WHATS
BETTER? A KNIGHTHOOD OR YOUR OSCARS FOR HANNAH AND HER SISTERS AND
THE CIDER HOUSE RULES?
A knighthoodan Oscar is for a single performance and a knighthood is
for a life. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.
BUT
ITS WEIRDI KEPT FINDING LITTLE CLASSIST JABS
TO YOUR LOWER CLASS BACKGROUND IN THE BRITISH PRESS.
Oh,
yeah. One of those guys recently said to me [re: Batman Beginss
Alfred], Of course, its so much easier to play servants, isnt
it? (laughs) The snobbery of that remark sums up really a great deal
of my life. But Ive done a lot in England to help destroy the class
system and Im very proud of that.
AND
EVER SINCE THE 1-2-3 PUNCH OF [1964S] ZULU, [1965S] THE
IPCRESS FILE, AND [1966S] ALFIE YOUVE BEEN ONE OF BRITAINS
GREATEST EXPORTS. BUT, HEY, WHATD YOU THINK OF JUDE LAWS ALFIE?
It
wasnt Alfie. Jude and I are good friendswe
have a re-write of Sleuth by Harold Pinter we may dobut
they should have called it Charley or Billy or something.
Because the world has moved on: There are no real Alfies anymorewomen
havent allowed it.
IS
THAT GOOD OR BAD?
A
bit of both. (laughs)
YOU
WERE A POSTER BOY OF 60S SWINGING LONDON, NOT TO MENTION
A GUY WHO ONCE LIVED A THREE-BOTTLES-OF-VODKA A DAY LIFESTYLE. IS IT TRUE
THAT YOU STOPPED DRINKING FOR [1972S] SLEUTH AND LAURENCE OLIVIER?
YesI
stopped drinking and he started drinking. (laughs) But the greatest compliment
ever paid to me in my professional life was from Olivier once after wed
finished a take. He said, I thought I had an assistantI
see now I have a partner.
ANY
UBER-HUSTONIAN MEMORIES OF JOHN HUSTON AND [1975S] THE MAN WHO WOULD
BE KING?
I
remember Sean [Connery] had to walk out on a very long, very scary rope bridge.
He said, I was here yesterday and this bridge was straight. Today its
crooked. John said, Sean, its exactly the same as it was
yesterday. Its just that today youve got to walk on it.
(laughs) I always thought if you heard God talk it would sound like John.
BY
1983S EDUCATING RITA YOUD RE-JIGGED YOUR PERSONA AND
Yeah,
that was the sort of turn-around from the leading manyou
know, gainin the weight, getting the beard and lookin drunk
and disorderly. I wanted to do something where you didnt see me at alland
thats what Ive been trying to do ever since.
SO
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HOLLYWOOD 2005?
Theres
always been big stars with entourages, but now you get people who think theyre
big stars so they have to have an entourage. They forget theyre paying
them and wind up in Chapter 11 going, Wait! Arent I a star?
(laughs)
NO,
BUT YOU ARE. SO, SUM UP YOUR HALF A CENTURY IN THE MOVIES, PLEASE SIR.
From
Alfie to Alfred. Respect at last.
©
2015 Brantley Bardin. All Rights Reserved.
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