Mr Firth's toughest role?
He may have won an Academy Award, two Baftas and played a king, a prisoner of war and Mr Darcy during his 30-year career, but nothing could prepare Colin Firth for working with one very famous film-maker. ‘It was a little overwhelming, actually,’ he revealed in a recent radio interview with NPR, ‘because it was the first time I’d been approached by Woody Allen.’
The 1920s-set Magic In The Moonlight is the latest off ering from the acclaimed writer-director. ‘I had heard all sorts of stories about Woody Allen’s directorial approach, and some of them turned out to be myth,’ continued Firth. ‘But one of them was that he doesn’t rehearse and another was that he doesn’t really direct. If he doesn’t like it, he cuts it out of the movie, or even replaces you. And he doesn’t talk to you.’
Happily, Firth avoided the cutting-room floor, and the result is a captivating fi lm in which he appears in nearly every scene. ‘It’s very much from my point of view,’ he said.
Not only was working with Woody Allen a first for Firth, but so was the type of character he was taking on. ‘I don’t think I have ever played a protagonist in a film who gets so close to being completely unsympathetic,’ he said in an official interview for the film.
Even Firth’s famous portrayal of the starchy Mr Darcy does not compare to Stanley Crawford’s demeanour. ‘He is supercilious, judgemental, cynical and arrogant, and has a very high opinion of his superior intellect… I’m sure the audience is rooting for him to get a pie in the face.’
It is a testament to Firth’s talent, then, that by the end, the audience is on Stanley’s side. Firth told NPR that he went above and beyond his normal preparation in order to cope with Allen’s characteristically long dialogue. ‘He let me have the script and I just thought, well, I must come armed as best I can and have as much up my sleeve as I can, which at least means really knowing the lines.
‘I don’t normally like to learn lines in advance. I find my choices and decisions get a little bit too set. I couldn’t afford to do that with this. There was just too much. And then I got onto the set, and the first word he said to me was probably “Action”.’
Much has been written about the writer-director’s style of working, with die-hard fans claiming Woody Allen is something of a magician himself. Firth seems to agree: ‘He was very detailed,’ he went on to say in the official interview. He would come in and give you extremely precise, thorough and detailed notes on what he wanted to see.’
Colin with co-star Nicole Kidman in Before I Go To Sleep
Even away from Woody Allen’s methods, Colin Firth is committed to giving his all. In fact, his perfectionism recently lead him to pull out of the upcoming film adaptation of the story of Paddington Bear, when both he and the producers felt that his intonation was too mature to capture the spirit of the younger Paddington Bear.
‘It’s been bittersweet to see this delightful creature take shape and come to the sad realisation that he simply doesn’t have my voice,’ he told Entertainment Weekly. The role has since been filled by 33-year-old fellow Briton, Ben Whishaw.
In a satisfying sort of thespian full circle, just as Colin Firth was in awe of Woody Allen, the Before I Go To Sleep director felt the same about Firth. ‘I had a fantasy about Colin Firth playing Ben but I thought we’d never get him…’ said director Rowan Joffé. ‘I’m still amazed and grateful that we did.’
As different as they are in tone, both films touch on the universal themes of love and identity, and in both, Firth delivers typically engaging performances. Almost 20 years on from the BB C’s production of Pride And Prejudice (and without a wet shirt in sight), Colin Firth truly is a leading man.
Before I Go To Sleep is out now. Magic In The Moonlight is on general release from 19 September.
The 1920s-set Magic In The Moonlight is the latest off ering from the acclaimed writer-director. ‘I had heard all sorts of stories about Woody Allen’s directorial approach, and some of them turned out to be myth,’ continued Firth. ‘But one of them was that he doesn’t rehearse and another was that he doesn’t really direct. If he doesn’t like it, he cuts it out of the movie, or even replaces you. And he doesn’t talk to you.’
Happily, Firth avoided the cutting-room floor, and the result is a captivating fi lm in which he appears in nearly every scene. ‘It’s very much from my point of view,’ he said.
THE IRASCIBLE ENGLISHMAN
The ‘my’ he refers to is the character Stanley Crawford. In the fizz and pop of the Art Deco era, Stanley is an irascible Englishman who masquerades as the Chinese conjuror Wei Ling Soo. A celebrated magician himself, he is dismissive of anyone who claims that they can perform real magic. It is his determination to debunk fraudsters that lands him in the south of France, where he attempts to bring down the charming young clairvoyant Sophie Baker (played by American actress Emma Stone). What follows is a mystical and mirthful tale in which love – the ultimate form of magic – begins to take hold.Not only was working with Woody Allen a first for Firth, but so was the type of character he was taking on. ‘I don’t think I have ever played a protagonist in a film who gets so close to being completely unsympathetic,’ he said in an official interview for the film.
Even Firth’s famous portrayal of the starchy Mr Darcy does not compare to Stanley Crawford’s demeanour. ‘He is supercilious, judgemental, cynical and arrogant, and has a very high opinion of his superior intellect… I’m sure the audience is rooting for him to get a pie in the face.’
It is a testament to Firth’s talent, then, that by the end, the audience is on Stanley’s side. Firth told NPR that he went above and beyond his normal preparation in order to cope with Allen’s characteristically long dialogue. ‘He let me have the script and I just thought, well, I must come armed as best I can and have as much up my sleeve as I can, which at least means really knowing the lines.
‘I don’t normally like to learn lines in advance. I find my choices and decisions get a little bit too set. I couldn’t afford to do that with this. There was just too much. And then I got onto the set, and the first word he said to me was probably “Action”.’
Much has been written about the writer-director’s style of working, with die-hard fans claiming Woody Allen is something of a magician himself. Firth seems to agree: ‘He was very detailed,’ he went on to say in the official interview. He would come in and give you extremely precise, thorough and detailed notes on what he wanted to see.’
Colin with co-star Nicole Kidman in Before I Go To SleepEven away from Woody Allen’s methods, Colin Firth is committed to giving his all. In fact, his perfectionism recently lead him to pull out of the upcoming film adaptation of the story of Paddington Bear, when both he and the producers felt that his intonation was too mature to capture the spirit of the younger Paddington Bear.
‘It’s been bittersweet to see this delightful creature take shape and come to the sad realisation that he simply doesn’t have my voice,’ he told Entertainment Weekly. The role has since been filled by 33-year-old fellow Briton, Ben Whishaw.
A THRILLER TO REMEMBER
That is not to say, however, that Firth has been resting on his laurels. In addition to Magic In The Moonlight, he is currently starring in a much darker film. Once again pairing with Nicole Kidman (the duo starred together in last year’s The Railway Man), Before I Go To Sleep brings to life SJ Watson’s bestselling novel. In this thriller, Kidman plays a woman who wakes up every day remembering nothing, while Firth is the husband and sole carer who is trying to help her. Or so it seems.In a satisfying sort of thespian full circle, just as Colin Firth was in awe of Woody Allen, the Before I Go To Sleep director felt the same about Firth. ‘I had a fantasy about Colin Firth playing Ben but I thought we’d never get him…’ said director Rowan Joffé. ‘I’m still amazed and grateful that we did.’
As different as they are in tone, both films touch on the universal themes of love and identity, and in both, Firth delivers typically engaging performances. Almost 20 years on from the BB C’s production of Pride And Prejudice (and without a wet shirt in sight), Colin Firth truly is a leading man.
Before I Go To Sleep is out now. Magic In The Moonlight is on general release from 19 September.