| Summary: | The program(emission) opens on a sequence filmed at the station of Belgrade: railroads, with men(people) who walk(work) on the way, the trains, the smokes, the quay(platform) with travelers. Follow images of a snow-covered forest, bare trees, tables and benches covered with snow, with an old fortress, with statues. In voice-over, of the music and François Chalais's comment: Raoul LEVY has just resumed(taken back) the shooting for a long time interrupted by Marco Polo whom he produces. He had to take place in Thailand, but it is in Belgrade where he takes place.
Frédéric ROSSIF interviews Raoul LEVY, in the decoration(set). One needed that 3 years to prepare the film which is finally shot. He has to be entitled God's chessboard , why? Because it is about the trip of a person(character) of the 13th century, influenced by Holy Thomas d' Aquin. In spite of an international distribution(casting), it is a French film with directors and French technicians. To remain, a producer is condemned for the success.
Plans(Shots) of the film set and the preparations for a scene(stage) of the film ( bruités ), the projectors, the decoration(set) and the actors, a make-up woman puts on(styles the hair) an actor, Yugoslav extras with the shaved skull. Series of CLOSE-UP on the faces of the extras.
Short interview of the director of production: we say that there is no problem, but it is not true. Christmas HOWARD, co-director enumerates all the met problems (bad weather). Denys de la PATELLIERE, the director clarifies that it belongs to him to resolve them. Ted ALLEN, screenplay writer (in French then in English) complains that Raoul LEVY did not still pay him(it) while declaring that there is no problem, but it is satisfied to make this film.
Plans(Shots) of details of suits(costumes) (30 000), dressed up actors, the Chinese dressed up extras (come from London), plan(shot) on the very long nails of one of them, the other one takes a photo, a sequence of shooting of a scene(stage) with Anthony Quinn.
In his(her) changing room, Anthony QUINN removes make-up (he removes a false skin). Frédéric ROSSIF interviews Anthony QUINN on his identity: Italian, French, American? The art is international, the homeland of an actor, it is the movie camera. An actor has to keep posted about problems of the world. In his(its) films, he(it) tries to concern a testimony(eye witness account) the world. He thinks that the theater put the public in touch with themes deeper than the cinema but what now, it is the cinema which is passing in the avant-garde, with the New Wave and the Italian neorealism. He ends by some words in French, by clarifying that this language(tongue) is not natural him(her), that he speaks rather about the Latin of Mexico City and Italy.
Horst BUCHHOLZ is Marco Polo. He(it) appears, in the suit(costume) of his(its) role. Frédéric ROSSIF interviews him(it): is not he afraid of losing his roots by being an international actor? There is this danger for all that we make. It is necessary to give(look), to have the other thing(matter). He does not like the stagnation. When he(it) will not play any more the roles of beautiful young man, he thinks that he will play quantity it of the others. It is not the beauty which counts. What he would like, it is to make of the stage setting and to write.
Cardboard(Box) THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG: Michel LEGRAND, composer of the music of the film is in the piano, Jacques DEMY, the director is leaned in the piano. They are alternately interviewed and Michel LEGRAND plays repeatedly airs(sights) of the film, with CLOSE-UP of the hands on the keyboard. Jacques DEMY does not know exactly why he had the idea of this film, Michel Legrand is a friend. Why is the theme music considered as a minor kind(genre) in France? Because the musicians are not interested in it. Traditionally, the good theme music, it is the one that we hear(understand) not. Michel LEGRAND finds that shameful, because he considers the theme music as a separate film element which has to have a presence. We can write a score(partition) for a theme music. It is funny to write of the theme music, because we are wrongly free, it is fascinating and it is not to compromise its soul for a musician. Bach and Beethoven would certainly have made of the theme music, but Michel LEGRAND knows that it will never be the equivalent of Bach or Beethoven.
To blackmail the actors, is not it to turn(shoot) the back in the truth? Jacques DEMY considers that the singing is a natural expression. Of what does he think of the film Cléo from 5 to 7 of his wife Agnès Varda? He(it) would have been incapable for making this film. Between them, there is no working report(relationship) and film-maker's qualities of varda Agnès did not intervene in the choice which he(it) made of her. He(it) sings by shaving itself the morning. |