Eames: The Architect and the Painter

Charles Eames (1907–78) and his second wife, Ray (1912–88), were among the most innovative and influential American designers of the mid-20th century. Narrated by James Franco, this documentary by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey serves up a chronicle of their lives and achievements, alternating archival material with comments from family, colleagues, and still-adoring members of their studio staff. Eames briefly covers the early years of both—Charles the architect and Ray the painter—but the emphasis here is on the groundbreaking work they accomplished in the circus-like atmosphere of their company headquarters in Venice, CA. The revolutionary design of the so-called Eames chair, made of malleable material and contoured to fit the human body, and the house they built—rightfully considered a milestone of modern architecture—receive due attention, but so do the advertising films they devised for major American companies like IBM, the extravagant museum exhibition on the colonial period they spearheaded for the U.S. Bicentennial, and the impressionistic film about America they created for public showing in the Soviet Union. And the filmmakers take time to reflect on the Eames' personal relationship (noting that Ray consciously deferred to the more charismatic Charles) and on the charge that the pair failed to adequately acknowledge the contributions of their staff. DVD extras include bonus scenes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)