Harvey Keitel by Tom Browne

ENTERTAINMENT

The

Trappings of

Youth

Harvey Keitel’s acting career has taken in everything from New York gangsters to Judas Iscariot. But his latest role is a departure even by his standards—although, as Tom Browne found out, he’s reluctant to talk about it

Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel getting back to nature in Youth 22

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE STARE. At several points during our interview, Harvey Keitel fixes me with one—arched eyebrows, steady gaze, the hint of a frown. All those gangster roles have clearly left their mark, especially when you take in the sleek black suit and tinted glasses. I hope he doesn’t notice my trembling hands.

We’re here to talk about Youth, which represents something of a departure for the famously hard-boiled actor. Set in a isolated Swiss health resort that starts to resemble the Overlook Hotel in The Shining by the end, it focuses on two ageing best friends (Keitel, playing filmmaker Mick Boyle, and co-star Michael Caine, playing retired composer Fred Ballinger) who look back on their lives amid the picturesque Alpine setting. The movie sounds rather drab on paper, but Italian director Paolo Sorrentino—here making his second English-language feature—has a wonderfully offbeat visual style, and the film delights in eccentric cameos, including pop star Paloma Faith, Miss Universe and a scarily convincing Maradona lookalike. The supporting cast is also top notch, especially Rachel Weisz as Lena, Fred’s troubled daughter and assistant, and Paul Dano as Jimmy 24

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Reflecting on the past in the Alps: “[Paolo Sorrentino] is writing stories that concern me, about people and about how to live a life.”

Tree, a young actor researching an upcoming role (revealed late on in an hilariously dark scene). It’s a real witches’ brew of a film, which shouldn’t work but gets by on sheer invention. So what drew Harvey Keitel to the project? “The story itself,” he says, after an agonisingly long pause. “That and PREVIOUS IMAGE: © 2015 FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Paolo’s former work—films such as The Great Beauty and Il Divo [both set in his native Italy]. He’s writing stories that concern me, about people and about how to live a life.” But the story in Youth is quite simple, so was it the themes that pulled him in? There’s a lot of reflection on the past, lots of quiet © GIANNI FIORITO

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agonising over mistakes made and loves lost. As an older actor (Keitel is now 76), is that the kind of subject matter he wants to explore? “Well, that’s why we did the movie,” Keitel replies with a slight shrug, as he takes a sip of water. “That’s why I assume everyone else did it, because they saw something reflected in their 01•2016

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place to impose things. You have own lives.” He puts his water down to make things happen. I would say and locks eyes with me. “Paolo’s that you have to appeal to people. work is in the area you’re speaking You need patience, understanding, about, so all those who enter do so psychology. When you approach that at their own risk.” girl you want to take out, you don’t I take this as my cue to talk about say, ‘Hey you, come out with me!’ ” Sorrentino’s surreal, idiosyncratic He smiles style, which will broadly for the likely alienate as first time. “Or many people as maybe you do, it charms. Was I don’t know.” that apparent in the script? “Well, I think It’s significant I need you to that Keitel answer that is far more question,” he comfortable Screen legend: with Robert De Niro in says, frowning talking about Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver in 1976… slightly. “It’s the process all kind of of filmmaking surreal, so I than the finished guess you could product itself. say that if you After all, he’s feel that way successfully about it. I don’t collaborated want to define with some of it for anybody. the greatest That’s your directors of all …and capturing a new generation with homework.” time, including Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in 1994 All right, then: Quentin was it a question of a film director Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Wes imposing his style, or was there room Anderson. He’s also co-president for feedback and collaboration? of the Actors Studio, founded in 1947 “Everyone has their vision, but as a place for performers to work on no director worth their salt is going their craft and refine their skills. to impose something,” he replies, “It’s one of the most important leaning forward and at last sounding cultural houses we have in America,” engaged. “Making a movie, being says Keitel when I raise the subject. in theatre or being on stage is not a “It houses a standard of work that we 26

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call the method [a technique that draws on an actor’s own experiences to help shape characters], and it sticks to that standard.” Indeed, the struggling filmmaker Keitel plays in Youth clearly draws on his long experience of working with actors and writers. There are several amusing scenes where he and his collaborators struggle to come up with a convincing ending to the script they’re working on. Did that bring back any memories? “Yes, I’ve been in those situations studying acting. When we were doing plays off Broadway and creating workshops and acting classes, that’s what the situations were like. You go on these expeditions with your colleagues, trying to discover how to bring this thing to life.” One of the things that certainly brings Youth to life is the chemistry between Keitel and Michael Caine. There’s an On Golden Pond quality to their interactions—two screen legends casually batting the dialogue back and forth, although Keitel insists that none of it was improvised.

I express surprise that they’ve never appeared on screen together before, since even though their dramatic personas are very different, they feel like contemporaries. “Well, Michael will understand and forgive me when I say he’s a little older than I am,” says Keitel, with a hint of rebuke in his voice. It’s true that Caine, at 82, is six years older. All the same, at this stage in his career, Keitel must think about unrealised roles. Is there anything he still wants to do? “I’m sure it’s out there and I hope it’s coming towards me,” he replies, before adding in his usual enigmatic style, “As a matter of fact, maybe we should open the door—it might come in now.” So there are no plans to retire? “We have a saying in the States: if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. Do I imagine giving up? No, I don’t—it’ll be given up for me by the Divine. I’ll let you know then.” Youth is released in cinemas on January 29 and is reviewed on p18

OBSOLETE WORDS (OR ARE THEY?) Try dropping one of these gems into conversation: Crapulous (16th century): to feel ill because of excessive eating and drinking. Cockalorum (18th century): a little man with a high opinion of himself. Curmuring (19th century): a low, rumbling sound produced by the bowels. SOURCE: BUZZFEED.COM

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