FLIX/The September Issue Show Devil's Strengths

Courtesy of Roadside Attractions If The Devil Wears Prada is an accurate reflection, then consider Anna Wintour C. Montgomery Burns, Lumbergh, and Lou Grant all rolled into one, except with a bob hair cut and oversized sunglasses that would make a cataracts patient envious.

When one thinks of great documentaries, certain projects come to mind.  
 
Hoop Dreams (about two Chicago basketball prodigies), The War Room (about Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign), anything by Ken Burns (The Civil War, Baseball), Super Size Me (about America’s increasing waistline and devotion to the Big Mac) and of course, Spinal Tap (about cups and cakes and making sure that nothing breaks) all made an impact in the world of factual films.

R.J. Cutler, a producer of The War Room, tries to join the ranks of great documentarians with his film, The September Issue.  The movie, rated PG-13 and opening on September 11, tells the story of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and the making of the September 2007 issue of the fashion magazine.

When I think of the word vogue the first thing that comes to mind is a once popular dance Madonna tried to convince millions of people to learn in the early 90s, followed closely by a once popular female music group from Oakland, California telling me I was never gonna get it.  Evidently having vogue attached to your name means that whatever it is will be popular, but only for a short time and most likely in the early 1990s.  

The outlier to that is Vogue magazine, which has been in circulation since the early 90s as well. The 1890s.  Its September issue is known as the fashion bible to those that follow fashion.  It is called this for its impact on the fashion industry as well as its size (roughly five pounds).  The issue could moonlight as a barbell, baby seat, or if one has enough of them, a strong foundation for a new house.

The September Issue used good judgment in releasing the documentary in September.  Had the movie debuted in May it would be parallel to the boxer Kid Minneapolis who fought out of Detroit.  

Anna Wintour is the 59 year-old boss of Vogue magazine.  She is considered the inspiration for the novel, and subsequent film of the same name, The Devil Wears Prada.  
 
If the novel is an accurate reflection of what it is like to work for Wintour, I would rather spend my days unwrapping tube socks for Mr. Pitt than take one order from Anna Wintour.  She is the perfect storm of supervisors.  Consider her C. Montgomery Burns, Lumbergh, and Lou Grant all rolled into one, except with a bob hair cut and oversized sunglasses that would make a cataracts patient envious.  

Courtesy of Roadside Attractions Wintour’s success as an editor is due in large part to her management style. While she may be controlling, demanding, critical and at times overbearing, she regularly meets and surpasses her goals.

Early on in the documentary, Wintour looks at the camera and says, “There is something about fashion that makes people very nervous.”  The only time fashion makes me nervous is if my wife buys a pair of shoes and I ask if we will still be able to pay our mortgage.    

Although he is not featured in the documentary, Wintour is married to J. Shelby Bryan.  This is a lucky man.  When most wives have to bring work home with them it usually involves legal papers, marketing ads or reports to grade.  When Anna Wintour brings work home, in walks Heidi Klum.   

Wintour’s success as an editor is due in large part to her management style.  While she may be controlling, demanding, critical and at times overbearing, she regularly meets and surpasses her goals.  
 
She could be considered the Winston Wolf of the fashion magazine industry.  Only her actual employees know if she mirrored Harvey Keitel’s character from Pulp Fiction by saying, “If I'm curt with you it's because time is a factor. I think fast, I talk fast and I need you guys to act fast if you wanna get this issue out. So, pretty please... with sugar on top, publish this ! magazine!”

The film doesn’t entirely paint Anna Wintour as a boss from Hell.  In one scene Wintour laughs at some of the more ridiculous outfits that are presented to her to be in the issue.  Even the editor of Vogue can see that a person dressed like a human statue in Harvard Square might not be very marketable to the general public.

If R.J. Cutler’s goal in making The September Issue was to prove that while the Devil may wear Prada, at least her magazine operates in the black, then he should be proud of his documentary.

Even for someone with no knowledge of fashion, interest in it, or sense about it (which my wife would say I fall into all three categories, especially the last one), The September Issue shows how a strong, focused and precise manager can effectively accomplish her goals.  She is where the buck stops and has her fingerprints all over the magazine’s final copy.  The bottom line is that it is her job to present a finished product.  If she can’t, then her bottom will be on the line with the publisher’s board of directors.  

Taking responsibility for one’s actions and meeting organizational goals…maybe Anna Wintour should be running GM.

To contact the writer, email him at stevedettorre@yahoo.com