What was the first movie you fell in love with?
It's hard to say. I fell in love with so many movies so quickly. It was like a plethora of movies. You know, it was Martin and Lewis. I remember early Martin and Lewis films, which I loved, I suppose the first movie that I fell in love with when I was very, very young was The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again with Larry Parks, because I used to do Jolson impersonations, particularly at New Year times.
What artist or figure has been the most influential in your life?
The man who was my biggest influence in terms of acting was a wonderful Scottish actor called Fulton Mackay, who is in the film Local Hero. He plays the guy who owns the beach and causes all the problems when the big oil tycoon played by Burt Lancaster wants to buy the beach. And Fulton was an extraordinary man, self-made, wonderful, wonderful actor, and very successful actor in the UK. Always played characters, which were all right. He famously played Mackay funny enough, or as you would say, “Mah-kay”, but we say it properly, Mackay. And he was the warden in one of the police things called Porridge, which was a very successful comedy series. But he also did a lot of other work that was equally if not better. But of course, we were all assigned to our class and to our ethnicity.
What is one skill people would be surprised to know you have?
Oh, that I tango dance. That's probably a skill. I haven't done it in a long time, but in my day I did dance the tango. So that may be one skill that people don't know I have.
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
In the morning, the one thing I do is I get up and I start the day. I used to meditate. I used to do all kinds of preparations for the day. And then the day became so busy that I didn't have any time for it. So I kind of just get up, and get on with the day. I mean, I'm a workaholic, so that's a natural thing to do. I don't recommend it necessarily either.
How do you relax during stressful situations?
By doing nothing. The art of doing nothing as an art that a lot of people don't understand. One of my favorite quotes is from the book Tristam Shandy, in his longing is he says, "Oh, how long to lie diagonally in my bed again." And I sometimes feel that. That's why, sensibly my wife and I, we have our own bedrooms, which is a very sensible idea for any long-lasting marriage. I recommend it.
What is the last film that made you cry or laugh?
I sort of did a Judd Apatow retrospective, and I watched Funny People and I watched the 40-Year-Old Virgin, which I had not seen. And I laughed like a drain. I think Steve Carrell is quite extraordinary. And that was just quite recently.
If you could watch any movie with someone living or dead, whom would it be and what movie?
Well, there's a choice of people I'd like to watch movies with. So, I'll give you a choice. I'd certainly like to ... With Cary Grant, I'd like to watch any of his films with him, and find out his comments on it. And the other person I would like ... Well, there's two other people I would like to watch a movie with. One is Barbara Stanwyck, who I adore as an actress. And my other favorite actress, equally fair, is Jean Arthur. And so The More the Merrier would be wonderful to watch with Jean Arthur.
What is one movie you would recommend to someone to get them started on their journey into classics?
Oh, there's so many. There's not just the one. But I think from the modern perspective, it would have to be probably either East of Eden or On the Waterfront, in terms of dramatic classical dramatic films. I mean, Gone with the Wind isn't bad. It's not bad. I know there's been a lot of controversy about it, but it is an extraordinary film of its time. And again, I think we tend to, living in a woke and cancel culture, we have a tendency to cancel certain films, which are of their time. And they have to be seen in their time. Otherwise, there's no point. And you know, fashions change, opinions change, views change. And we're living in a particularly difficult time with cancel and woke. And so there's a lot of films which yeah, I would see and I would recommend people watch. But I think to be on the safe side, I'd recommend, for comedy, I would recommend any of Cary Grant's films. But certainly for classic film, Kazan's On the Waterfront and Kazan's East of Eden.
