Is it weird to be promoting a film 35 years after you made it?
It doesn’t feel weird because I’m such a believer in O Lucky Man! It’s a
testament to the talent of its director Lindsay Anderson. I never thought it got
the place in British cinema history it deserved, so I’m very happy people are
taking a second look at it.
Do you think it’s a bit dated?
Its not dated at all. It represents society as it was in 1973 but I think its
still relevant today. Not that much has changed.
What are your main memories of making the film?
I'm very fond of it because it's from an idea I had about this coffee salesman
and I was determined to work with Lindsay again after A Clockwork Orange. He
didn’t work on commercial scripts, he had to work on things organically with
people he trusted. So David Sherwin and I wrote the script with Lindsay. It took
four years but it was an extraordinary experience. I had a great friendship with
him, he was an immense talent and he’s sorely missed.
How autobiographical is the film?
It is and it isn’t. Some of the things happened to me but Lindsay pushed them
as far as he could go. I believe it's one of the most subversive British films
made in that period. It takes a swipe at everyone.
What were the highs and lows of selling coffee?
The highs were making a sale; the lows were when people asked me to fix their
espresso machines. I’m not very mechanical. I spent a whole day taking one
apart and unsuccessfully trying to put it back together. I was selling coffee in
Yorkshire in the 1960s – they only drank tea for God’s sake. The range I
sold included an instant lemon meringue pie filling, which I had to whip up for
potential customers. I’m a terrible cook and it looked awful. I used to say:
‘Don’t look at it, just taste it. Isn’t it great?’ I was 20 and had a
company car, which I thought was amazing.
Helen Mirren co-starred in the film. When was the last time you saw her?
A couple of years ago at the National Theatre. I was doing a show about Lindsay
Anderson and she dropped by to say hello. I hadn’t seen her since her damehood
– we had a good giggle about that. God bless Helen, she’s had some great
parts and I’m thrilled for her.
Would you fancy winning an Oscar at this stage in your career?
I’ve never been bothered about awards myself, it’s very subjective. It’s
just a way of selling films – which is fine. But do I put any importance on
them? Absolutely not. The best performances are often so subtle they’re
completely missed.
Has being so closely identified with if… and A Clockwork Orange adversely
affected your career in anyway?
No, it’s an immense privilege and pleasure to still be associated with those
films. I’m lucky to have made those films and been part of that extraordinary
period in British film history.
Does A Clockwork Orange still attract crazy fans?
It’s still a huge cult movie - every film school in America teaches it. I
could spend my life touring the schools giving lectures on it. People used to
send all sorts of weird things. I was sent girls’ knickers and, sometimes, men’s
underpants, which wasn’t very pleasant. It was an amazing time; I’m glad I
lived through it and came out the other end.
What was the worst moment in notorious epic Caligula?
It was such a farcical experience I had to see the funny side of everything. The
money didn’t arrive to pay the wages. I drove through the studio gates in Rome
and all the extras jumped on the car. Because I was playing the emperor, I
presume they thought it was my responsibility to pay them - even though I hadn’t
been paid myself. There were 200 people rioting. It was a narrow escape.
You’ve said you’ve appeared in a load of rubbish. Are you precious about
your craft?
When I’m doing it, I give it 100 per cent but I’d be a liar if I said
everything I did was a classic. No actor alive can say that. Unless you work,
you can’t hone your craft. John Geilgud told me: ‘I never know it all, I’m
prepared to learn something each time,’ which is true. You’ve got be open to
new things.
Have you done anything you’re happy with recently?
I’ve been doing Heroes, which is wonderfully written. It’s a great character
and I’ll do that for a while.
What do you miss about Britain?
The football. I get it all on the sports channels in California, though. I’ve
always supported Liverpool but I’m horrified these Americans have taken over.
We’ve got Liverpool Football Club, an institution, a religion – and it’s
being run by people who haven’t heard of Jurgen Klinsmann.
© Metro
Archived 2008 Alex D. Thrawn for www.MalcolmMcDowell.net