| Peter Falk |
| Monday, 24 October 2005 08:28 |
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Though by now veteran actor Peter Falk may always be playing a bit of
"Peter Falk" in every role he does, that archetype works perfectly well
when he plays the all-so-Jewish father in Paul Reiser's feature, The
Thing About My Folks." If any movie does a classic riff on the
experience of growing up with Jewish parents, this is it. And Falk
embodies the ever-responsible and too-often clueless dad, Sam Kleinman,
who finally learns a few more truths about his family later in life. Q: How did Paul Reiser first approach you about being in this film? PF: I was in a play and he came backstage and started blabbing about the play. Within the previous week, I had seen an episode of Mad About you, so I said to him, cutting him off, that he's a helluva writer! Now he claims that that had inspired him to write the script. Next, I got a call from Joe Montegna that Paul Reiser has a script. I called Paul up and he sent it over. I read it the first night and I thought it was interesting. On page 45 or 55, I called him up and told him I'll do it. I didn't even finish it--I knew right away. Q: What is it that you look for in a screenplay? PF: Sometimes the money. Oh, yeah. That's been known to happen. Other than that, you look for a character that you can score in. If I like the character and people are going to laugh and find it interesting--that's what I look for. But I can't put a definition on it. I don't care if he's grumpy, old, young, or manic. Q: Do you wonder why you were sent some scripts in the first place? PF: I receive scripts that I wonder why they would send it to anybody! Q: Is your father anywhere in Sam, the character you play? PF: My father did believe in work. He was from that generation. He had a store and the store opened at 9:00 AM. He started sweeping the floor at 6:30 AM. What he did between 7:00 and 9:00, I don't know. (laughs) He loved his store. This is very similar to Sam's character. Q: Was your father supportive when you wanted to become an actor? PF: When I told him that I'm going to become an actor, he replied, "You're gonna paint your face and make an ass out of yourself for the rest of your life!" What a great man! Q: What did you say in return? PF: I said, "Yes, that's right!" and then he pulled out his hand and said,"Good luck!" Q: Did you have any kind of interaction with your father like you had with Ben, Paul Reiser's character, as you were lying on the grass with him in the film? PF: No. But that's a great scene! Laying in the woods, a little drunk and ending up with a connection. That scene, as emotional as it is, should end up with a big laugh. I'll leave that up to Paul Reiser. Q: Do you think it's inevitable that we become our parents as we get older? PF: It's not inevitable, but it's likely. Q: Do you see your parents in yourself? PF: Sometimes I see my father in me. Q: Did you and Paul do a lot of bonding off the set do have the father-son comaraderie? PF: It was automatic. We were always on the same wavelength even before we started shooting. We went to dinner together. Q: What did your wife think about this film. PF: She loved it, just like everybody else. Q: Did she see a lot of you in the character you play? PF: When she watches the movie, she just wants her husband to be good. That's the way she looks at it. Q: Were you aware that you would begin the movie naked in talcum powder??? PF: Yes, that was in the script. I loved that scene. Q: Do you really use talcum powder? PF: Yes, I do. But not that much. (laughs) Q: How many takes did you have during the scene when you read the letter? PF: That's also one of my favorite scenes. Nobody can anticipate the one word that I had to say after I read the letter. When I read it, I laughed so hard, I fell off my chair. It's just terrific writing! next page >>> |
