This documentary follows Ruth Finley to shows and tributes as she reluctantly brings her decades-long career to a close.
Fashion is a cosmos unto itself, as so many books, articles and films insist on reminding us. And so it has its own angels and demons — as you know, the Devil wears Prada. In this firmament, Ruth Finley, who died in 2018 at the age of 98, was unquestionably one of the angels.
Finley is introduced to us as a nice lady in her 90s who sits patiently with folded hands as she’s made up before heading onstage to receive another award for her work. Her dress is understatedly elegant; she speaks of her old friend Bill Blass as one of her favorite designers.
Finley, in this opening scene and subsequent ones, is celebrated for creating a publication which you may have never heard of, but which has been vital for keeping the fashion industry on schedule: “Fashion Calendar.” It is perfectly described by its title.
A subscription publication that took no ads, the calendar was simplicity itself: a grid describing who was showing what, and, most important, when they were showing it. It never ran illustrations or outgrew its use of typewriter font. And Finley was slow to take it into the online world, where it resides today.
“Calendar Girl,” directed by Christian D. Bruun, follows Finley to shows and tributes as she reluctantly brings her decades-long career to a close.
Finley’s story is also the story of how New York became a fashion powerhouse: Her own discernment, and her kindness to up-and-coming designers, is recounted in sometimes nostalgic detail.
This affectionate portrait is also well grounded. Finley is remembered as a hard worker among other hard workers. Despite the extremes often associated with the fashion industry, in Finley’s narrative, there’s very little haughty self-regard or hyperbole on display.
Calendar Girl
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 31 minutes. Rent or buy on Apple TV, Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
