Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is the last film directed by Quentin Tarantino. But why did the filmmaker change the historical events at the end of his feature film?
[Mis à jour le 4 septembre 2022 à 20h50] Once upon a time… in Hollywood is a real time machine. By following the fictional characters of Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Quentin Tarantino takes viewers on a journey through Hollywood in the late 1960s. Sharon Tate, Roman Polanski, Bruce Lee or even Charles Manson and the members of his sect. The duo of protagonists is itself inspired by actors Steve McQueen/Burt Reynolds and their stuntmen Bud Edkins/Hal Needham.
However, while Once upon a time … in Hollywood seeks to reconstruct a bygone era, Quentin Tarantino has taken liberties with History, especially at the end of the film. Warning, spoilers. Thus, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) does not die under the blows of the sect of Charles Manson, whose members also receive an incandescent correction from Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth. Quentin Tarantino completely reinvents the sad events of August 9, 1969. As a reminder, Sharon Tate (8 months pregnant), Steve Parent, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski and Abigail Golger are killed by three members of Charles Manson’s “family”, for revenge on music producer Terry Melcher, former owner of Tate’s house.
But why did Quentin Tarantino change historical events? It is up to the viewer to form their own opinion. After strolling nostalgically through the Los Angeles of the late sixties, Quentin Tarantino here allows himself a step aside, a divergence from history, to offer Sharon Tate the deserved happy ending. This is not the first time that the filmmaker has played with historical reality, as evidenced by the enjoyable revenge of Shosanna in Inglorious Basterds. In Once upon a time… in Hollywood, this distortion of reality is accompanied by a mad melancholy for a bygone era. For many critics, this is one of the reasons that Once upon a time… is one of Tarantino’s best films.
film profile
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood has definitely conquered the critics, the public, but also the professionals. Nominated several times in the award ceremonies in 2020, the film is systematically rewarded for the interpretation of brad pitt as Cliff Booth, stuntman and friend of Rick Dalton. By portraying the Hollywood of the 1960s with love and nostalgia (we can come across Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen or even Sharon Tate at the turn of the feature film), Quentin Tarantino has definitively signed a film apart which is one of the of the filmmaker’s most successful. Below, find everything you need to know about Quentin Tarantino’s latest film.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood stands out thanks to its five-star cast. Leonardo DiCaprio plays drifting actor Rick Dalton, while stuntman Cliff Booth is played by Brad Pitt. Both received several nominations for their interpretation of these two characters. To play Sharon Tate, Quentin Tarantino chose actress Margot Robbie, seen in Suicide Squad and I, Tonya. Actor Emile Hirsch plays Jay Sebring, Sharon Tate’s friend, while actress Margaret Qualley plays the enigmatic Cat. Julia Butters shines in the role of Trudie, the young actress who gives a lesson in life to Rick Dalton. Al Pacino also makes a guest appearance as Agent Marvin Shwarz. Actor Luke Perry also stars in the film as Wayner Maunder, some time before his tragic death. The terrifying Charles Manson is played by Damon Herriman, while Rafal Zawierucha slips into the skin of Roman Polanski.
Synopsis of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood – In 1969, during the last years of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Rick Dalton, a faded television actor and his understudy Cliff Booth, tried to become famous in the Los Angeles film industry.
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood has accumulated nominations and awards in various ceremonies, since its presentation at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019, whether those rewarding the performance of Brad Pitt in a supporting role, or quotes saluting the film script or direction. Find below all the nominations, and all the awards collected by Quentin Tarantino’s latest film.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood nominations
- Cannes Film Festival 2019: official selection
- Locarno International Film Festival: official selection out of competition
- Golden Globes 2020: Best Director, Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for Leonardo DiCaprio.
- Critics’ Choice Movie Awrads 2020: Best Director, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Newcomer for Julia Butters, Best Cast, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costumes, Best Makeup
- BAFTA 2020: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprioBest Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt, Best Supporting Actress for Margot Robbie, Best Editing, Best Cast, Best Sets, Best Costumes
- Oscars 2020: Best Supporting Actor, Best Set Design, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Sound Mixing.
- Césars 2020: Best foreign language film
Awards and honors for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
- Cannes Film Festival 2019: Palme Dog for Brandy
- Golden Globes 2020: Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt, Best Screenplay
- Critic’s Choice Movie Awards 2020: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt, Best Art Direction
- SAG Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt
- Oscars 2020: Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt, Best Production Design
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood was a box office success. Without counting the United States, the film has accumulated 247,178,851 dollars in box office receipts, with 26 weeks of exploitation. In total, Quentin Tarantino’s feature film collected $389,021,383 in revenue at the global box office, with 2,633,185 entries made in France alone. In the United States and France, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood had the best box office start of any Quentin Tarantino film.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is available on VOD on several platforms. Find below where to rent or buy the film, as well as the prices according to the platforms:
- VOD channel: Rental in standard definition from €4.99, in high definition from €5.99; purchase in standard definition from €13.99, in high definition from €16.99.
- Orange: Rental in standard definition from €4.99, in high definition from €5.99; purchase in standard definition from €14.99, in high definition from €16.99.
- Filmo TV: Rental in high definition from €4.99; purchase in high definition from €13.99.
- MyTF1 VOD: Rental in standard definition from €4.99, in high definition from €5.99; purchase in standard definition from €15.99, in high definition from €17.99
- Universciné: Only in VO. Rental in standard definition and high definition from €4.99; purchase in standard definition from €11.99, in high definition from €13.99
In France, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood has been available for purchase on DVD since December 14, 2019. Prices range from €19.99 (DVD) to €24.99 (Blu-ray).