“I have one question… who is wearing sequins?”
It’s a fair query for Cameron Bailey, Toronto International Film Festival’s CEO, to ask at Friday night’s world premiere of “Elton John: Never Too Late,” a revealing look at the generation-spanning musical (and fashion) icon.
Although he’s one of the best-selling artists of all time, a tearful John told the crowd at Roy Thomson Hall that family is more important to him than fame. “On my tombstone, I don’t want it to say he sold a million records. I want it to say he was a great dad and great husband.”
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“Never Too Late” captures John’s journey to becoming one of the world’s biggest rock stars, bookended by his landmark performances at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1975 to more than 100,000 fans and again in 2022 as the final North American stop on his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour. The documentary also chronicles the relationship with his husband David Furnish (who served as co-director with “The September Issue” filmmaker R.J. Cutler), and their boys, Zachary and Elijah.
“The thing I love about this movie is that I have him Furnish and my two sons. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved,” said John, pausing to hold back tears. “I hope to keep making music, but I want to be home and treasure them. Having a No. 1 album is really nice for five minutes, but this is a lifetime.”
Now at age 77, he says, “I’m having the best time of my life – except this fucking eye. I wish I could see you,” cracked John, who revealed earlier this week that he’s recovering from a “severe eye infection” that’s left him with limited vision. “But I can’t.”
John, ever the showman, whizzed through the red carpet on the back of a purple gold card. Inside the auditorium, enthusiastic festival-goers cheered and broke into applause several times throughout the film, culminating in a standing ovation as John took the stage. During a brief post-screening Q&A, John seemed to take a subtle dig at Donald Trump. “Kindness will always win out… that’s what I hope for the American election in November,” said John, who in 2022 was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Joe Biden.
Since it’s a film festival, after all, John also offered a little insight into his taste in cinema. He cited 1989’s “Field of Dreams” as a film that stayed with him “because it’s a father and son thing” and listed “The Godfather Part II” as his favorite movie.
As for “Never Too Late,” Furnish wanted the documentary to intimately chart the 50-year transformation from John’s first and last stops at Dodger Stadium. Through archival footage and new interviews, John gets candid about abuse he suffered as a young boy at the hands of his parents, his tumultuous relationship with his first love and former manager John Reid, as well as his addiction to alcohol and cocaine. “Never Too Late” also features a look at John’s friendship with John Lennon, complete with extensive footage of the 1974 Madison Square Garden Concert in which the former Beatle was a surprise guest.
“It’s a beautiful narrative arc,” Furnish said. “You can have all the success in the world, but it means nothing until you have love.”
Of course, Furnish is responsible for adding that particular emotion to John’s life. “I’m incredibly close to the subject and therefore a little biased, so I let Cutler take the lead on directing.”
Cutler may not be espoused to John, but the director has his own history with the pop legend. He told the audience he went to his first Elton John concert in 1975 at age 13.
“I had to commit forgery and grand larceny to get a ticket,” Cutler said. “I’m serious, and it was worth it.”
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