In Quentin Tarantino’s critically acclaimed drama Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Oscar-nominee Margot Robbie plays an idealized version of real-life 1960s ingenue Sharon Tate. She is married to Roman Polanski, whose film Rosemary’s Baby has made him the hottest director in town; they’re on every party list, living the high life.
Set in 1969, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood recreates the time and place of Tarantino’s formative years, when everything – the United States, the city of Los Angeles, the Hollywood star system, even the movies themselves – was at an inflection point, and no one knew where the pieces would land. All this is not entirely dissimilar from the changes buffeting Hollywood today.
At the center is Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Rick had been the star of “Bounty Law,” a hit television series in the 50s and early 60s, but his prophesied transition to motion picture stardom never materialized. Now, as Hollywood moves towards a hippie aesthetic, Rick worries that his time has passed – and wonders if there’s still a chance for him.
