FEATURE LIST
WASH DAY-LEWIS
Following its success at this year’s Edinburgh Film Restival My Beautiful Laundrette has been given a general release opening in Scotland (Edinburgh Filmhouse 13th — 16th Nov. ; GFT 22nd — 24th). Stephanie Billen talks to its star Daniel Day-Lewis; Allan Hunter (right) to writer Hanif Kureishi.
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Daniel Day Lewis looks school with. soon dictated a career might have doubted his versatility. uncomfortable. He is perched attractive because of its potential Daniel has found aetiohs speak precariously on a chair. high up in rewards. Like Cadell. he went from louder than words A teo-tobih front of a window at Mainline the National Youth Theatre to Christmas card to director Stephen Pictures. his eccentric green tam 0' Bristol Old Vic. Today he still has Frcars apologising for his ‘polite shanter standing out in reliefagainst inspirational heroes. though he edueatioh' and adding ti‘ve some the cold London light. Underneath adds: ‘I have the same attitude to very unpleasant friends‘. still it, the face that could be about to hero-worship as I have to militarism. provokes a cringe from Daniel. ti launch a thousand new launderettes. I can‘t help admiring the Trooping of brought it up with him when [was is brooding. He is about to be rude to the Colour. but I despise myself a quite sure 1 was employed. He said the photographer. little for doing so.‘ anyone who wanted a part that
Day Lewis‘ flashes of irritation are Trying his sensibilities more than badly, should get it_‘ offset by his amused memory of usual recently. is longterm impressed by Hanif Kureishi‘s them afterwards. The tensed smile tOp-of-the-league screen star. Clint extraordinary script‘t Danie] was becomes genuine again as he recalls Eastwood compromising himself also lured by the film‘s scope and being asked recently to ‘do with lines like: ‘lfwe stick together optimism; one could find every something silly - you‘re an actor we can fight our way out ofit.‘ in Pale kind ofpt—leem and the failure of aren‘t you?‘ during one pose. Rider. ‘I suppose I admire Clint hope and love in the confusion of Eminently photogenic. he‘s aware of Eastwood as a man who has done Johnny‘s background, The similartyrannies on the filmset: ‘ln extraordinarythingsin the cinema,‘ relationship with Omar. reclaims { theatre you can find room and throw says Daniel. With ironic choice of some of the optimism they had as yourself about. Everything to do metaphor. he continues; ‘He has ehiidteh,‘ He considered approaches
with film-making conspires to freeze fought his way through from a period to the role, ‘11 occurcd to me it could
“m”Y"""““"‘dm$“"d°” _ bcp'aYCd‘°”g““"a“°’y your left foot. or look one way. You metabolism — but Hanifwrote it
have to complete a series of ‘I’ve some very differently. Johnny isn‘t unthinking. unnatural tasks While at the same ' ’ He breaks out of his circumstances ttmeipteosehtthg hiehataeter itth unpleasant frlends and has the brains and morality to making it dramatically interesting.‘ i _ recompense for what he‘s done. So
Daniel‘s battle with the camera is a source of wonder and inspiration to his co-star in Stephen Frear‘s critically acclaimed new film. My Beautiful Launderette. Dominating partner in the film. in real life. Gordon Warnecke is accepting a temporary media back-seat with plenty ofgrace and humour. Five years younger and less experienced than Daniel. Gordon indicates that he has learnt as much from the acting of his screen lover. as from the big names on the cast such as Saeed
few people find a reason to break away.‘
Surprisingly, Day-Lewis can find points of reference to the film in his background. whereas Gordon has difficulty. He is like Omar in that he ‘doesn‘t conform to any culture‘. but his mother is South American and his father German. His comprehensive school in Harrow afforded few examples of racism. and by the fifth form he says he was with more Asians than whites.
Daniel remembers the ‘innocent
J affrey and Shirley Ann Field. ‘On violence‘ ofchildren in South East " t
the hTSt day Of hhhthg~ we were 0t thStghtheahee thto 3“ London. ‘I spent a lot of time that had happened I would have got
PraettSthg a scene OUtSlde the unprecedented e0htr0| Of his 0W” watching Newhall play football. I the hell out of it. and packed lorries.‘
taundetettet and Daniel made 3 the and deStthY-‘ lived with and mixed with people Later however ‘packing lorries‘
small movement With his hands to For a man Who has IUSt tOItOWed who occupied the same world. I find becomes a measure of strength
the left and to the right indicating his hero as The List face of the it wholly believable that Qmar and rather th.‘in defeatism in hiS
how he “'35 80mg to move Past 3 tt’tthtght~ the hetO'WOIShtP seems Johnny should be friends as kids. At attitudes. He would do that rather
eharaetet- That taught me Strangely OUt OtPtaee Dante] Day that age racist terms ofabuse can be than take a part he didn‘t believe in.
Someththg- It was Sheh a Charming LeWtSt grandson 0t Mtehaet BateOhv used even when your friends are of ‘Right from the start I‘ve tried to run
aett0h§ he was 50 tree 0“ the set -' founder 0t Eahhg StUdtOSt 50" 0t different races. But the racism and my life along the assumption that Daniel Claims it's a treedOm Poet’tameate ceeh Day LeWtS and the violence can develop on a you are always in a position to
‘fought for‘: ‘You come to relish the actress Jill Balcon. has achieved grahder seaie with the iistiesshess 0f Choose 3
moments when there‘s a broader perhaps the greater feat —that of unemployment. we look for The sudden manifestation of
ShOt thh the camera‘ heeahse YOU fighting his way from inherited enemies the whole time as reasons integrity makes Daniel look
can use your whole body— like when significance to a career very talented why our lives are unsuccessfuif immediately austere. Despite the
James Dean PaeeS Oht his land in in its 0W" tight~ and anonymous Unemployment is not something bohemian wardrobe. accessories
Gtaht- That‘s PhYSteahy Startling enough to emhraee Parts as diverse which Daniel has forgotten. ranging from cowboy (Pale Rider?)
because it is ah aetor “Sing the Space 3‘5 GUY Behhett th the Stage veTStOh “Obviously it will always be a boots to splashes of paint and bicycle
he's been give" to express OtA’tOthe" C0“"”)’~ 3 White‘hahed proportion of an actor‘s life. but it is chains. there is a gothic simplicity
something Dtaettla in Chris Bond‘s Play and a no less distressing when it goes on for and severity about Daniel‘s features thh mentors like James Dean and SOUth Atrteah thug th Ghandi- a long time. mentally and financially. on occasion. That austerity becomes
Marlon Brando. Daniel is not one to In Another Country. he became a And it is bad for your confidence. paramount in his latest role in A
bask in the Story 0fPraise from triumphant successor to Rupert When you get a job you can find you Room With A View. Daniel foils
critics or co-stars. As a child. while Everett in the lead. being hailed as a don't want to be employed) The fans by not playing
an anti-establishment streak had him more convincing figure by reviewers optimism Daniel admires in other the romantic lead. Cecil is the part.
escaping from his first school. and even. so the story goes, being people is not always unshakabie in and Daniel reveals that ‘Sheshil‘ with
Sevenoaks. and rebelling in Bedales. taken out to dinner by an impressed himself. tit is ludicrous to can an embarrassing whistle speech
his second. the example of Simon Sir Alec Guinness. yourself an aetor it you haven't impediment was once a tempting
Cadell. an actor his sister went to In the case ofcasting directors who worked for three or four years. If possiblility. He chose to play the
2 The List 1—14 November