I‘ve ever seen have always said. “There‘s the movie and there‘s the movie underneath the movie." I read an essay by James Hellman called Betrayal and I realised that’s what the movie was about. I hadn‘t really seen a movie about love and betrayal together. I wrote the sentence. “You can't have love until you‘ve made peace with betrayal" on my computer and on my desk. So that‘s how the men in the movie act — one man betrays her. one man would have already been betrayed and she also betrays a guy.‘
For a small indie movie about love and betrayal the cast list punches pretty hard. On top of Bette Midler as mother Bernice. Matthew Broderick plays April‘s cheating husband Benjamin: (‘olin Firth plays love interest lirank. whom April cheats on and April herself. is played by Hunt.
‘1 always felt like it was a director's rookie mistake to cast themselves in their own movie and that I would be smart enough not to do it. but a series of things happened that made it the right thing for me to do. In the end we had 27 days to make the movie. I had (‘olin for the first two weeks. Bette for certain days and if I had had another schedule to bow to. the whole thing would have collapsed. So it was simpler to work 24 hours a day and do whatever I felt I needed to do. otherwise we would not have made it.’
For Hunt. who was personally tied to the script. her characteristics are evident in the entire tone of the movie and. although she denies it. the role of the mid-thirties woman having a crisis about love and wanting a baby could very easily have been autobiographical.
‘On the surface it‘s not autobiographical — I‘m not adopted. But if you pull back and look at the whole movie then it is totally autobiographical. There are pieces of me in every character. The couch in the dressing room is my couch and my stepson‘s paintings are all over the wall. The things are someone’s things.
‘You‘d have to be drugged not to be daunted about taking on all these characters. but I was also excited with the story. I believed in it and that gives you a certain immunity. People may like it or not. it may get picked up or not. but you have that interest. This movie is about everything I‘m interested in.‘
Any anxiety over the film‘s critical success appears to be unfounded as earlier this year Then Site Found My won the audience award at the
Palm Springs Film Festival.
‘I first went to 'l‘oronto with it. and that was the big (‘inderella night. When I found out it was a 2.()()()-seat theatre I thought I was going to pass
out. Then when the movie started it was out of
focus and the volume was low -— I thought I was going to die. But 2.000 people stood up and
clapped at the end and it was sold to a distributor
that night.‘
Then She I'ouml My linds Hunt at long way from her days as a child actor or starring in the TV series Mad About You which made her a household name. and she's very happy to slide behind the camera now instead of posing in front of it.
'l‘m writing another movie. an original story.
I've no idea how long it will take to get made. It‘s similar in some ways and. do you know what'.’ I got to the end of the second one and recognised the same voice. I didn‘t even know I had a voice.‘
Then She Found Me is on selected release from Fri 19 Sep. See review, page 46.
Helen Hunt is part of a long line of actors who have turned director, but the move has produced mixed results
George Clooney
The erstwhile ER heartthrob has earned plenty of plaudits for his work behind the camera. particularly his study of the semi- delusional game show host Chuck Barris in his directorial debut Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and the media drama Good Night, And Good Luck.
Clint Eastwood
It is a tough call whether Eastwood is now more famous as a director than as an actor. it all kicked off with Play Misty For Me (1971) and he has been doubling up as both actor and director since. most recently wrth the forthcoming kidnap drama, The Changeling. starring Angelina Jolie.
Jodie Foster
Foster played the mother of a child genius in her first directorial outing Little Man Tate. Her directorial momentum was seriously stymied by her appalling second film Home for the Holidays. however Foster does have a depresson era drama called Flora Plum due out in 2010.
Diane Keaton
Although sadly not credited for directing a Belinda Carlisle video. Keaton has directed three feature films and the documentary Heaven which she made way back when in 1987.
Jack Nicholson
The three time Oscar-winner has directed 1971 coming-of—age drama Drive, He Said. underrated pioneer western Goin' South and The Two Jakes. a sequel to Roman Polanski's Chinatown.
Robert Redford
'Nice' and 'liberal‘ Mr Redford won an Oscar for his directorial debut Ordinary People in 1980. Previously. the only actor-turned- director to have won the gong was Woody Allen for Annie Hall.
Barbra Streisand
Streisand taped up her breasts and won plaudits for her first outing in the director's chair, Yent/ in 1983. Gaudy romancers The Prince of Tides and The Mirror Has Two Faces followed in the 19903.
Marlon Brando
The screen legend has one directing credit with 1961's One- Eyed Jacks. A western about a bank robber on the run. the film, like the man himself, is strange. stunning and deeply flawed. (Paul Dale and Natalie Woolman)
18 Sop—2 Oct 2008 THE LIST 15