing some celebrity, that they worked for 2 years because as punishment they were punched in the face or thrown in an ice bath, or something equally horrific, and continued to work for the narcissistic creep that abused them. It’s kind of fascinating what people will tolerate from someone society puts on a pedestal, even if they are truly just a self absorbed useless waste of skin.
@@ladidaohoh3168 It's some combination of stockholm syndrome and massive job scarcity that essentially puts entry level workers in a position to accept basically anything that pays them a survival salary. It's not good or right but when you're 23 and have applied to countless jobs and gotten only one response even though you're capable and experienced, you just feel like you have to take it.
@@FrancescaPessarelli It’s so sad that that’s the case, that the set up of the world rewards the worst people society has to offer. Often people in abusive situations don’t realize how badly it affects them until they have gotten away, that’s why the suing is the one thing in these situations that make’s total sense to me.
@@ladidaohoh3168 actually it's funny you bring up suing because there's an assistant working at my previous 'Miranda' job now who sued a different 'Miranda' at another company for mistreatment. I feel like that gives this girl a level of protection like "don't fuck with me. you saw what i did to that other bitch" haha. anyway yea it's hard to imagine this dynamic is going to change any time soon but fingers crossed.
i love how a big theme in the movie is “details are fucking important” bc the differences between the film and the book really really reaffirms that. “small” changes to that script make such a huge difference.
I always loved that scene because she just said "No." and everyone changed what they were doing. No excuses, no explanations, no fake positivity, no false praise to pet egos. It was against everything I had internalized as needed for women in the corporate world. It was amazing and eye-opening and the scene that cemented her power for me.
This scene is taught as what NOT to do as a team leader and they are right. In a creative enviroment you can't just NO an idea, many ideas can be taken or parts of it to make something new. Its not about fake positivity. Its about creative process. If you just kill the spring idea when it hasnt even been delivered, you might be loosing a section of it that could be genious.
@@Kardriel1 exactly - being a leader in a discussion isn't about flaunting your power, it's about facilitating and guiding the discussion to ensure you end up with a relevant conclusion. Miranda's complete shutting down of ideas - sure, it might be an effective power move, but that's not actually helpful.
In the book Andy sells all the designer clothes she was given from the magazine. In the movie Andy gives the designer clothes to Emily. I think that very much describes the book as ruthless and the movie as having a heart!
@@neilkurzman4907 No, I don't see it that way: in the movie Andy felt it was better to make a friend rather than an enemy. Emily knew that she could not go to fashion week in the condition she was in. She also knew that Andy was only the messenger.
@@neilkurzman4907 As I said; I don't see it that way: Emily knew very well that it wasn't Andy who had taken the decision that she couldn't go to fashion week. And Andy wanted to do something good, therefor she gave the dresses to Emily.
@@martijnspruit I’m sure she decided for several reasons. One she wasn’t that interested in the fashion. And she knew that Emily was. And she did it in a way where it was not seen as a gift or a hand me down. Because she knew that would hurt Emily‘s pride.
The glass wall of the conference room always struck me and I wound up noticing all the glass throughout the film. You can see it (the life, the work), but you're still outside it. Andy wasn't ready for entry into that room. Emily wasn't either, and, in fact, sullied it.
I worked at an advertising agency that had a conference room like that. We called it "the fishbowl" because everyone could see in and the room was oval. It was awful to have confidential meetings in there.
I think no one should ever question why Meryl is a constant Oscar nominee/winner. She’s not just a very talented actress. She “breathes” the movies she stars in, makes creative changes to the production, and doesn’t only focus on her role and her pay check. Respect!
Pretentious people keep the publishing industry alive and the Amazon rain forrest endangered. The book had a chapter about Andy going on a backpacking tour to Europe and Asia. Who needs that? Plus she goes visit her sister and it is pages of Bore. Meryl Streep created something that the writer did not envision. The film would have been a complete tragedy if she just presented a parody of Anna Wintour. Now, Anna is emulating Miranda Priestly in her life. Coincidentally, when I was promoted head of a bussiness, my assistants were Andy and Emily. My reality became my favorite film. And my God, I was a f-king biatch.
The film is actually so much more nuanced than the book. The book was a thinly veiled shot at Anna Wintour and her time working at vogue but I think it makes Andy seem spoilt and the film shows Miranda’s bad points but also shows that Andy doesn’t have to be there if she doesn’t want to
No, there’s a clip missing. Miranda looks at Andy’s shoes (letting her know she’s wearing the wrong ones), then looks back at her and says “that’s all.”
@@dimitrypittman143 i think the point is also that Andy is being called by the wrong name and yet has now learned to respond to it, not correct it. Thats part of the power move, not just the dig at her clothes.
You forgot to mention how Emily Blunt's character "Emily" helped so much to develop both Miranda and Andy... it is because of her character nuances come out in the movie... She actually has some of best lines in the movie after Miranda..."That ..I do not know", " I am getting this when I want this", " Oh my god why did you not climb into her bed and tell her to tell you bed time stories", "Where ru to some hideous skirt convention" literally were rofl...love that character
It feels like the book was nothing but a chance to make fun of Anna Wintour and Vogue. But the movie takes a chance to understand that world and what it has to offer.
The fashion world is truly cruel and vain, and a person that has never been there before nor respects their values can hardly adapt to that lifestyle even after months, but what I don't like in the book is the attitude when you've engaged in a work you know what you have to expect from or what is expected from you, while what I like in the movie is that we see a character development, something essential to every story that is not a diary (because this video gave me an impression that's what the book is). So for viewers and readers it's always more interesting and gives them more pleasure to see a character overcoming obstacles rather than constantly whining about them.
Fact check: "Ugly Betty" cannot have been "inspired" or a "copycat" of "The Devil Wears Prada". Ugly Betty one is based on the original Colombian tv series with the same name produced in 1999. The Devil wears Prada (the book, from which the movie is based on) was published in 2003.
Exactly, thank you. Ugly Betty is the US version of “Yo soy Betty, la fea” the original Colombian 🇨🇴 tv series that won the Record Guinness for the most successful tvnovela in the world.
i think what the scene does is legitimate Miranda’s power. We see that she has gotten where she is not through gimmics or weird ways, but because she is actually great at her job.
Maranda calling Andi Emily the second time... Was definitely a power play too. Not only that she didn't bother to know her name... She called her knowing it wasn't her name. And seeing her still turn around and not correct her. And just to say nothing and dismiss her. Streep at her best
And Meryl sells it really well, insisting on the name just enough so it pops out not not enough to make you realize she's underlining it. Also, my insight on the naming... "Emily" was not her name, it was her role. Her job. And as long as she didn't become worthy of being called personally, she would be called by her role, like in other jobs some are called "new one" or "boss"...
JAMES: You might have thought it was referring to *this* scene, the famed "blue sweater" scene... ME, A SCHOLAR: Ha, rich. Like I'm some kind of DWP rookie. It's obviously referring to the scene where Miranda talks about the divorce. JAMES: Maybe you're thinking it's that scene where Miranda reveals her impending divorce... ME: ᵒʰ ⁿᵒ
@@JamesWoodall I heard in an interview that Emily got the line from overhearing a mom in a store who said it to her child who was throwing a tantrum. Either way, great how she thought to use it in the movie.
I’d love to watch something that further explains how toxic Andy’s boyfriend is! He’s literally never supportive, always manages to put her down and prioritize their relationship or his job and career over hers!
I always thought it was sus that Nate was a chef who had a steady schedule and never had any hang ups about his job. Working at restaurants are not always smooth sailing.
@@reikun86 that's fair, but unfortunately, instead of communicating like an adult, he just pouted and whined the whole time. (He also insulted Andy from the get-go when he found out she was working for a fashion magazine at all. I felt he just gave off negativity from the start.) Someone on another comment thread made an excellent point that had she missed something huge like a restaurant grand opening instead of his birthday, we could have felt proper sympathy. Instead, he stayed up late until she got home to be passive aggressive and make her feel worse (rather than talking about it). It's really too bad the writers didn't make that scene more pivotal in tipping the scale toward Nate, because the rest of Andy's behavior after that would have been perceived a bit differently by more of the audience. As it stands, I have a lot of sympathy for Andy who, when she began to realize that it "turns out there's more to Runway than just fancy purses" and is starting to actually care about her work, she's picked on by Nate ("looks like somebody's drinking the Kool-Aid"), and also disrespected by him and their closest friends when they take her phone. Whether or not she cared about her job, it was the only way she was going to be able to pursue her actual passion of journalism, and they were jeopardizing that or, at the very least, putting her in a very stressful situation only to snicker about it like teenagers. It's a fabulous movie and I watch it all the time, but the non-work sequences always frustrate me. I think changing that one scene with the missed birthday -- *and* his snide comment at the end in answering her rhetorical question -- would have redeemed the storyline involving her personal relationships.
@@Jessica_Jones I agree that it should’ve been a big opening for a restaurant instead of a birthday because it would’ve tied to Nate’s work, something that would be really important to him. The movie dealt with Andy missing his birthday a little clunky. First he waits for her then goes to bed, then later when she brings up missing his birthday, he goes, “What am I, five?” I also agree that her friends should’ve been more respectful about her working and taking some pride in her job. Taking her phone away is interfering with her work, and that is not okay. Last time I checked, being adaptable is a good skill to have for work.
@@reikun86 If it were a big restaurant opening though, Nate would have been super busy himself in the lead up. He would have to be absent a lot too, to pursue his career and that obviously didn't fit their - misguided - narative.
13:03 I find the movie "deal with the devil" far more engaging than "being tortured by the devil" The former gives a character agency and the ability to drive the plot. The latter boils down to "I hate my life, I have no agency" and that's fundamentally a boring concept
I had a boss like Miranda, and I appreciate how they expanded her and and showed her working. My boss of intimidating but she was damn brilliant at her job and built it into a multimillion dollar business over 30 years! It was a true representation of an experience I've lived.
I had a boss like that, told myself okay just 6 months, this is great for your experience and exposure... my 6 months became 1 month I was crying daily cause of how small and inadequate she made you feel. I became empty and anxious. I felt like I would always try proving myself to her and she would never see my worth. I decided to choose myself, regardless of how huge the opportunity was.
@@usisiphoqamata yeah there are ways to build companies without fucking with people emotional state. Not to mention how alot of these "bosses" that act like Miranda are really just middle management who can be replaced at the drop of a hat, they have absolutely no justification for acting like that
*basically the movie chose to make Miranda Priestly more of a 3-dimensional character. we got to see some of her personal life, saw the sacrifices she made for the magazine, and even had a standalone scene without the protagonist to show her strong, savvy work ethic. we, as the audience, came to see her in a more relatable light. we still see her as a crazy boss but with some understanding as to why she is the way she is*
Another thing that humanizes Miranda and makes the audience sympathize and respect her is the conference scene he discussed but also the scenes involving her daughters. You can clearly tell Miranda loves them and is soft in those moments. It’s a really nice touch on Meryl’s part to make her look undone to capture that moment of us realizing that Miranda is human too and is also working hard to love up to the standard she set for her self and her employees.
It’s true - this scene goes in-depth to Miranda at work. Her standards for knowledge, creativity are high. Her asks or comments are not caprise, just shows her work ethic. I had a boss like that and in the end I started to highly respect her for that.
Totally agree - I wanted her to break up with him. He and her friends became so snarky and cutting. Instead of being flexible and supportive about the demands being put on her, they acted selfish and whiny.
YES! He was such an asshole! Plus, I also don't think it's a big deal for her to miss out his birthday party for a work-related assignment. It was not like she was partying afterhours doing coke with the models. Plus, when she was leaving the party and was given the option to come back and meet an important writing editor, she considered but refused it in order to be with her boyfriend (only to find him waiting for her to come back so he could make a dramatic passive-aggressive exit as soon as she enters the room). What a bitch! Get over it, have a private bday dinner the next day. Is that so hard?
I LOVED this. As someone who knows the film backwards and forwards I really appreciated such a nuanced, detailed analysis of the development of Film Miranda as a character and the choices made to create her. Absolutely stand-out work.
Meryl has been beautiful all her life, but she is really stunning in this movie. The hair, the makeup, the clothing, such an unforgettable presentation. Also, great video essay!
This is definitely her best character and performance ever. They should really make a sequel, even if Meryl is only there for 15 minutes. Emily Blunt can be the new editor and Andy can make a cameo.
I think also holding Nigel back for her own/ the magazines gain is telling of the kind of manager she is. Building up but holding back or hoarding is a very real thing in leadership roles. You could view the “promise” Miranda made to Nigel as absolute- but it could be an empty one made to build him up and keep him involved at the magazine
I watched the telenovela. The plot and the development is so different with the American version. The original glorifies the torture of Betty as the assistant, but the new version sees the fashion industry as a giant machine that makes Betty's life feels so little. The ending confirms that.
I mean Meryl Streep made Miranda Priestly so iconic, (honestly, that icy barely audible whisper!) much more than the cardboard "devil" in the original book, even now ,15 years later, every Icy, bossy villain in movies is compared to Miranda Priestly !!
I love the scene @ the end of the film where Andy and Miranda see each other once more before the film ends, Andy smiling and waving @ Miranda with respect, & Miranda giving Andy a cold glare before she enters her vehicle.. but the smile she gives us right before she tells the driver to, go… Like she couldn’t show her feelings but she knows she likes & respects Andy, that’s my favorite part 🖤
This scene was important because it gives us more depth into Miranda’s leadership. No one but Nigel meets her expectations probably because the other suggestions for the spring spread lacked any attempt at originality or “passion” as we know Nigel has. Also Meryl Streep is an A list actress of legendary status. She has to have “her own scene.”
Also shows Miranda’s knowledge of fashion trends during her tenure at Runway. I’m pretty sure she knew every trick in the book, because she was there for it all, and she’s always on the hunt for innovation. I agree that Zac Posen suits in the Noguchi gardens was a nice change of pace for spring fashion.
The first time I saw this was when i was much younger and the only other media i remembered seeing Meryl in was Mama Mia so going from Donna to Miranda was such a huge change that i didnt even realize they were portrayed by the same person and once i did (years later) my respect for Meryl Streep skyrocketed.
I do think changing from first person like in the book to third person by showing scenes without Andy is genius because it gives the audience the freedom to criticize Andy as well and recognize her as a flawed character.
I agree. It bothered me so much that Andy showed up to her interview without even brushing her hair. Also for someone who wants to get into journalism, she didn’t do a lick of research into Runway or Miranda Priestly.
@@reikun86 To be fair, there was a deleted scene showing that she had an interview with the HR person for the corporation Runway was owned by, who told her that there were currently two open positions available to her: one at Auto Universe and one at Runway. Since this took place in 2006-2007, smart phones would have either been unavailable or uncommon (especially for someone like Andy, who had just graduated college and was relying on her father to help pay for rent), so she'd have no way to even do a quick Google search on Runway and Miranda while heading up to their office. That being said, having the scene cut just makes Andy look bad and I don't really get why they did that.
I've read the book twice and watched the movie about a thousand times, and I NEVER thought about that scene in particular, or even how Miranda is always working when depicted in scene. This is a brilliant essay and, in my opinion, demonstrates how thoughtful was the process of the cast and crew to turn an interesting book into a movie that will be appreciated through countless generations. Looking forward to many more reviews!
I think the ending really sells the fact that it was just a brutal but necessary move for Miranda to betray Nigel. Miranda doesn’t punish Andy for making her choice, showing she respects and possibly even considers it the correct one for her, though she couldn’t go that route herself. Respectful girlboss going back to slaying her employees
This 26 minutes of my life felt more like an hour with the amount of information and learning I processed. Magnificient, and I appreciate the articulation and depth you provided to something, especially when comparing it to the book. Thank you.
Ok, this was brilliant. This was well researched, informative and coherent. I am seriously considering directing my A-Level English Literature students to this video, as you have demonstrated all of the things that they need to do in their coursework. 👏👏👏
@@JamesWoodall I just discovered this video and as a *highly* discerning movie lover, WOW, what an essay! Where have you been my entire life? Subscribed!!! Love & Light from Miami Shores🦚✌🏼 Stay safe mate🌎🙏🏼
This is *NOT* English literature. Jesus Christ, no wonder students graduate stupid. Lazy teachers using Hollywood movies as a crutch while collecting Union Salaries! 😒
I agree - the video was just top notch - the right mix of effects that emphasize the points he is making. I've checked his other videos - there aren't too many but they are good - not as good as this one. His video style seemed to perfectly match the film. So many video reviews are annoying and shoddy.
The iconic ''That's all." was the PERFECT ending for this video. Loved how an in-depth example was given on how one small scene can have a large impact on the overall story.
I would say the biggest difference between the book and movie Miranda is about perspective. Andy hated Miranda and in turn, she viewed everything Miranda did as aloof and incompetent and a marvel she somehow was trusted as a leader. The movie did not show a perspective of Miranda, but simply what Miranda did. They were mostly the exact same actions as the book, but we were able to see her behavior objectively and not just through the eyes of someone who doesn't like her. So we can see that, yes she was abusive, but she wasn't actually incompetent. The impossible tasks she gave, while they seemed to be silly from book Andy's perspective, seeing her give out the same tasks, it becomes clear to the objective observer that she knew exactly what she was doing.
OMG !!!!!! I am crying was covered in goosebumps watching this video. For years I have been defending this scene as the tipping point to understand Miranda and the fact that she IS a legend in her field. But the way it was presented, dissected, the clever and truly intellectually savvy way it was done by contrasting the book and movie versions of the main characters was completely breathtaking! Thank you thank you so much for sharing this insightful, congratulatory and yes perfect study for this truly iconic scene in an equally iconic film 🙌🏾👌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🫶🏾🇨🇦
I don’t think it’s the most interesting scene in the film at all, but once it’s explained I can certainly see what it does to it at least in your interpretation and analysis. I think in the end it just adds to the very brilliant idea of having Miranda ALWAYS at work during the film because it proves a point and makes the character admirable. It’s very much worth noting (and I would have LOVED to hear you mention it in the video) that every single time Anna Wintour has been annoyingly asked about the film and her being “the inspiration for the character” the only thing she ever says about it is “I appreciate that the movie shows just how much work goes into the magazine” which I think is a tremendous compliment for the writers, for Meryl and for Miranda. Whether they actually realised that they were showing the world how much work happens in the fashion world, which is generally just seen as frivolous and dumb, I can’t say for sure, but they did and that makes their movie that much better (apart from it just being absolutely delicious to watch over and over again). It’s a brilliant, unsurpassable movie.
@@nurainiarsad7395 fashion is the most accessible and straightforward medium of self-expression. One of the biggest themes in the film is not just how much work goes into the fashion world, but that this form of art is a passion for the people in it. also, Nigel answers that about halfway through the movie
@@nurainiarsad7395 So you can have something nice to wear... you don't think that's enough? You're ignorant so you think fashion means evening gowns, you think fashion and clothes just pop out of nowhere, you think clothes just magically makes themselves and appear in stores. You have no real idea about everything that happens before a garment is even made, just so you can then go to a supermarket and buy something you can wear and that it fits properly and that can be washed and worn many times so you don't have to mend them or buy new ones all the time; clothes so you can maybe look good, feel comfortable and feel good about yourself during the same You take clothes for granted because you just have them and put them on and off, and because you take them for granted you don't see how much they matter.
I loved the moment in the film where we are following Andy's disdain with the magazine and suddenly Nigel's POV completely turns the narrative around - Miranda does it earlier but because she is such a strict character you may not appreciate it as much, but Nigel makes you think about Andy's behavior, how snobby she herself is being for thinking this job is beneath her. The scene where Andy and Nigel talk really turns things around and you see the passion and hard work that goes into it. I genuinely felt I appreciated the fashion industry more after seeing the film, I still barely understand it but am less dismissive
I took the whole conference room scene as Miranda's growing dissatisfaction for Emily in general and nothing more. You don't give enough credit to Emily's part in this movie. She is the one who actually gels Miranda and Andy's dynamic as she acts as the conduit for Miranda's unfriendly attitude. Her part could have been written as slightly more sympathetic to to fellow employees, but instead, it was written to be a different kind of apathetic person like Miranda right up until her very last scene when she still refused to let Andy know that she will be missed, and only displays that emotion by telling Andy's replacement that she has very big shoes to fill.
Hey, I really agree with you! She's a great addition to the storyline and does serves really well as a conduit for Miranda and Andy's relationship to develop. After rewatching the movie recently, Emily really strikes me as a mini-Miranda. She simutaneoulsy fear Miranda while trying to be more like her but fundamentally unable to do that. She's just not as unreasonable and cold-blooded as Miranda, i.e. having a coworker that she hangs out with, having a life outside of work (I speculate here, she said she had plans but did not specify what), and thanking Andy when Andy helped her at her worst moment. Moreover, she helps serve as an interesting contrast to both Miranda and Andy. She's someone who could work in the magazine's stressful environment, accepts certain things to be necessary evil, and does it all without losing herself just like Miranda, while not being as controlling and demanding as her boss. Emily is good at her job, is a perfectionist and already loves the fashion world, unlike Andy who was incompetent, a little less polished, and couldn't care less about fashion (at least in the first half of the movie). Emily is a bit petty (she laughs and shows satisfaction when Andy makes mistakes and gets reprimanded) but she's not a toxic upper-level like Miranda (she lets Andy leave for Nate's birthday when Andy was done with her tasks), which Andy recognizes and continuously tries make acquantance. All analysis aside, I really like Emily as a character and couldn't see the movie being what it is without her.
There's the old cliché that says that the movie is not as good as the book. I like how you critiqued that axiom. 5:38 "The Devil Wears Prada is a fascinating example of how to do adaptation well." Great video essay.
I love this so much. I haven't read the book tbh but hearing from the snippets here and the differences outlined, I think this is one of those very rare cases when the movie is superior. I really like such a nuanced approach to a character. Awesome to hear that the bit where Miranda is always working is not a directorial instruction but a choice Meryl made.
@@TomorrowWeLive Based on the excerpts in this video, it really doesn't seem very well-written. Reminds me a little of whiny-teenage-angst young adult novels
@@gdg4686p No. also, the video implies Devil Wears Prada inspired the dynamics presented in Ugly Betty, but those come directly from the original telenovela, which came first than the DWP novel.
I absolutely love this essay! I've always thought this scene was just about giving more context to Miranda and Nigel’s relationship so that her betrayal had more weight but you've shown that there are so many more layers. I can't imagine how long it took you to put this all together but I really appreciate it!
Miranda can betray Nigel because she can still assure of his employment. Miranda can give Nigel the option to stay or go. It's not so much as a betrayal as it is more of something Miranda could tell Nigel or any of the staffers: "You can choose to work here as an important part of Runway, or you can strike out on your own and prove your value to the world outside this magazine (something which Andy did), if you think you are so important enough!"
"Miranda can betray Nigel because she can still assure of his employment"! Exactly. It's basically the same for Nigel, as what he had told Andy. When i first saw the scene between them and heard Nigels words, i felt bad for Andy but at the end, it really comes down to their own decisions and he is in no better position than her. It also proofs, that friendships should be hold on the low in the working space. From a friends view, Mirandas decision, seems like a big disappointment. But from a business perspective, her moves are just what she felt, was best for the company. It would have come with consequences anyways. In the film it never was discussed how close miranda and nigel actually bond. Even the conference scene, was just the surface and gave the impression of good teamwork. The brutal honesty is, she is not required to uplift Nigels working career, she is required to employ him.
@@soleil7259 That's true. In the first place, Nigel didn't value Miranda enough to collude with the rest of the others who wanted to kill Miranda's career. So in a way, Nigel was so ready to move on from Miranda's leadership if he was given a chance to do so, a betrayal also on his part. Andy, being Miranda's true equal, at least tried to warn her of the whole thing. But Miranda was always one step ahead of everyone and made herself stay put on top. Because in her own words, no one can do what she does! Except Andy of course if she had chosen to stay...
@@charmedprince You could also read it as Nigel not ready to move on as he was content to sit back and be rewarded for his loyalty of being a good worker - it shows he's not as willing to work as hard as Miranda.
I don’t think Miranda calling Andy by a different name is necessarily because she doesn’t care to learn it. I feel like it’s a combination between that and when you change someone’s name it gives you some sort of power over them
It’s like Nigel is the voice of Miranda. When Andy goes to Nigel, he is saying what Miranda would say, in a “perfect world”. That scene without Andy must’ve been to hammer in the fact that Nigel *gets* Miranda. They think alike!
I know this was posted two years ago, but I have to say that I'm so impressed with this video. Your analysis is incredible and the way you split your segments is amazing. Your utilization of the music is just astounding. I love the way you didn't just describe the stages that Andy goes through but showed us through moving images and text. Really I love this so much
This was so good. I thought it would be the scene “you were the biggest disappointment of all” but the way you’ve framed this has made me think about things in such a different way. I think the movie does a really good job of showing how much Miranda cares about things being done well (“Why is nobody reaaaady”) and you’ve made me see how this scene really exemplifies it. The fact it doesn’t include Andy and is in the middle of the movie are two details I never would have picked up on. Agree that the editing is great (loved the overlays of the screenplay) and I could have watched another hour of this.
Just a note that gaslighting IS ALWAYS a power play in which the sole purpose is to control and trap people in their control; you don't do it for any other reason. And if she's to be reduced to one fault, she's an excellent depiction of what a quintessential narcissist looks like albeit a sympathetic one.
For me, the little playful smile on Streep's face in the end as she sees Andy walking past her and then, voila...she snaps back to her reality...and the way she then says GO...no exclamation but it is also enough to send shivers down our spine! 😭❤️🤣🙈
This was also shown at the end of the movie when Miranda told Andy about the list she gave Irv of all the staff (designers, photographer, editor, writers, models, etc...) she taught and were willing to follow her if she left Runway. I always saw that line as it actually took Miranda some time and effort to be where she is.
So happy to watch a great compare and contrast of the book and movie, without it uttering those immortal words: "The boyfriend was the real devil all along".
@@JamesWoodall yeah their relationship was not what the story was about, so anyone who says it was ~the boyfriend all along~ literally is looking for a gotcha moment
@@szaswhore Well, that is true, but the point was more that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. It's a movie about knowing who you are, something we should always be working on.
“When you have a strong idea at the heart of a project, as well as a talented team of artists who share that idea, it will appear in the finer details as well as the broad strokes” Never heard it so well said!
The way this video is edited is very brilliant every little detail and how every beat goes with the lines ....incredible work . And the way this video is written ugh “groundbreaking “
I found this one of the few instances where a film delivered an improved version of the book. I can also see the high fashion industry as superfluous, but I appreciate the effort and artistry that is behind it and how the movie portrayed that.
Totally agree. Another movie that surpassed the book was “The Godfather.” That was after I got used to the fact that Sonny has reddish hair. That threw me for a while.
This scene is interesting because Nigel suggests Structural suits be shot in a Garden and then the other male character suggests a shoot with Florals in a very structural/industrial setting and gets shot down. Its essentially building the same kind of tension and contrast as Nigel's suggestion but it gets shot down.
Nigel specifically suggests shooting in the Noguchi garden, and Noguchi was famous for his structural, abstract sculptures defined by a contrast between lines and curves. This is the same tension in structural suits. The Noguchi garden is arguably a better suggestion because it heightens the tension and contrast in the garments themselves rather than creating artificial tension. That being said, in the last several year so many similar shoots have been done that "structural suits in a noguchi garden" is almost as laughably cliche as "florals for spring" imho
Ultimately, the book has an antagonist who is not respectable, but the movie has an antagonist that is. Having an antagonist who is respectable almost always elevate the protagonist as well.
Excellent insight. Thx.
Well said, simple. There would be No Runway Magazine without Miranda Priestly, No Apple without SJ, No Disney without Walt, No Star Base(Space X) without Elon Musk, these people make an impact, there not always wonderful, and there not going to be nice about it either, sayin. Great movie, I can’t ever, not ever get enough of the DWP! Thanks.
@@MiamiCoffee2023 wish I had realized this truth before deciding to attend catholic school and falling into work as a public servant
@@einsteindarwin8756 live must go on...
In my eyes the biggest antagonist in the movie is her partner, he's heartless, unappreciative, unsupportive. She's trying her best, succeeding even and he never ever compliments her for her achievements.
The ending had this one thing I'd have changed. She would've found someone else who's not a moron
It seems the film is better and more nuanced than the book - a rare occurrence, especially when it comes to Hollywood.
Yes !
a credit to aline brosh-mckenna and her skills and talent!
Because filmmakers were interested in buying the writer's perspective and experience as Anna Wintour's assistant rather than the book though it helps out in writing screenplay and dialogues.
Fashion is completely based on visual marketing, depicting it through words in a book can NEVER work out well in comparison to a film.
You are right, there aren't too many.
One outstanding adaptation is The Heiress (1949), based on the stage play which itself was based on the book "Washington Square" by the incredible Henry James. If you haven't seen it, it's a fantastic film. I think you'd be rivetted by the performances. In particular, Olivia de Havilland (who won her 2nd Best Actress Oscar for the film) and Ralph Richardson as her domineering father. It's great film to watch one quiet evening, with the lights turned low and no distractions - don't drag someone along that cannot handle B&W film or rolls their eyes at non-action/horror films starring a female protagonist. It's themes about love, romance, and rejection are timeless.
@@macc.1132
I do agree with you , it's an excellent film. I have always been an enormous fan of Olivia de Havilland. She is a great dramatic actress who is also wonderful in comedies. I loved her in "The Strawberry Blonde," for me a very underrated film.
I am a super fan of 1940's dramas, commedies, noirs, musicals........ You made me laugh with, "don't drag someone along that can't HANDLE B&W films." Of all my friends there's only one who will watch B&W films with me, and it makes me feel rather sad.
My favorite scene, hands down, is the very last - where Miranda smiles ruefully for a split second after seeing Andy wave to her, then snaps right back into character. Meryl Streep deserved an Oscar purely for the expression on her face as she utters: "Go."
She was nominated but didn't win. She lost to Helen Mirren.
Meryl is such a phenomenal actress
I loved when she got out of the car in Paris, right after she said “everybody wants to be us” there is a small moment people probably don’t notice but she pulls up, opens the door and does an obnoxious fake smile almost gloating in all the attention. Knowing that her photo would be taken and looking like she’s laughing almost. It was like you said she snapped into character as soon as the door opened and the cameras were there. Iconic film.
Absolutely ❤️🔥
Something that I think people really didn't catch on and talk on enough is how that was the Miranda Smile everyone around her works so hard to earn.
Remember in the designer's collection preview scene, Nigel explains that Miranda shows her approval in her own way: one nod, good; 2 nods, very good; shakes head, bad; purses lips, catastrophe.
Nigel also explained, "There's only one smile on record and that was Tom Ford in 2001," which further shows that it's *THAT* hard to impress Miranda, let alone get her to smile.
And then we see in the final scene, when she gets in the car after Andy waves to her, we saw the second smile...while not on record, it showed that Andy EARNED Miranda's respect and impressed her enough to get a smile.
For someone that never cared for the fashion industry at all. This film is a masterpiece.
Thank you. I was actually going to ask if it's objectively a good film as I'm not a fashionista at all. I've always been fairly curious!
Same here. I'm a dude. I sniff the pages.
But the movie gently shamed my ignorance and showed me an industry worthy of respect. Forever grateful for that. And Streep for being so deliciously perfect.
It's not really about "fashion" . Maybe just a bit. What it represents to me is the cruelty of a brilliantly talented but abusive matriarch. People vying for acceptance. Willing to be moved into a groveling subservience in order to attain the slightest acceptance. We can't pick up and walk out on our parents until we have arrived (like Andie) at our complete maturation. She stopped needing the acceptance from this woman. Realized that everything she was learning really cost too much. Andie becomes an adult woman....where as in the start of the movie she had been a girl.
@@TMIDiva
I think it's about fashion. I think it's also about narcissists. But I love the movie for teaching me that there's a fundamental justification for that industry.
@@badgerbadgerton966 Yes. But the mark of something really exceptional is that it has a layered meaning. Brilliance is the ability to hold several opposing understandings and give them equal credence. Fashion is the throne of narcissists. Self adornment as a constant motivation
The original line, "Everybody wants this, everybody wants to be us." was originally written as, "Everybody want this, everybody wants to be me" because Streep felt Miranda wasn't that vain. It was brilliant. The film would have been interpreted different had this line not changed.
@@cnstqnce2841 Exactly. I don't interpret the line as specifically referring to the upper echelons of the fashion industry at all.
Oh I love knowing that! You’re right, it would have been a totally different movie for me if she’d said me instead of us.
Amazing! Further portraying her loyalty to Runway!
Yeah. The inclusion of us also changes the perception Andy would have. It goes from "well maybe i don't want to be you so I'm not included" to "you are part of this"
@samozakochanie Exactly! Everyone wants to be *us* shows perfectly the main difference between book Andy and movie Andy. Movie Andy had already changed, movie Andy was well on her way to become Emily, then evolve into Miranda; thang minuscule change of a word depicts the whole change of character between the book and the movie.
Nigel as a character is much more tragic when you realize it's a stand in for Andre Leon Talley. Who was famously dumped from Vogue years later in the mid 2010s by Wintour :(
I was wondering about that after I read Andre's biography
Sometimes power makes people forget that we are all simply human. We all have struggles we all deal with life. Instead of being consume by other envy or pride we should focus on the things that really matter in life. That it’s ourselves and treating everyone around us with dignity and respect.
Really? I had no idea that happened. That’s very strange considering the influence he’s had since the 90’s. However, I’m unfortunately not surprised.
Rest in peace ❤❤
I didn’t even make that connection 🤯
“you already did...to Emily” - so sinister. Meryl made this movie
Yessss that part always gets to me.
The way Meryl says it. She’s not one of the best actresses in history for nothing.
This scene made me realize that Miranda could turn you into someone who would care for a profession you didnt want in the first place. Andy didnt kbow she did what she did because Miranda mafe it so subtle, Andy didnt realize that she did a diservice to a colleague.
No mm
Meryl is way over rated. Anne said she was a horrible person to her during the taping of the movie. Meryl thinks she is a goddess I don’t like her at all
We all have to agree that Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci really stole every scenes they were in
Absolutely sparkling performances.
@Kandice M
They were the real pros of fashion. It would be so lovely to get real fashion professionals to write a sequel, with much more real insight into the choices fashionistas make.
I love that Stanley married Emily's sister. I love Stanley and it must be fun having Emily Blunt and John Krazinski in your family as well.
Anne Hathaway can't match meryl's acting here but her aura and strong presence as Andy is one of the reasons why i love her character. It feels im sad whenever she's sad and etc.
Anne, Meryl, Stanley and Emily as a whole made-up for an excellent ensemble. They had really great chemistry and all of them act brilliantly.
I always interpreted this movie as being about a tough woman who has hidden vulnerability, and a vulnerable woman who has hidden toughness. It's a yin and yang story, and it's far more sophisticated in it's character development than people give it credit for. Well done review.
What a fabulous summary!
I totally agree and I think without even one of them it would have been a travesty ❤
wow that's a great description
Andy sending her boss into a hurricane 😂😂😂. She spent more time planning her father’s visit and Miranda knew that. Hurricanes just don’t pop up like a tornado 😅😂😂
The fact that people are still analyzing and talking about this movie 15 years later, and that people are actively and happily still watching these, shows how iconic this movie is. One of my favorites, even my dad loves the cerulean sweater scene, and will stop to watch the movie on any channel if he sees it’s on.
i learned about pantone colors in my job, it changed how i look at manufacturing....just this blue sweater....we would look through the pantone colors for colors on the smallest detail of our marketing products, not just blue, so i think of that when Andi says that 😄
same, everytime the movie is on my dad watches and he also loves the sweater scene and even quotes it. such an iconic movie, one of my faves as well
On You Tube there is NO film that SOMEONE isn't talking about. Felsha, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is super fun but it's not classic: trust.
The movie is so intelligent, the book is over rated. Meryl delivered Perfection and the Andy and Emily both deserve acting awards too.
Beautifully stated sir.
For me, the best part of this movie is this Andy's quote: "Okay, she’s tough, but if Miranda were a man…no one would notice anything about her, except how great she is at her job"
@@christopherbrown5409 Ahhh, if only we could transplant you into a woman's body and have you serve as a female executive for a week. I've watched male executives literally put their hand out in front of a female exec's face in a conference room full of people in order to essentially shut them up. I've sat in meetings with mostly male execs griping about how another female exec is "too aggressive" or "needs to dress better". Often the men critiquing the woman's appearance are the older, fat trolls. And I'm just giving you a tiny sliver of 25 years of experience of how women execs are treated in the workplace. You, sir, are full of a dumptruck of crap.
@@hutch1197 and there are laws to protect the female execs from things like that, and you and those female execs and employees almost certainly talked cash money shit about those male execs and coworkers afterwards, so what was your dump truck of crap point, exactly?
@@christopherbrown5409 We get it. You have a problem with women. We really really really get it.
@@hutch1197 what makes you assume that nonsensical lie?
@@christopherbrown5409 consider the fact that no matter how much Miranda belittled her employees, none of them spoke up about it. It’s a known fact that men in power have been sexist towards women in the workplace. If you were one of those women, would you jeopardize your career by reporting it? Running the risk of losing your main source of income, and not being able to pay your bills?
“I need the best possible team around me, that no longer includes Emily.” - she says in her monotone voice.
This in my opinion is the first time we see how cut throat Miranda can really be. I felt that betrayal in my bones as if a was Emily. Imagine putting your all, everyday into your dream job and you end up loosing your bosses respect and the event you’ve been planing for all year because you get mono? She’s ruthless
I don’t think it was just because she got mono. It was because THAT moment was when she needed Emily the most.
yeah it wasn't just because she got mono...she saw Andy excelling and realized that Emily wasn't that great at her job. Just because you put your all into your job and it's your dream doesn't mean you're the best candidate for the position. I don't think this move on Miranda's part was ruthless, it was practical. Remember when Emily couldn't remember the person's name and Andy did? Miranda realized at that point Emily had to go.
@@psor9983 she makes 2 mistakes and somehow she’s not right for the job? Wow I would love to see you at your job.
@@margaridabaldini Andy proved to be better at Emily's job. That's it. Emily was right for the job until someone better came along.
Yeah, but many of us have lived through situations like these in the real world. So why not put them on show? Makes you think about the choice of ‘humanizing’ Miranda in the movie though…
I’ve always loved Miranda and Nigel’s professional relationship in this movie. It especially helps that Meryl and Stanley have amazing chemistry as actors.
Quite agree! Also love them in Julie and Julia.
@@JamesWoodall They act their characters so well that I totally forgot their relationship in Julie & Julia and I love that movie so much 😂
They really do! Although the both seem like very charismatic people that probably charm everyone they meet no matter how famous
yeah also it shows what happens when youre too valuable to an employer. Ya will stay in your current position helping them than moving on in your career. I feel bad for Nigel as a teenager but as an adult who was a manager. I completely understand why Miranda did what she did.
@@JamesWoodall @15:55 - I don't believe this woman whatsoever. She is trying to paint a narcissist as someone who has some form of principles.
Some needed context: Anna Wintour has so much power that when the book was first published, some publications refused to review it out of fear of retribution. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Wintour before the book (she has apparently mellowed out a lot since the movie’s popularity boosted her profile in the wider public’s eye, whereas before she could afford to be more of a tyrant in relative privacy). One of the more famous story about Wintour in the past is that employees were NEVER to make eye contact with her, and once, when Wintour tripped and fell down in the hallway, people pretended not to see her (out of fear of making eye contact) rather than help her up. The original buzz around the book wasn’t that it was an entertaining read, but that it was a startlingly accurate portrayal of how Wintour ran her ship. However, Wintour’s power over the American fashion & celebrity industry meant that any movie adaptation HAD to paint her in a sympathetic light. In the end, that was the best choice for the story, but I believe the differences in Miranda’s character in the book vs the script is largely because there was pressure to make Miranda/Wintour look more sympathetic. Fun side fact, Miranda’s office in the movie was almost an exact replica of Wintour’s real office, and Wintour famously remodeled it afterwards.
that story is hilarious if true, and fitting karma for an arrogant soul.
As someone who wasn't interested in the fashion world at all at the time, I thought it was about Meryl Streep's reputation (because I've found Miranda Priestly to be an especially horrible human being). But now that I know of this industry... Yeah, that checks out.
wait so you thought it was based on meryl streep and that shes an especially horrible human being?
That’s why I love the book so much! The movie praises the tyrants of the fashion industry while the book exposes them for who they really are.
Also, that story of tripping and falling in the hallway reminds me of a story of a queen whom nobody was allowed to touch. One day, she fell in water and began to drown, but nobody could do anything about it because nobody was allowed to touch her, so they just sat and watched her drown. Pretty sick if you ask me.
@@mikipiepaoli6034 wha?
Miranda s hair is definitely almost a character in itself. absolutely flawless. yes, you always see her.
I believe it was based on a french female politician or a lawyer.
and is not the right hair for a fashion editor.
@@arasharfa why on earth not.
@@arasharfawrong. The hairstyle is perfectly chic. Casual yet formal, elegant and refined
I was an Andy for a Miranda (in the art world, not the fashion industry) and the tension between my anger towards how I was treated and my desire to impress someone so profoundly good at what she did really rocked my world. You don't get it until you're in it. You make so many excuses for the person because you have to justify why you're there to all the people telling you to quit. You're also so constantly belittled that you start to believe you're incompetent, which actually somehow makes you work harder. And on top of it all, the environment you're in and the people you meet make you feel like you have access to this glamorous other world which gives you some sick sense of worth and "cool". It messes with your head big time. After I quit, I went back there for an event and "Miranda" literally looked shorter than I remembered because I had re-gained a sense of self respect that I had lost when I worked for her.
I don't really know where I'm going with this except to reinforce that Miranda was a tremendously well written and performed character and that smart, capable antagonists are always the hardest ones to hate, no matter what they do to you.
I love your take.
Sometimes I feel like the so called auteurs are given so much leeway even when they are abusive. No one is denying they are good at their job, but mostly people will make up excuses for the them. Maybe I'm wrong but like in this essay in the same breathe he says she abuses her workers but also says she not really abusive but a perfectionist.
Yes Miranda has admirable traits and is a well written antagonist but pretending she is not abusive or it's just merely a clash of ideologies is putting her on a pedestal.
Something like this has always baffled me? You hear of some poor assistant suing some celebrity, that they worked for 2 years because as punishment they were punched in the face or thrown in an ice bath, or something equally horrific, and continued to work for the narcissistic creep that abused them. It’s kind of fascinating what people will tolerate from someone society puts on a pedestal, even if they are truly just a self absorbed useless waste of skin.
@@ladidaohoh3168 It's some combination of stockholm syndrome and massive job scarcity that essentially puts entry level workers in a position to accept basically anything that pays them a survival salary. It's not good or right but when you're 23 and have applied to countless jobs and gotten only one response even though you're capable and experienced, you just feel like you have to take it.
@@FrancescaPessarelli It’s so sad that that’s the case, that the set up of the world rewards the worst people society has to offer. Often people in abusive situations don’t realize how badly it affects them until they have gotten away, that’s why the suing is the one thing in these situations that make’s total sense to me.
@@ladidaohoh3168 actually it's funny you bring up suing because there's an assistant working at my previous 'Miranda' job now who sued a different 'Miranda' at another company for mistreatment. I feel like that gives this girl a level of protection like "don't fuck with me. you saw what i did to that other bitch" haha. anyway yea it's hard to imagine this dynamic is going to change any time soon but fingers crossed.
i love how a big theme in the movie is “details are fucking important” bc the differences between the film and the book really really reaffirms that. “small” changes to that script make such a huge difference.
You're so right. As always - not just for movies, but for everything in life - imho, success is in the details.
I want to like but it’s just at the perfect number
The devil’s in the details! 😉
I really love this thing that you said: *"Book Andy is tortured by the devil. Film Andy makes a deal with her."*
I always loved that scene because she just said "No." and everyone changed what they were doing. No excuses, no explanations, no fake positivity, no false praise to pet egos. It was against everything I had internalized as needed for women in the corporate world. It was amazing and eye-opening and the scene that cemented her power for me.
That scene is legendary
I loved when she turns back and says “and Emily….” (Pauses and looks her up and down and walks away). That was a good show of power too…
This scene is taught as what NOT to do as a team leader and they are right. In a creative enviroment you can't just NO an idea, many ideas can be taken or parts of it to make something new. Its not about fake positivity. Its about creative process. If you just kill the spring idea when it hasnt even been delivered, you might be loosing a section of it that could be genious.
@@Kardriel1 exactly - being a leader in a discussion isn't about flaunting your power, it's about facilitating and guiding the discussion to ensure you end up with a relevant conclusion. Miranda's complete shutting down of ideas - sure, it might be an effective power move, but that's not actually helpful.
@@charlotteb6450 well in certain industries, it might be a bad move but in many of them as a woman..you would definitely have to take this approach
In the book Andy sells all the designer clothes she was given from the magazine. In the movie Andy gives the designer clothes to Emily. I think that very much describes the book as ruthless and the movie as having a heart!
In the movie and he felt she had something to atone for.
@@neilkurzman4907 No, I don't see it that way: in the movie Andy felt it was better to make a friend rather than an enemy. Emily knew that she could not go to fashion week in the condition she was in. She also knew that Andy was only the messenger.
@@martijnspruit
She felt guilt for going to Fashion week Because she pushed out Emily who really wanted to go. And putting her in the hospital.
@@neilkurzman4907 As I said; I don't see it that way: Emily knew very well that it wasn't Andy who had taken the decision that she couldn't go to fashion week. And Andy wanted to do something good, therefor she gave the dresses to Emily.
@@martijnspruit
I’m sure she decided for several reasons. One she wasn’t that interested in the fashion. And she knew that Emily was. And she did it in a way where it was not seen as a gift or a hand me down. Because she knew that would hurt Emily‘s pride.
The glass wall of the conference room always struck me and I wound up noticing all the glass throughout the film. You can see it (the life, the work), but you're still outside it. Andy wasn't ready for entry into that room. Emily wasn't either, and, in fact, sullied it.
I worked at an advertising agency that had a conference room like that. We called it "the fishbowl" because everyone could see in and the room was oval. It was awful to have confidential meetings in there.
This! I wish this scene was talked about more
I think no one should ever question why Meryl is a constant Oscar nominee/winner. She’s not just a very talented actress. She “breathes” the movies she stars in, makes creative changes to the production, and doesn’t only focus on her role and her pay check. Respect!
If only she wouldn't go politics on her dang speeches
@@communicationbreakdown256 her political views make her that much more respectable. she's a kind human. butt out
@@communicationbreakdown256 Speeches are personal, politics are large part of peoples' lives and outlooks..
Her only problem is her character
Friends with abusers and pedophiles
@@emanon2731 are we talking about woody allen?
*”Book Andy gets tortured by the devil, film Andy makes a deal with the devil”* not to be dramatic but WOAAAHHHH
To be fair, it's just a different way to phrase what McKenna herself said about it: it's a Faustian story, not a revenge book
Pretentious people keep the publishing industry alive and the Amazon rain forrest endangered. The book had a chapter about Andy going on a backpacking tour to Europe and Asia. Who needs that? Plus she goes visit her sister and it is pages of Bore. Meryl Streep created something that the writer did not envision. The film would have been a complete tragedy if she just presented a parody of Anna Wintour. Now, Anna is emulating Miranda Priestly in her life. Coincidentally, when I was promoted head of a bussiness, my assistants were Andy and Emily. My reality became my favorite film. And my God, I was a f-king biatch.
That statement shook me lol, it’s true tho
The book is CRAAAAAZY! LOL.
Same. That was so perfect and so true
You know Meryl is good when you see Miranda Priestly as a totally different person. Like she exists.
The film is actually so much more nuanced than the book. The book was a thinly veiled shot at Anna Wintour and her time working at vogue but I think it makes Andy seem spoilt and the film shows Miranda’s bad points but also shows that Andy doesn’t have to be there if she doesn’t want to
YES.
No. Andy in the book is a normal employ with a crazy boss. Good for the writer to write this diss, I can relate 100%
@@izabella7174 did you... miss the point of the movie?
@@katarinatomac4376 I talk about the book, what are you on about
Miranda: "And Emily?!"
Andy:"Yes?"
Miranda:"... that's all."
God damn what a power move and I never even noticed it until now.
No, there’s a clip missing. Miranda looks at Andy’s shoes (letting her know she’s wearing the wrong ones), then looks back at her and says “that’s all.”
Yes the missing clip is what makes it iconic! The once over with the eyes
@@dimitrypittman143 i think the point is also that Andy is being called by the wrong name and yet has now learned to respond to it, not correct it. Thats part of the power move, not just the dig at her clothes.
Also Andy was already leaving before Miranda was done talking.
15:11
You forgot to mention how Emily Blunt's character "Emily" helped so much to develop both Miranda and Andy... it is because of her character nuances come out in the movie... She actually has some of best lines in the movie after Miranda..."That ..I do not know", " I am getting this when I want this", " Oh my god why did you not climb into her bed and tell her to tell you bed time stories", "Where ru to some hideous skirt convention" literally were rofl...love that character
The hideous skirt convention line cracks me up.
It feels like the book was nothing but a chance to make fun of Anna Wintour and Vogue. But the movie takes a chance to understand that world and what it has to offer.
I haven’t read the book but that’s the impression I get too. The movie is for everyone whereas the book seems to be a personal essay.
And then ruins it all in the end...
The fashion world is truly cruel and vain, and a person that has never been there before nor respects their values can hardly adapt to that lifestyle even after months, but what I don't like in the book is the attitude when you've engaged in a work you know what you have to expect from or what is expected from you, while what I like in the movie is that we see a character development, something essential to every story that is not a diary (because this video gave me an impression that's what the book is). So for viewers and readers it's always more interesting and gives them more pleasure to see a character overcoming obstacles rather than constantly whining about them.
That's why I will not read the books. I found this movie very encouraging and I don't like to ruin the picture
@@amstreater memoir. Who knew.
Fact check: "Ugly Betty" cannot have been "inspired" or a "copycat" of "The Devil Wears Prada". Ugly Betty one is based on the original Colombian tv series with the same name produced in 1999. The Devil wears Prada (the book, from which the movie is based on) was published in 2003.
Exactly, thank you. Ugly Betty is the US version of “Yo soy Betty, la fea” the original Colombian 🇨🇴 tv series that won the Record Guinness for the most successful tvnovela in the world.
Perhaps they meant Ugly Betty would not have been made in the US if The Devil Wears Prada hadn’t shown an audience for a show based in fashion.
@@SpeciesL The show had been in development for US TV for years.
Oh yes, I remember that.. Betty la fea- it was dubbed for us in the Philippines, if im not mistaken.
yeah exactly, i was really confused by this lol. Yo soy betty la fea it's great btw, if you haven't seen it i recommend it a lot.
i think what the scene does is legitimate Miranda’s power. We see that she has gotten where she is not through gimmics or weird ways, but because she is actually great at her job.
It makes her relatable. You get a leash by society when your position is earned, even if you're eccentric.
Instant rejecting all her staffs ideas shows she has surrounded herself by incompetence
Maranda calling Andi Emily the second time... Was definitely a power play too. Not only that she didn't bother to know her name... She called her knowing it wasn't her name. And seeing her still turn around and not correct her. And just to say nothing and dismiss her. Streep at her best
The real turn-around is Andy remembering the name at the party, and not Emily.
Yes, it is like joining religious sect- with new name getting new identity, ready to comply and obey.
And Meryl sells it really well, insisting on the name just enough so it pops out not not enough to make you realize she's underlining it.
Also, my insight on the naming...
"Emily" was not her name, it was her role. Her job. And as long as she didn't become worthy of being called personally, she would be called by her role, like in other jobs some are called "new one" or "boss"...
JAMES: You might have thought it was referring to *this* scene, the famed "blue sweater" scene...
ME, A SCHOLAR: Ha, rich. Like I'm some kind of DWP rookie. It's obviously referring to the scene where Miranda talks about the divorce.
JAMES: Maybe you're thinking it's that scene where Miranda reveals her impending divorce...
ME: ᵒʰ ⁿᵒ
😂😂😂
I’m so glad you posted exactly what I was thinking
I 100% clicked on this video thinking it would be about the blue sweater scene lol
You know a movie is excellent when people can’t agree on which one is the best.
My favorite scene is when Andy is talking and Emily says “I am hearing this, but I want to hear this” with the hand gestures. Love it and use it.
That was an Emily Blunt ad lib! IIRC she got it from her sister who said it to her children.
@@JamesWoodall I heard in an interview that Emily got the line from overhearing a mom in a store who said it to her child who was throwing a tantrum. Either way, great how she thought to use it in the movie.
I’d love to watch something that further explains how toxic Andy’s boyfriend is! He’s literally never supportive, always manages to put her down and prioritize their relationship or his job and career over hers!
I always thought it was sus that Nate was a chef who had a steady schedule and never had any hang ups about his job. Working at restaurants are not always smooth sailing.
@@reikun86 that's fair, but unfortunately, instead of communicating like an adult, he just pouted and whined the whole time. (He also insulted Andy from the get-go when he found out she was working for a fashion magazine at all. I felt he just gave off negativity from the start.)
Someone on another comment thread made an excellent point that had she missed something huge like a restaurant grand opening instead of his birthday, we could have felt proper sympathy. Instead, he stayed up late until she got home to be passive aggressive and make her feel worse (rather than talking about it).
It's really too bad the writers didn't make that scene more pivotal in tipping the scale toward Nate, because the rest of Andy's behavior after that would have been perceived a bit differently by more of the audience.
As it stands, I have a lot of sympathy for Andy who, when she began to realize that it "turns out there's more to Runway than just fancy purses" and is starting to actually care about her work, she's picked on by Nate ("looks like somebody's drinking the Kool-Aid"), and also disrespected by him and their closest friends when they take her phone. Whether or not she cared about her job, it was the only way she was going to be able to pursue her actual passion of journalism, and they were jeopardizing that or, at the very least, putting her in a very stressful situation only to snicker about it like teenagers.
It's a fabulous movie and I watch it all the time, but the non-work sequences always frustrate me. I think changing that one scene with the missed birthday -- *and* his snide comment at the end in answering her rhetorical question -- would have redeemed the storyline involving her personal relationships.
@@Jessica_Jones I agree that it should’ve been a big opening for a restaurant instead of a birthday because it would’ve tied to Nate’s work, something that would be really important to him.
The movie dealt with Andy missing his birthday a little clunky. First he waits for her then goes to bed, then later when she brings up missing his birthday, he goes, “What am I, five?”
I also agree that her friends should’ve been more respectful about her working and taking some pride in her job. Taking her phone away is interfering with her work, and that is not okay.
Last time I checked, being adaptable is a good skill to have for work.
@@reikun86 totally! And yeah good word, clunky, that he was all sad about his birthday and then pretended later like that wasn't the big deal lol
@@reikun86 If it were a big restaurant opening though, Nate would have been super busy himself in the lead up. He would have to be absent a lot too, to pursue his career and that obviously didn't fit their - misguided - narative.
The scene is also important because it makes us want to buy S. Pellegrino sparkling water
I was thinking the same. So many bottles, neatly arranged.
The want wasn't already there? Sorry I spelled NEED wrong.
Bruh lemon San Pellegrino can get it
love it! i thought the same thing. ummmm, did pellegrino put up some $$$ for this film.
I watched this movie so many times, but I've never noticed them lol
13:03 I find the movie "deal with the devil" far more engaging than "being tortured by the devil"
The former gives a character agency and the ability to drive the plot.
The latter boils down to "I hate my life, I have no agency" and that's fundamentally a boring concept
underrated AS HELL... dude i thought u were some big channel based on the great editing omg
So did I tbh!
I thought the same. haha
Same here
Right?? I love finding gems like these! Gonna feel important when he blows up!
I did too!
I had a boss like Miranda, and I appreciate how they expanded her and and showed her working. My boss of intimidating but she was damn brilliant at her job and built it into a multimillion dollar business over 30 years! It was a true representation of an experience I've lived.
A boss like that,would give anyone an anxiety 😟 disorder.
Too much stress for success.
I had a boss like that, told myself okay just 6 months, this is great for your experience and exposure... my 6 months became 1 month I was crying daily cause of how small and inadequate she made you feel. I became empty and anxious. I felt like I would always try proving myself to her and she would never see my worth. I decided to choose myself, regardless of how huge the opportunity was.
@@usisiphoqamata yeah there are ways to build companies without fucking with people emotional state. Not to mention how alot of these "bosses" that act like Miranda are really just middle management who can be replaced at the drop of a hat, they have absolutely no justification for acting like that
@@usisiphoqamata Bless you. And good for you.
I didn't respect book or movie Miranda at all, but that's only because I have no respect for the fashion industry whatsoever.
*basically the movie chose to make Miranda Priestly more of a 3-dimensional character. we got to see some of her personal life, saw the sacrifices she made for the magazine, and even had a standalone scene without the protagonist to show her strong, savvy work ethic. we, as the audience, came to see her in a more relatable light. we still see her as a crazy boss but with some understanding as to why she is the way she is*
Another thing that humanizes Miranda and makes the audience sympathize and respect her is the conference scene he discussed but also the scenes involving her daughters. You can clearly tell Miranda loves them and is soft in those moments. It’s a really nice touch on Meryl’s part to make her look undone to capture that moment of us realizing that Miranda is human too and is also working hard to love up to the standard she set for her self and her employees.
It’s true - this scene goes in-depth to Miranda at work. Her standards for knowledge, creativity are high. Her asks or comments are not caprise, just shows her work ethic. I had a boss like that and in the end I started to highly respect her for that.
Please make a video about the true villain in this movie: Andy's boyfriend
Yes, the boyfriend and the horrible friends ( except the one male friend who knew more about "Runway" than Andy did)
He was so annoying and made fun of her not someone you want in your life .
i agree. he should be happy for her change and success. when it was his career progressing, andy was very happy for him.
Totally agree - I wanted her to break up with him. He and her friends became so snarky and cutting. Instead of being flexible and supportive about the demands being put on her, they acted selfish and whiny.
YES! He was such an asshole! Plus, I also don't think it's a big deal for her to miss out his birthday party for a work-related assignment. It was not like she was partying afterhours doing coke with the models. Plus, when she was leaving the party and was given the option to come back and meet an important writing editor, she considered but refused it in order to be with her boyfriend (only to find him waiting for her to come back so he could make a dramatic passive-aggressive exit as soon as she enters the room). What a bitch! Get over it, have a private bday dinner the next day. Is that so hard?
Can y'all talk about how fantastically this video is edited? Going into B&W when discussing the book is so good.
Can there be more of these "Most Interesting Scene" videos?
I feel like this was so well done it should be a series.
I have done three so far.
ruclips.net/video/pEkcumq_LHY/видео.html&ab_channel=JamesWoodall
I LOVED this. As someone who knows the film backwards and forwards I really appreciated such a nuanced, detailed analysis of the development of Film Miranda as a character and the choices made to create her. Absolutely stand-out work.
Meryl has been beautiful all her life, but she is really stunning in this movie. The hair, the makeup, the clothing, such an unforgettable presentation. Also, great video essay!
She remembers me of Cruella Deville.
@@ralphisxamida8533 I think of Disney Maleficent
This is definitely her best character and performance ever. They should really make a sequel, even if Meryl is only there for 15 minutes. Emily Blunt can be the new editor and Andy can make a cameo.
I think also holding Nigel back for her own/ the magazines gain is telling of the kind of manager she is. Building up but holding back or hoarding is a very real thing in leadership roles. You could view the “promise” Miranda made to Nigel as absolute- but it could be an empty one made to build him up and keep him involved at the magazine
Okay, this was very well done, and I enjoyed every minute. Thank you for this!
Hi i love your videos
I agree.
What a world, where the guy who makes this masterpiece can only have 8.5k subscribers, and yet someone like you can have half a million.
Seems legit.
So glad I didn't read the book. Too much swearing.
@@gnarlynicholasreviews mad for what
Really glad I was recommended this!
WOAH. A verified person
I wish my wife was still alive to see this. She was a big fan of the movie, and I think she would have really enjoyed seeing this.
man.. i'm sorry for that, be strong, always!
Technically, "Ugly Betty" is not a copy-cat. Is the American adaptation of the Colombian soap-opera "Betty, la fea" from the late 90's early 00's.
Thank you
I was about to share this, but I knew someone else must have already said so. It’s my favorite novela.
I WAS SCROLLING FOR THIS COMMENT. THANK YOU
I watched the telenovela. The plot and the development is so different with the American version. The original glorifies the torture of Betty as the assistant, but the new version sees the fashion industry as a giant machine that makes Betty's life feels so little. The ending confirms that.
Every Latin American died a little when they realized there's people who don't know Betty la Fea exists lol
I mean Meryl Streep made Miranda Priestly so iconic, (honestly, that icy barely audible whisper!) much more than the cardboard "devil" in the original book, even now ,15 years later, every Icy, bossy villain in movies is compared to Miranda Priestly !!
Meryl said it in an interview that her Miranda 's voice was inspired by Clint Eastwood
I love the scene @ the end of the film where Andy and Miranda see each other once more before the film ends,
Andy smiling and waving @ Miranda with respect,
& Miranda giving Andy a cold glare before she enters her vehicle..
but the smile she gives us right before she tells the driver to, go… Like she couldn’t show her feelings but she knows she likes & respects Andy, that’s my favorite part 🖤
This scene was important because it gives us more depth into Miranda’s leadership. No one but Nigel meets her expectations probably because the other suggestions for the spring spread lacked any attempt at originality or “passion” as we know Nigel has. Also Meryl Streep is an A list actress of legendary status. She has to have “her own scene.”
Also shows Miranda’s knowledge of fashion trends during her tenure at Runway. I’m pretty sure she knew every trick in the book, because she was there for it all, and she’s always on the hunt for innovation.
I agree that Zac Posen suits in the Noguchi gardens was a nice change of pace for spring fashion.
@@reikun86 I mean, I know nothing about fashion and even I know that florals are going to be popular in spring. That lady should have known better.
@@animeotaku307 That lady liked to play it safe.
Meryls portrayal is beyond mesmerising. Her charisma lights up every scene and I love her nastiness.
The first time I saw this was when i was much younger and the only other media i remembered seeing Meryl in was Mama Mia so going from Donna to Miranda was such a huge change that i didnt even realize they were portrayed by the same person and once i did (years later) my respect for Meryl Streep skyrocketed.
I do think changing from first person like in the book to third person by showing scenes without Andy is genius because it gives the audience the freedom to criticize Andy as well and recognize her as a flawed character.
I agree. It bothered me so much that Andy showed up to her interview without even brushing her hair. Also for someone who wants to get into journalism, she didn’t do a lick of research into Runway or Miranda Priestly.
@@reikun86 To be fair, there was a deleted scene showing that she had an interview with the HR person for the corporation Runway was owned by, who told her that there were currently two open positions available to her: one at Auto Universe and one at Runway. Since this took place in 2006-2007, smart phones would have either been unavailable or uncommon (especially for someone like Andy, who had just graduated college and was relying on her father to help pay for rent), so she'd have no way to even do a quick Google search on Runway and Miranda while heading up to their office.
That being said, having the scene cut just makes Andy look bad and I don't really get why they did that.
@@animeotaku307 Agreed. I think they cut that scene for time constraints, but the final cut made Andi look worse in her interview
I've read the book twice and watched the movie about a thousand times, and I NEVER thought about that scene in particular, or even how Miranda is always working when depicted in scene. This is a brilliant essay and, in my opinion, demonstrates how thoughtful was the process of the cast and crew to turn an interesting book into a movie that will be appreciated through countless generations. Looking forward to many more reviews!
This is so unrelated but you look so much like Omar Sharif (a very famous Egyptian actor) when he was young
I think the ending really sells the fact that it was just a brutal but necessary move for Miranda to betray Nigel. Miranda doesn’t punish Andy for making her choice, showing she respects and possibly even considers it the correct one for her, though she couldn’t go that route herself. Respectful girlboss going back to slaying her employees
"Andy must replace Emily in Paris" lol I see what you did there
O'mklk
😉
This 26 minutes of my life felt more like an hour with the amount of information and learning I processed. Magnificient, and I appreciate the articulation and depth you provided to something, especially when comparing it to the book. Thank you.
Ok, this was brilliant. This was well researched, informative and coherent. I am seriously considering directing my A-Level English Literature students to this video, as you have demonstrated all of the things that they need to do in their coursework. 👏👏👏
I would be honoured if you do!
Amen!!! 😊🤓🤩 Giving credit where credit is due is sooooo freaking cool and sexy! Congrats @James Woodall
@@JamesWoodall I just discovered this video and as a *highly* discerning movie lover, WOW, what an essay!
Where have you been my entire life?
Subscribed!!!
Love & Light from Miami Shores🦚✌🏼
Stay safe mate🌎🙏🏼
This is *NOT* English literature.
Jesus Christ, no wonder students graduate stupid.
Lazy teachers using Hollywood movies as a crutch while collecting Union Salaries! 😒
I agree - the video was just top notch - the right mix of effects that emphasize the points he is making. I've checked his other videos - there aren't too many but they are good - not as good as this one. His video style seemed to perfectly match the film. So many video reviews are annoying and shoddy.
Anne Hathaway has the classic beauty of Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Catherine Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Her roles show us she knows her craft.
The iconic ''That's all." was the PERFECT ending for this video. Loved how an in-depth example was given on how one small scene can have a large impact on the overall story.
the casting for devil wear's prada is just **chef's kiss** beautiful
I would say the biggest difference between the book and movie Miranda is about perspective. Andy hated Miranda and in turn, she viewed everything Miranda did as aloof and incompetent and a marvel she somehow was trusted as a leader. The movie did not show a perspective of Miranda, but simply what Miranda did. They were mostly the exact same actions as the book, but we were able to see her behavior objectively and not just through the eyes of someone who doesn't like her. So we can see that, yes she was abusive, but she wasn't actually incompetent. The impossible tasks she gave, while they seemed to be silly from book Andy's perspective, seeing her give out the same tasks, it becomes clear to the objective observer that she knew exactly what she was doing.
Engaging to bump you up in the algorithm. This needs to be seen by more people.
Meryl Streep is truly an artist.
And i was really immersed in Emily Blunt's character. She really embraced the role.
OMG !!!!!! I am crying was covered in goosebumps watching this video. For years I have been defending this scene as the tipping point to understand Miranda and the fact that she IS a legend in her field. But the way it was presented, dissected, the clever and truly intellectually savvy way it was done by contrasting the book and movie versions of the main characters was completely breathtaking!
Thank you thank you so much for sharing this insightful, congratulatory and yes perfect study for this truly iconic scene in an equally iconic film 🙌🏾👌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🫶🏾🇨🇦
I don’t think it’s the most interesting scene in the film at all, but once it’s explained I can certainly see what it does to it at least in your interpretation and analysis. I think in the end it just adds to the very brilliant idea of having Miranda ALWAYS at work during the film because it proves a point and makes the character admirable.
It’s very much worth noting (and I would have LOVED to hear you mention it in the video) that every single time Anna Wintour has been annoyingly asked about the film and her being “the inspiration for the character” the only thing she ever says about it is “I appreciate that the movie shows just how much work goes into the magazine” which I think is a tremendous compliment for the writers, for Meryl and for Miranda. Whether they actually realised that they were showing the world how much work happens in the fashion world, which is generally just seen as frivolous and dumb, I can’t say for sure, but they did and that makes their movie that much better (apart from it just being absolutely delicious to watch over and over again). It’s a brilliant, unsurpassable movie.
Oh I don't doubt that a lot of work happens in the fashion world. But the question is, why. For what.
@@nurainiarsad7395 Miranda did answer that in the belt scene.
@@nurainiarsad7395 fashion is the most accessible and straightforward medium of self-expression. One of the biggest themes in the film is not just how much work goes into the fashion world, but that this form of art is a passion for the people in it. also, Nigel answers that about halfway through the movie
@@nurainiarsad7395 So you can have something nice to wear... you don't think that's enough?
You're ignorant so you think fashion means evening gowns, you think fashion and clothes just pop out of nowhere, you think clothes just magically makes themselves and appear in stores. You have no real idea about everything that happens before a garment is even made, just so you can then go to a supermarket and buy something you can wear and that it fits properly and that can be washed and worn many times so you don't have to mend them or buy new ones all the time; clothes so you can maybe look good, feel comfortable and feel good about yourself during the same
You take clothes for granted because you just have them and put them on and off, and because you take them for granted you don't see how much they matter.
I loved the moment in the film where we are following Andy's disdain with the magazine and suddenly Nigel's POV completely turns the narrative around - Miranda does it earlier but because she is such a strict character you may not appreciate it as much, but Nigel makes you think about Andy's behavior, how snobby she herself is being for thinking this job is beneath her. The scene where Andy and Nigel talk really turns things around and you see the passion and hard work that goes into it. I genuinely felt I appreciated the fashion industry more after seeing the film, I still barely understand it but am less dismissive
I took the whole conference room scene as Miranda's growing dissatisfaction for Emily in general and nothing more. You don't give enough credit to Emily's part in this movie. She is the one who actually gels Miranda and Andy's dynamic as she acts as the conduit for Miranda's unfriendly attitude. Her part could have been written as slightly more sympathetic to to fellow employees, but instead, it was written to be a different kind of apathetic person like Miranda right up until her very last scene when she still refused to let Andy know that she will be missed, and only displays that emotion by telling Andy's replacement that she has very big shoes to fill.
Hey, I really agree with you! She's a great addition to the storyline and does serves really well as a conduit for Miranda and Andy's relationship to develop.
After rewatching the movie recently, Emily really strikes me as a mini-Miranda. She simutaneoulsy fear Miranda while trying to be more like her but fundamentally unable to do that. She's just not as unreasonable and cold-blooded as Miranda, i.e. having a coworker that she hangs out with, having a life outside of work (I speculate here, she said she had plans but did not specify what), and thanking Andy when Andy helped her at her worst moment.
Moreover, she helps serve as an interesting contrast to both Miranda and Andy. She's someone who could work in the magazine's stressful environment, accepts certain things to be necessary evil, and does it all without losing herself just like Miranda, while not being as controlling and demanding as her boss. Emily is good at her job, is a perfectionist and already loves the fashion world, unlike Andy who was incompetent, a little less polished, and couldn't care less about fashion (at least in the first half of the movie). Emily is a bit petty (she laughs and shows satisfaction when Andy makes mistakes and gets reprimanded) but she's not a toxic upper-level like Miranda (she lets Andy leave for Nate's birthday when Andy was done with her tasks), which Andy recognizes and continuously tries make acquantance.
All analysis aside, I really like Emily as a character and couldn't see the movie being what it is without her.
Okay but can we talk about the editing on this essay? It's gorgeous! The transitions fit so well.
There's the old cliché that says that the movie is not as good as the book. I like how you critiqued that axiom. 5:38 "The Devil Wears Prada is a fascinating example of how to do adaptation well." Great video essay.
Oh yes! I think this is one of the movies that disproves the saying. Personally, I find the movie much more enjoyable!
I love the way it established Miranda as a woman who knew precisely what she wanted. She just kept saying, "No." It was great.
25:45 GOLD!
Miranda never promised the "dream job" to Nigel. Nigel makes that clear to Andy when he tells her about it.
13:00
"Book Andy is tortured by the devil....
Film Andy makes a deal with her"
Me: oooOOOOOH
That hit alright. Very insightful.
I'm gonna add my comment to the bulk. Opened this to see the scene, stayed to watch entire video. Masterful analysis
I love this so much. I haven't read the book tbh but hearing from the snippets here and the differences outlined, I think this is one of those very rare cases when the movie is superior. I really like such a nuanced approach to a character. Awesome to hear that the bit where Miranda is always working is not a directorial instruction but a choice Meryl made.
Dude I agree! I think the movie was better. Had more depth.
I always considered reading the book but now, after hearing some of the snippets, I don't think I will like it. The movie is a standalone masterpiece.
I've read the book recently and it is absolutely is. The writing was painful--I only got through it via audiobook.
@@TomorrowWeLive Based on the excerpts in this video, it really doesn't seem very well-written. Reminds me a little of whiny-teenage-angst young adult novels
Ugly Betty wasn't influenced by the Devil Wears Prada. It's an Americanized verison of a ColombianTelenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea from 1999.
but it getting made in the US is undoubtedly connected to the success of Devil Wears Prada
@@gdg4686p At the time the production was already happening.
@@carlalsantos yep yep they were released in the same year. And a turn around turn that fast is nearly impossible
exactly! thanks for bringing this up.
@@gdg4686p No. also, the video implies Devil Wears Prada inspired the dynamics presented in Ugly Betty, but those come directly from the original telenovela, which came first than the DWP novel.
I absolutely love this essay! I've always thought this scene was just about giving more context to Miranda and Nigel’s relationship so that her betrayal had more weight but you've shown that there are so many more layers. I can't imagine how long it took you to put this all together but I really appreciate it!
Just a detail, Ugly Betty was not a copy cat from this movie. The series is a much older (very popular) latin soap opera.
Colombian Betty la Fea from screenwriter Fernando Gaitan
Thank God I was about to write this
The original is from 1999 and the most popular version from 2006, same year the movie came out.
@@rowanmiles6280 The 2006 version is definitely not the most popular
@s b wasn’t it called “Soy Betty, la Fea” and it was a Mexican telenovella?
Miranda can betray Nigel because she can still assure of his employment. Miranda can give Nigel the option to stay or go. It's not so much as a betrayal as it is more of something Miranda could tell Nigel or any of the staffers: "You can choose to work here as an important part of Runway, or you can strike out on your own and prove your value to the world outside this magazine (something which Andy did), if you think you are so important enough!"
"Miranda can betray Nigel because she can still assure of his employment"! Exactly. It's basically the same for Nigel, as what he had told Andy. When i first saw the scene between them and heard Nigels words, i felt bad for Andy but at the end, it really comes down to their own decisions and he is in no better position than her. It also proofs, that friendships should be hold on the low in the working space. From a friends view, Mirandas decision, seems like a big disappointment. But from a business perspective, her moves are just what she felt, was best for the company. It would have come with consequences anyways. In the film it never was discussed how close miranda and nigel actually bond. Even the conference scene, was just the surface and gave the impression of good teamwork. The brutal honesty is, she is not required to uplift Nigels working career, she is required to employ him.
@@soleil7259 That's true. In the first place, Nigel didn't value Miranda enough to collude with the rest of the others who wanted to kill Miranda's career. So in a way, Nigel was so ready to move on from Miranda's leadership if he was given a chance to do so, a betrayal also on his part. Andy, being Miranda's true equal, at least tried to warn her of the whole thing. But Miranda was always one step ahead of everyone and made herself stay put on top. Because in her own words, no one can do what she does! Except Andy of course if she had chosen to stay...
@@charmedprince You could also read it as Nigel not ready to move on as he was content to sit back and be rewarded for his loyalty of being a good worker - it shows he's not as willing to work as hard as Miranda.
@@catwithwifi10 yes, he is just kissing Miranda's as$
I don’t think Miranda calling Andy by a different name is necessarily because she doesn’t care to learn it. I feel like it’s a combination between that and when you change someone’s name it gives you some sort of power over them
It’s like Nigel is the voice of Miranda. When Andy goes to Nigel, he is saying what Miranda would say, in a “perfect world”. That scene without Andy must’ve been to hammer in the fact that Nigel *gets* Miranda. They think alike!
“Did Demarchelier confirm?”
The secret pass-phase to many Clubs
I know this was posted two years ago, but I have to say that I'm so impressed with this video. Your analysis is incredible and the way you split your segments is amazing. Your utilization of the music is just astounding. I love the way you didn't just describe the stages that Andy goes through but showed us through moving images and text. Really I love this so much
This was so good. I thought it would be the scene “you were the biggest disappointment of all” but the way you’ve framed this has made me think about things in such a different way. I think the movie does a really good job of showing how much Miranda cares about things being done well (“Why is nobody reaaaady”) and you’ve made me see how this scene really exemplifies it. The fact it doesn’t include Andy and is in the middle of the movie are two details I never would have picked up on. Agree that the editing is great (loved the overlays of the screenplay) and I could have watched another hour of this.
Just a note that gaslighting IS ALWAYS a power play in which the sole purpose is to control and trap people in their control; you don't do it for any other reason. And if she's to be reduced to one fault, she's an excellent depiction of what a quintessential narcissist looks like albeit a sympathetic one.
For me, the little playful smile on Streep's face in the end as she sees Andy walking past her and then, voila...she snaps back to her reality...and the way she then says GO...no exclamation but it is also enough to send shivers down our spine! 😭❤️🤣🙈
This was also shown at the end of the movie when Miranda told Andy about the list she gave Irv of all the staff (designers, photographer, editor, writers, models, etc...) she taught and were willing to follow her if she left Runway. I always saw that line as it actually took Miranda some time and effort to be where she is.
So happy to watch a great compare and contrast of the book and movie, without it uttering those immortal words:
"The boyfriend was the real devil all along".
Honestly, the boyfriend is small potatoes compared to Lily in the book.
@@JamesWoodall makes me wanna read the book
@@JamesWoodall I mean really I dunno why Emily wanted to go back so bad to her "old life" when most everyone in her personal life sucked lol jk
@@JamesWoodall yeah their relationship was not what the story was about, so anyone who says it was ~the boyfriend all along~ literally is looking for a gotcha moment
13 minutes in, you realize you’ve forgotten the videos subject, but you’re totally immersed in the discussion
I'm a 60 yo straight white guy and from the first time I saw this film, it went into my top five. It is a great movie.
you are one tasteful 60 year old white man!
@@szaswhore Well, that is true, but the point was more that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. It's a movie about knowing who you are, something we should always be working on.
60 yo straight black guys have more chance of liking it? haha
@@Lucas-ix5td good point 😔
“When you have a strong idea at the heart of a project, as well as a talented team of artists who share that idea, it will appear in the finer details as well as the broad strokes” Never heard it so well said!
The way this video is edited is very brilliant every little detail and how every beat goes with the lines ....incredible work .
And the way this video is written ugh “groundbreaking “
I found this one of the few instances where a film delivered an improved version of the book. I can also see the high fashion industry as superfluous, but I appreciate the effort and artistry that is behind it and how the movie portrayed that.
Totally agree. Another movie that surpassed the book was “The Godfather.” That was after I got used to the fact that Sonny has reddish hair. That threw me for a while.
Practical magic did this too it took me years of watching to read the book and then not only feeling like it was different but the movie was better
Meryl didn’t want to play Anna Wintour as a cartoon, so went the more subtle route.
I Iove it when Miranda asks, " Where is that piece of paper I had in my hand yesterday?
This is fascinating and something I had never thought about.
Welcome to my brain.
This scene is interesting because Nigel suggests Structural suits be shot in a Garden and then the other male character suggests a shoot with Florals in a very structural/industrial setting and gets shot down. Its essentially building the same kind of tension and contrast as Nigel's suggestion but it gets shot down.
Nigel specifically suggests shooting in the Noguchi garden, and Noguchi was famous for his structural, abstract sculptures defined by a contrast between lines and curves. This is the same tension in structural suits. The Noguchi garden is arguably a better suggestion because it heightens the tension and contrast in the garments themselves rather than creating artificial tension. That being said, in the last several year so many similar shoots have been done that "structural suits in a noguchi garden" is almost as laughably cliche as "florals for spring" imho
It’s as different as the belts… (which is to say very different, but seems the same to people not in the specific in the field)