MONEY INTO LIGHT

DWAYNE EPSTEIN ON 'KILLIN' GENERALS: THE MAKING OF 'THE DIRTY DOZEN'

Dwayne Epstein is the author of the New York Times bestselling biography, Lee Marvin: Point Blank (2013), and his latest book is Killin' Generals: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic World War II Film of All Time', a wonderfully entertaining, educational and extensive read. Prior to writing biographies, Epstein contributed to film chronicles on a regular basis, writing for Filmfax Magazine and also about American films chosen for rediscovery for Cahiers Du Cinema's 'Serious Pleasures', which had a high profile in Europe. I spoke to Epstein about all things DIRTY DOZEN.

Your last book was an extensive biography of Lee Marvin. When did the idea of writing a book about the making of THE DIRTY DOZEN start percolating? What was it about this movie, out of all the Marvin movies, made you want to commit to writing a book about it?

The short answer is it's always been a favorite film of mine. A more involved answer has to do with the suggestion of my agent, Lee Sobel. Once I signed with him we bandied about ideas for a subject and THE DIRTY DOZEN was like the second title to come up and we went with it. A cobbled together a proposal and in a surprising record time, it was sold to Kensington Press!

What is your strongest memory of seeing the film for the first time? What effect did the movie have on you?

My earliest memory was seeing it on TV when I was a kid and they'd show it in two parts over two successive nights. I vividly remember exactly where they'd cut it, which was just before the war games sequences. Could not wait until the next night to see the rest and that happened every time it was aired.

Upon researching the book, what was the first bit of information that you unearthed that made you feel like you had a bona fide interesting book?

Ahh, there were many! Mostly I went by the amount of misinformation that existed about the film that I could correct. Fans think it was based on a true story (it wasn't); a story on social media says Lee Marvin hated the film (he didn't); the belief that director Aldrich lost out on an Oscar nomination because he wouldn't change the finale (not true), and a whole lot more of similar misinformation that I was able to disprove.

Entering the project you must have had a general idea of what the making of the film encompassed. To what extent did your preconceptions change as your research furthered?

Much of what I already stated, for one thing. The changes from the novel to the script to the finished film were also quite revelational which I detail in the book. I was also surprised to find some of the people involved in the film were still alive and available to be interviewed, such as producer Ken Hyman, actors Colin Maitland, Dora Reisser, and others. Their remembrances, which are plentiful, are all in the book.

Which piece of information or interview in general was the most revelatory for you?

Without question it would have to be finding and interviewing the talented people I got to find (not an easy task in some instances) and appreciating their work. I always say the best part of my job is talking to people whose work I admire, about the work I admire. It's also the hardest as transcribing those interviews is a genuine pain.

What attracted Marvin the most to his role and the movie do you think? Where do you think it fits in his rogues gallery of characters, and his oeuvre in general?

I would make the educated guess that it was probably the maverick character of Major Reisman that attracted Marvin. It certainly wasn't the premise of violent convicts being trained to kill Nazis. Also, his nightmarish experiences in WWII had a lot to do with his choices. His late son Christopher had told me that when I was working on Lee Marvin: Point Blank. As to where it fits in his oeuvre I would put it at the very top.

Why do you think he and Aldrich were such a perfect fit for this movie, and for their future collaborations?

They were both very much mavericks in their own way and it showed in the work. They also got along very well and were friends outside of work. Matter of fact, when Aldrich was in the hospital and knew he was dying, Marvin visited him and asked if he needed anything. Aldrich reportedly said, "Yeah, a better script."

How do you think the film affected the careers of Marvin, Bronson, Cassavetes and Aldrich afterwards?

The effect for almost all involved was tremendous! Marvin was named the number one male film star in the country. Bronson stayed in Europe and starred in some of the best action thrillers of his career. Aldrich made enough money to buy his own studio. Producer Ken Hyman took over Warner Brothers/Seven Arts. In other words, THE DIRTY DOZEN's success was specifically responsible for the rocket launch of their careers into the stratosphere.

Why do you think, in a film of many great performances, that Cassavetes was picked out for awards attention?

While I agree all the performances were great, I personally feel Cassavetes' performance was THE standout. Actually, Jim Brown was touted for a Best Supporting Oscar in the trades but it was Cassavetes who nabbed the nomination, only to lose, ironically, to his DIRTY DOZEN costar, George Kennedy, for COOL HAND LUKE. By the way, THE DIRTY DOZEN had the same effect on Cassavetes' career as it did on everybody else even though he didn't want to make the movie at first. Once he did, it set the pattern for the rest of his career: Make a popular film for the money and then use that money to finance his own independent project. It resulted in his becoming the father of American Independent Cinema.

The movie was a smash hit across the demographics. Why do you think young audiences responded to it? Older audiences?

I think it had a lot to do with the themes running throughout the film that younger audiences appreciated. It was anti-social and anti-establishment at a time when the Vietnam War was falling out of favor. Civil unrest against the war as well as racial tensions running high was something subtly addressed in the film. As for older audiences, many of whom had experienced WWII, they identified with many of the characters and the action. I've had many female acquaintances also tell me their appreciation for the macho, all-male cast. Seriously.

Why do you think the movie has such a great legacy?

Well, like all great films, it has stood the test of time while seemingly not being dated at all in the way it tells its tale. Proof is in the AFI listing it as 1 of the 100 Greatest War Films of All-Time. It's just gotten better with age, which all the best do when it comes to a lasting legacy.

What are some of your fave DIRTY DOZEN rip-offs or films influenced by it?

Funny you should ask that, as I devote an entire chapter in Killin' Generals to that very subject. I may have given it short shrift when I wrote about it in that chapter based on the reviews I quoted, but I actually liked THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE which came out a year after THE DIRTY DOZEN. Also enjoyed the original version of INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (1978) with Bo Svenson and Fred Williamson. I think that's about it.

What does the film mean to you personally? What kind of joy do you get each time from revisiting it?

Personally, it's just a terrific movie in the way movies are supposed to be terrific and don't seem to be anymore. Fascinating characters to root for or despise, being taken into another time and place that sucks you in from the get-go, which makes you wish you were part of the adventure is all missing from contemporary action films. I always thought the mistake many of the TV movie sequels made was emphasizing the outlandish plots instead of the in-depth character development of the original. Well, at least we'll always have the original.

Is there anything you don't like about the movie? Could it have been improved?

Interesting question. Maybe just a few things left unexplained that I did discover and then explained in the book. For example, during the war game scene, it used to drive me crazy not knowing what the dozen were passing to each other that Borgnine sees, laughs, and then decides to leave. At first, I thought they were thermometers or something. Well, I did find out and it was just bad editing on Aldrich's part not to explain it, and does make sense once I found out. Once again, gotta read the book.

Do you think the film has been misunderstood over the years? Are there still themes and nuances you feel people miss?

I think so. When it came out some critics debated the worthiness of a film that they thought glorified violence and brutality, which I believe is still debated to this day. As to themes and nuances that are often missed, I would say it's in the way the dozen slowly and believably bond as a group over the course of the film. Of course, not all do, specifically Maggot (Telly Savalas). I just think it's an overlooked theme in the film that works really well.

A number of the cast and crew have already passed on. Had you had the chance to ask the likes of Marvin, Aldrich, Cassavetes, and Bronson any questions at all about the film at all, what would you have asked them?

Interesting hypothetical. Naturally, I would ask any or all of them what they remember about making the film and specific anecdotes in particular. Also, any follow-up questions would be based on what they would want to tell me.

A very childish question. Who do you think would have won in a brawl? Marvin or Bronson?

Oh, you mean like, "My dad can beat up your dad!" It's funny because it actually almost happened once during filming, on the last day, no less. Marvin did something that really pissed off Bronson which producer Ken Hyman told me about as he had to play referee. It's in the book and is actually a pretty funny story.

Do you think Marvin and Bronson recognized a lot in each other?

Oh, I'm pretty sure they did, which is why they worked together so often and hung out on occasion. I once saw them interviewed together on YouTube after DEATH HUNT (1981) came out and they were very comfortable with each other and very funny.

Which movie (Marvin film or not) would make the perfect double bill with The Dirty Dozen? Feel free to make a triple!

Probably THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963), since it has a lot in common with THE DIRTY DOZEN in many ways, but seeing them together would be a real test of the bladder as they are both almost 3 hours long each. If it's a triple, I'd throw in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960). Yeah, it's a western but it also has a great ensemble cast of future superstars. Besides, when you have bad guys doing good things in a movie, it's always worth watching.

Do you think a similarly inspired cast could be put together for a DIRTY DOZEN remake, or are we living in different times? Are you hopeful for the David Ayer remake?

I'm not sure the remake is ever going to happen as it's been talked about for quite a while now but I do hope it does. What I had read was that Ayer wanted to update it to contemporary urban America. In which case it may have an all-black cast. Might be cool to see Denzel Washington as Reisman and some other black actors in key roles.

If you were to write another making of book on a Marvin movie, which one would it be, and why? (Please say POINT BLANK!)

I hate to disappoint you but my agent suggested POINT BLANK (1967) first and I passed. Actually, I'd write about one of his westerns which are quite deserving of reappraisal, like THE PROFESSIONALS (1966) or MONTE WALSH (1970). Great films but there are market considerations that would make it hard to sell to a publisher. Then again, it took me 20 years to get Lee Marvin Point Blank to find an interested publisher but when I did it went to #4 on the NY Times Bestseller List so you never know!

My interview with Epstein on Point Blank: Lee Marvin.

Killin' Generals: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic World War II Film of All Time' by Dwayne Epstein is available from Citadel Press at all good retailers. Point Blank: Lee Marvin is available from Schnaffner Press.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAN HEDAYA

Dan Hedaya is one of Hollywood's most versatile, accomplished and loved character actors. He is also one of the most prolific. Since first making his mark as the sleazy, murderous bar owner in the Coen Brothers classic BLOOD SIMPLE in 1984, he has never looked back, and his many, many credits include COMMANDO (1985), THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995), CLUELESS (1995), NIXON (1995), MARVIN'S ROOM(1996), ALIEN: RESURRECTION (1997), DICK (1998, as Nixon), THE HURRICANE (1999), MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001) … the list goes on. Now 82 years old, Hedaya has no plans to retire, and in his latest film, Jeremiah Kipp's haunting, disturbing indie horror film SLAPFACE (2021), he gives a distinctive performance as a sympathetic Sheriff. I spoke to Hedaya about the film, and his incredible career.

What attracted you to the SLAPFACE project?

Nice people, actually. It also fit into my schedule. And I like working!

What was it like working with the writer-director Jeremiah Kipp?

It was one of the most pleasant experiences I've ever had making a film. I never saw one millisecond of unpleasantness with the whole crew. Everybody was so cooperative and kind and friendly. It was really was one of the nicest bunch of people I've ever worked with.

Your performances are always so rich, nuanced and interesting. How do you first approach each new character you take on? Do you have any strategies set in place?

No, I'm a gambler. When I read something, it either resonates with me and I respond favorably, or not. If it resonates, it somehow creates an image for me. I'm not a so-called Method actor. I just like to start and see what happens.

I've noticed that you always tend to find the humor in the characters you portray. Is that important to you?

I don't specifically have a goal. It sometimes just comes out of the situation or circumstance. I didn't see anything funny about being buried alive in BLOOD SIMPLE!

How was the experience of making that film? Did you realize it was going to be a special movie?

No, it was a joyful, very laid-back experience, but it was such a tiny budgeted film. I almost didn't go to the callback. I never ever envisaged it becoming what it became.

Do you really enjoy working with first time directors? You also worked with people like Tony Scott (THE HUNGER) and Bryan Singer (THE USUAL SUSPECTS).

They're all different. Joel Coen, it was his first time, he was very good.

Did you immediately feel an upswing in your career after BLOOD SIMPLE?

It's hard to pinpoint what impact things have. It definitely helped when it became so successful. Everything contributes.

When you first studied acting at the HB Studio in New York, what do you think were some of the most important lessons you learned?

To listen well, that comes to mind. That's basically it. I didn't go there that long. It was fun doing scenes and I had a very nice teacher. It was the doing of it that was the lesson, really.

You've done a lot of theater work. Is it a different discipline to you? Does it exercise a different part of your brain?

It's exactly the same. You just have to speak more forcefully. I never had a special approach to theater, versus film. Even in film, you have an audience. You have a crew of fifty people.

Of all the characters you've played, which ones would you say are the closest to you?

It's hard to say. I guess they're all a part of me, you know. I enjoyed many of them. I enjoyed 'Cheers' (1984-93) a lot, CLUELESS, BLOOD SIMPLE. Each one has it's own pleasures.

I was surprised to learn that you're not Italian-American. You've played so many Italian-American characters so vividly.

No, I'm Jewish, from Brooklyn. My mother and father came here from Aleppo, Syria, and we lived in a Syrian-Jewish community in Brooklyn. I think some of the Italian-American actors are annoyed with me, but I can't help it! It's not my problem!

Do you consider yourself a character actor?

Yes, definitely.

Would you have liked to have had more lead roles?

I'm very grateful for how my career has been, very grateful. I have no complaints.

Norman Jewison

Of all the filmmakers you have worked with, who would you like to work with again the most?

I'd say Norman Jewison, who directed me in THE HURRICANE with Denzel Washington. He was kind and was good. It's a great combination.

Did you enjoy working with David Lynch on MULHOLLAND DRIVE?

Oh, that was very special. A great experience. He's a wonderful director, and one of the nicest. They were very generous to me. Even though I only played a small part, they invited me to go to the Cannes Film Festival.

How was the experience of playing Nixon in the movie DICK?

Oh, I loved it. Thank you for asking me about that one.

You are now in your eighties. Do you have any plans to retire?

No, but I'm also a painter now. If you go on Instagram there are thousands of my paintings on there. I spend a great deal of time painting. But I'm not retiring. If something comes around, I'll consider it.

SLAPFACE can currently be viewed on AMC and Shudder. It can be purchased on DVD from July 26th at Target and other retailers.

Many thanks to Mr. Hedaya for sparing his time.

NO TIME TO DIE (Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2021) - A SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Rami Malek, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Lashana Lynch, Jeffrey Wright, Ana De Armas, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Billy Magnussen, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah, Lisa-Dorah Sonnet. 163 minutes.

The previous James Bond film SPECTRE (2015) ended on an upbeat note that would have made a fitting end to Daniel Craig's arc as the character. However, fans of course wanted more, in part because, despite the film's great commercial success and strong reviews, it came to be regarded as a lesser entry in the franchise. After a long break, and discussions with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, Craig became excited at the possibilities of ending the arc of his Bond in an epic and emotionally satisfying way. A script was developed with Bond veterans Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, but when TRAINSPOTTING director Danny Boyle came on board as director, he preferred to craft his own story with regular scribe John Hodge. Unfortunately, after developing a new script together, creative disagreements between them and the producers led to the pair exiting the project. The Bond team returned to the original Purvis and Wade script, and BEASTS OF NO NATION director Cary Joji Fukunaga, a huge fan of the franchise, became the new director.

Boyle's departure necessitated a delay to the film's projected release, and then of course as Fukunaga's film was ready to open, the Covid pandemic led to more delays that totalled a whopping eighteen months. Well, here it is finally - Daniel Craig's last ever Bond film; the twenty-fifth official entry in the franchise.

NO TIME TO DIE manages to not only be a satisfying sequel to SPECTRE, but also a satisfying wrap up to the saga and emotional journey that has been CASINO ROYALE (2006), QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008), SKYFALL (2012) and SPECTRE. It partly continues the more traditional, humorous, 'Bondian' approach of much of SPECTRE. It even surprisingly homages the grandiose Ken Adam sets of the more epic 007 adventures, and has a more bombastic, fantastical villain (in Rami Malek's Safin) whose nefarious plans rival the world-threatening ones of characters like the 60s Blofeld or Goldfinger.

The film is also the most emotional and moving film in the series since 1969's ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Daniel Craig gives his best performance as 007 here – rounded, highly nuanced, emotionally present, and very alive. This is arguably as much Lea Seydoux's Madeleine's story as it is Bond's, if not more so. Her role is much more expanded and developed here than in SPECTRE, and the way her story and her relationship with Bond is handled has the effect of turning SPECTRE into a retrospectively stronger film. As good as Seydoux was in that film, she's given the opportunity to truly show her incredible range and emotionality as an actress here.

The film boasts a litany of interesting supporting characters, with the more important ones coming off as real human beings with their own journeys. The other female characters are as witty, well-developed and strong as the male characters, and have agency. Lashana Lynch's Nomi is a fun character, a 00 agent who has taken the 007 code number whilst Bond has been in retirement in Jamaica. She has a rivalry with Bond, and a disdain for his methods, and whilst she lacks Bond's experience in the field, she is more than capable of holding her own. Lynch and Craig's scenes together have a crackling quality to them. Ana De Armas is a complete joy as Paloma, a CIA contact in Cuba who makes up for in smarts, instinct and fighting prowess what she lacks in field experience. Armas brings exuberance, sex appeal and elegance to the picture that is a huge asset.

Ralph Fiennes finally has a chance to put his own stamp on the role of 'M', and steps out of Judi Dench's shadow. He gives a formidable performance. Although Naomie Harris's Moneypenny doesn't have much chance to shine unfortunately, Ben Whishaw is given chance to do so, and his 'Q' is as delightful as ever. Rory Kinnear returns as Tanner, the Chief of Staff, and he has a more brittle relationship with Bond in this movie.

Jeffey Wright returns as Felix Leiter for the first time since 2008's QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Felix and Bond must have spent a lot of time 'bonding' offscreen since that movie, as they appear very close in NO TIME TO DIE. Craig and Wright have great chemistry together, and the result of Wright's increased screen time in this picture is that it finally proves he is the definitive Leiter. He inhabits Leiter with soul, dignity, good humor and great charisma. Billy Magnussen brings a lot of energy and personality to his minor role as Leiter's State Department cohort Logan Ash.

Rami Malek may not have a lot of screen time as the film's villain, but his Safin is an unforgettable creation: multi-faceted, pitiful, truly creepy, and irredeemably evil. He has a particular scene with Craig that is wonderfully written, acted and shot, and is one of the most outstanding outstanding verbal confrontations between Bond and a villain in the series. The scene is a battle of philosophies, and whilst Safin is truly twisted, he does have a viewpoint that isn't entirely without value. Cristoph Waltz brings more menace and intensity to his scenes as Blofeld than he did in SPECTRE, and he also has an impressive scene opposite Craig.

The minor villains have their own unique flavor and leave their mark. David Dencik's Russian scientist Valdo Obruchev is both corrupt in his loyalties and in his morality. He's a funny character for his eccentricities but he is as evil as Safin in his own way. Dali Benssalah's one-eyed henchman Primo, who Bond christens 'Cyclops', doesn't have a lot of screen time, but he has a lot of presence, and is a fun and memorable addition to the more fantastical rogues gallery of Bond henchmen.

Director Cary Joji Fukunaga brings an inordinate amount to this movie. Whereas a Bond film like 2002's DIE ANOTHER DAY faltered in its balancing of tones, and its ambition to be more than one kind of Bond picture, NO TIME TO DIE is much, much more successful. Fukunaga has delivered an exciting, beautiful-looking action rollercoaster ride. The action is cleanly performed and edited, and the use of CGI is mostly well done and not over-used. He brings in more gadgets than ever before seen in a Craig picture, but he uses them in a smart and fun way. In one particular sequence, their use delivers an euphoric, fan-pleasing moment that also serves the purpose of relieving the tension of an incredibly tense and exciting scene.

Whereas the nods to previous films in DIE ANOTHER DAY often felt forced and distracting, the nods in NO TIME TO DIE are subtler and sometimes add poignancy to Craig's Bond's emotional journey that began with CASINO ROYALE. The score has nods to previous Bond composers John Barry, David Arnold and Thomas Newman. There's also quite a bit of a Fleming in the picture, most interestingly from the You Only Live Twice novel.

Fukunaga gets great work from his whole cast, bringing out nuances and strengths in the likes of Craig, Seydoux and Fiennes that we didn't see in their earlier Bond films. With LA LA LAND DP Linus Sandgren's saturated, vivid cinematography, the film extracts the organic beauty and unique textures of the movie's various environments (Matera in Italy, London, Jamaica, Cuba, Norway, the Faroe Islands).

NO TIME TO DIE really does go to some dark places, but there is also time for moments of good humor, Bondian style and a sense of jauntiness, best exhibited in the Cuban section of the movie involving Ana De Armas's Paloma. Fukunaga also brings to the forefront moods and feelings that have been there only momentarily in previous Bond films. From the outset, there's dread, melancholy, horror and trauma, elevated by Hans Zimmer and Steve Mazarro's emotionally varied, often beautiful and haunting score, and Billie Eilish's superb title song and the Daniel Kleinman visuals that accompany the main titles. There's real depth to the film as well. For example, there is a real empathy in the film for what the trauma of violence, and being orphaned, can do to children. It can make them into adults like Bond and Madeleine, who have closed themselves up emotionally, and cannot trust others or have healthy, loving relationships. It can also create truly twisted people.

At 163 minutes, the film is the longest of the franchise but it moves well, and even has time to breathe. There's a brief lull in the middle of the film, but after that, we are off to the races. The script, which is credited to Purvis and Wade, Fukunaga and Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge, is witty, human and articulate, and if the film has a major flaw it's that sometimes the intentions of characters are not perhaps clear enough. Safin is a fascinating, enigmatic character, but it's not easy to completely understand his endgame.

Fukunaga has pulled off an incredible feat. He's made a bona fide James Bond film. He's also made a film that reflects his own voice and style, and balances darker, serious elements with jauntier, more fantastical elements. It references the legacy of the series, updates and improves quite a few elements (particularly the female roles), and is a film that closes out Craig's Bond arc in a bold, moving, beautiful and exciting way. NO TIME TO DIE is no less than a triumph.

AN INTERVIEW WITH CRISTINA MARSILLACH (PART 2 of 2)

Cristina Marsillach is a Spanish actress best known for her roles in Dario Argento's OPERA (1987) and the romantic drama EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE (1986), opposite Tom Hanks. The daughter of renowned theatre director and actor Adolfo Marsillach, she has had a long and varied career in both Italy and Spain, working with some of the most talented European filmmakers and actors in the business. Her new film, Damian Lahey's beautiful, impressionistic SIMPLE LIKE SILVER (2021), is her first film in nearly 25 years. In the second part of our two-part interview, we talked about making her Hollywood debut with EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, the differences between working on European and Hollywood productions, working with the likes of Giancarlo Giannini, Ugo Tognazzi, Andrea De Carlo, Sergio Corbucci, Gabriele Salvatores, why she walked away from acting for a few decades, and her new short film.

Part one of the interview.

Were you nervous about making your first English-speaking Hollywood film with EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE?

Yes, I was nervous. I brought a language coach from Spain with me, who was also a very good acting teacher. She helped me a lot. Any time that I can, I bring people with me who can help me be better in any way. In fact, on SIMPLE LIKE SILVER, I brought my own teacher and makeup person, and it was a nice experience.

What was it like filming in Israel for EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE?

It was very interesting because Israel is a wonderful place. We stayed at the Hilton Hotel. It was very fun working with Tom Hanks. He was very friendly. He knows how to treat people and we would chat and laugh a lot. One day we went to the Dead Sea, and he ran ahead and jumped into the sea, and all I could see was this long, tall guy floating along in his red bathing trunks. I would say ''I''m not going into the sea'', and he would try to get me to come in. He was a great guy and a great co-star.

Was your experience making a Hollywood film any different an experience from making a European film?

No, they were more or less the same. I've always been lucky to work with a small team, which gives you a lot of intimacy, something I really appreciate as an actress. I haven't worked on a super big production with a large crew. I didn't notice a significant difference between working on an American and a European production in my case.

After EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, did you have an idea to pursue more Hollywood projects or were you happier making films in Italy and Spain?

No, after I finished the film I continued my acting career in Italy and Spain. I haven't really moved from those countries. I did work with a lot of different directors – people like Dario Argento, Gabriele Salvatores, Andrea De Carlo, and Sergio Corbucci.

MARRAKECH EXPRESS with director Gabriele Salvatores is one of your most acclaimed films. What was Salvatores like as a director?

I felt very comfortable with him. He didn't speak much, but he smiled a lot. He was close, but distant – a very curious personality.

How was working with the acclaimed novelist and filmmaker Andrea De Carlo on his film adaptation of his book TRENO DI PANNA (1988)?

Andrea De Carlo was a writer before he directed TRENO DI PANNA, and this is reflected, I think, in the film, which has a precise quality and very fluid dialogue. Curiously, I might have had the opportunity to work with him years before. He was the assistant director on AND THE SHIP SAILS ON (1983), and I had auditioned for Fellini on that film.

What was it like working with Sergio Corbucci on DAYS OF INSPECTOR AMBROSIO (1988) and WOMEN IN ARMS (1991)?

He was a wonderful person and one of the most sensitive directors I ever worked with. He was like a father to me. He was like a teddy bear. I also worked with Ugo Tognazzi on DAYS OF INSPECTOR AMBROSIO, and he was exceptionally fun. He would tell many anecdotes from his career working with so many talented people. He was very human.

Having made so many movies in Italy, do you think of the country as a second home?

Yes, absolutely. Spanish and Italian cultures are very similar, so I feel like I'm in Spain when I'm in Italy!

You worked with Giancarlo Giannini on 'O RE (1989). What was that experience like?

We got along well making the movie, and we had fun, even though he was very sad at the time, having recently lost a son. He is equally adept at comedy and drama, which is a rare thing. He's a very real actor, and was a very good friend to me on the movie.

You've worked with so many great actors. Who would you say you learned the most from?

Giancarlo definitely helped me a lot. With Tom Hanks, I learned to play a lot. He would stop and talk about the scenes with the director or the other actors, but he would also be making jokes without stopping what he was doing. He was very focused. It's very important for an actor to know how to relax, because you cannot be spontaneous or be real in a scene otherwise. It's fundamental. In fact, an actress like Meryl Streep touches her body a lot in order to relax, and that was something Ingrid Bergman used to do as well. She would do these head movements, because she understood that relaxation was the basis of acting, and the more relaxed an actor is, the better the performance.

You were, for a time, the Artistic Director of the Marsillach Acting School in Madrid. What did you enjoy the most about running the school?

I think the most interesting thing was synthesizing the classic works of Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams and Strindberg, and cutting down what might have been a two hour play into a half hour. For the students, I had to take what was most important from each play and create kind of a mini-play. It was an interesting challenge.

Until SIMPLE LIKE SILVER, you had not acted onscreen for nearly 25 years. Why did you decide to step away?

Well, I was doing other things. I got married, and I gave a lot of importance to my sentimental life. I dedicated my life to other things related to art, but not as an actress, such as fashion and antiques. I needed a break. I think an actor needs to recharge between projects, if they can afford to financially. I'm not the same person through a whole year, and I need to fill my life with many different things. After the film with Damian I directed a short film and did some writing, but I've done other creative things too. I never stop creating. I've grown a lot and I have learned, and I am able to bring that to my next projects. I'm multi-disciplined in life. I'm not just an actress, I like to do many things.

What can you reveal about the short film?

It's inspired by the French term 'flaneur', which was made famous by the philosopher Walter Benjamin. A 'flaneur' is a man who wanders around, observing events, reflecting upon them and getting involved at his discretion. This is what happens in my film. It's a film dedicated to the aging and decline of people, in this case my mother, who has Alzheimer's. The film is very short, but was a very satisfying endeavor.

Many thanks to Alicia Lopez for her help with translating the interview.

SIMPLE LIKE SILVER can be rented on Amazon Prime.

AN INTERVIEW WITH CRISTINA MARSILLACH (PART 1 OF 2)

Cristina Marsillach is a Spanish actress best known for her roles in Dario Argento's OPERA (1987) and the romantic drama EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE (1986), opposite Tom Hanks. The daughter of renowned theatre director and actor Adolfo Marsillach, she has had a long and varied career in both Italy and Spain, working with some of the most talented European filmmakers and actors in the business. Her new film, Damian Lahey's beautiful, impressionistic SIMPLE LIKE SILVER (2021), is her first film in nearly 25 years. In the first part of a two-part interview, I spoke with Marsillach about the latter film, growing up in an acting family, the beginning of her acting career, her experiences working with Argento on OPERA, and working with Martin Scorsese on a 1987 Armani TV commercial.

What attracted you to your new film SIMPLE LIKE SILVER, directed by Damian Lahey? I found it very beautiful, moving and inspirational.

Damian's personality. He's a very kind person. His script was very clean, and I liked the sensitive and simple way in which he confronted the theme of fear in the story.

In the film, the camera mainly observes you and you are required to give a non-verbal performance. How did you approach this particular challenge?

It was an interesting challenge because silence is extremely hard for an actor. You have to listen and have things happen to you without being able to speak, so you need to convey a presence and an inner monologue, so that your face is able to express what is happening to you.

Your father Adolfo Marsillach was a renowned actor, playwright and theatre director. What was it like growing up in such an environment?

It was complicated but fun. I would do my homework backstage, and sometimes the actors would ask me to come onstage with them, but my father told me at an early age that even if the building was on fire I was never to go onstage no matter how many times I was asked to. I saw a lot of theatres growing up!

When did you decide that you wanted to become an actress?

I decided I wanted to become an actress after I watched Peter Brook's production of The Mahabharata. It was only ever performed once in Spain, in Madrid, and I went with my father. The whole performance lasted twelve hours, without a single interruption, and I spent the whole day there. I loved the experience. I would watch the play intently, but I would sometimes fall asleep, or go to the restaurant and eat pizza, or go and grab a Coke. I realized that if I could get through the twelve hours of the epic poetry of The Mahabharata, that I could be an actor myself. Watching the play I realized that acting was a serious craft and profession, and that actors have a lot of courage. Peter Brook was a great man of the theatre, and it took him ten years to put on this production.

Your acting debut came at the age of thirteen in the Spanish TV miniseries Mrs. Garcia Confesses (1976), opposite your father, who also wrote and directed the series. What are your strongest memories of making it?

I played the younger Lucia Bose, who was a famous actress who recently passed away. I was very scared making the series because I was working with a very disciplined person who also happened to be my father. On one hand I knew that I was going to have a very pleasant and satisfying experience because I got to work with him, but on the other hand, I knew that he was going to ask a lot of me. I did have a lot of fun, but I also got scolded in the process!

Did your father encourage you to become an actress?

My parents encouraged me, but they did make it a little difficult for me at first. They insisted I had to be very professional and that I had to take it very seriously. Even though I kind of carried acting in my blood, having grown up around acting, I did a couple of courses in interpretation. My father told me that you should never stop in the middle of a scene, because it is important not to lose that rhythm and mistakes are okay. He also taught me the importance of always being alert as an actor.

As you gained more experience as an actor did you start to form any particular goals or aspirations for your career? Were there any particular kinds of roles or films you gravitated towards?

I've always been interested in all kinds of roles or films. I find it amazing that people still offer me acting roles. I'm not drawn to any specific kinds of roles. The most important thing to me is that I have fun and that I enjoy working with the people I'm working with, no matter who they are or how tragic or dramatic the story is. I don't want to be stressed. I want to be able to perform my work properly.

What was the experience like of having your first lead role in ADOLESCENCE (1982)?

It was a huge responsiblity, also because I was very young. I was always very conscious and aware that being the lead in a movie required one to have multiple strategies to face the other actors in our scenes together.

Did acting in a horror film like Dario Argento's OPERA require a different approach to acting? I imagine on many days during shooting you would have to be in a heightened emotional state for a sustained period of time.

It certainly does. Making horror films is stressful, because the fear always has to be on a psychological plane. You have to keep working with that fear continuously. You have to feel it in your emotions. It's not important to show it in a physical way. It just has to be a psychological fear that you're portraying. You have to work on the character more, and focus on not losing yourself, so that it looks natural.

How was the experience of making OPERA?

Dario was a big fan of Edgar Allan Poe, and ravens were a very important element of the film for him. When we were shooting a particular scene in the film, he threw actual live ravens at me. I shouted ''Stop! Stop!'' and he said ''I have to do this because you need to experience this fear and sensation. '' We would fight with each other, but it was a fun time for me. Stressful, but fun. It was a difficult film to make. I remember we had to re-shoot the ending three to six months later because we had some problems. They had to put this special tape on my eyes for one particular scene, and I had to get to the set two hours early to get the makeup done. I enjoyed working with the other actors.

Did you feel the final film was worth all the difficulties you endured?

Absolutely. It was wonderful working with Dario. He was a filmmaker who knew exactly what he wanted technically. It was the first time I had worked with a Steadicam, which was very interesting for me. It's a great movie – it talks about the opera, and it talks about Macbeth. Macbeth, for all actors, is seen as something that brings bad luck. It's like wearing green clothing on stage, which is something actors never do because of the death of Moliere. OPERA did have bad luck. The film wasn't a success or liked much internationally when it was first released, and cost a lot of money to make, but over the years it has gained more recognition, and I'm soon being interviewed for a new Italian documentary about the film. Ultimately, making OPERA was a gratifying experience.

How true are the stories that you and Dario did not get along well making the film?

Well, they are true. He put me through a lot of things, but we were very fond of each other. Between him throwing ravens at me and laughing saying 'Ha ha! You have to do two hours of make-up every day!'', we fought a lot, but there was mutual respect between us. He respected me as an actress and I respected him as a director. He was very focused on technical things, whereas I wanted to ask him a lot of questions about the psychological aspects of my character and the story. But he would just say ''No, no, no that's all fine'' and then just talk about what he was going to do technically. I would say to him ''I need to understand what's going on psychologically'', and again, he would say ''No, no, no, it's fine. '' This would go on all day!

A few years before OPERA, you worked with Martin Scorsese on an Armani commercial. How did you get that job?

I had returned to Italy after filming EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE in Israel with Tom Hanks. I was in a relationship with an Italian man at the time. The Taviani brothers, who had made GOOD MORNING, BABYLON (1987), recommended an agent to me, and Martin Scorsese was looking for a girl for an Armani commercial he was directing. I went to Milan for the audition, and I was surrounded by a lot of tall, thin, beautiful models, who were going up for the part. The competition was brutal. Suddenly this small man came up to me, carrying a stack of papers and he gave me a piece of paper. Once I saw that it had dialogue written on it, I thought to myself ''Okay, now I have a chance. '' I did the audition and Martin came up to me afterwards and said ''You got it! You got it! You are the girl!'' After the spot came out, which was shot in black and white, Dario Argento saw it and cast me in OPERA because of it. In the commercial, I sit on a bed and talk to a young man. Dario kind of re-enacted it in OPERA.

Part two of the interview.