Boy Richard Gere is handsome and though hes best known as an actor he is also a very intelligent humanitarian. His latest flick is Bee Season, a film which goes to the heart of what he is most passionate about, religion.
Eliza Naumann [Flora Cross] has no reason to believe she is anything but ordinary. Her father Saul [Richard Gere], a beloved university professor, dotes on her talented elder brother Aaron [Max Minghella]. Her scientist mother, Miriam [Juliette Binoche], seems consumed by her career. When a spelling bee threatens to reaffirm her mediocrity, Eliza amazes everyone: she wins. Her newfound gift garners an invitation not only to the national competition, but an entre into the world of words and Jewish mysticism that have so long captivated her father's imagination. But Eliza's unexpected success hurls the Naumann family dynamic into a tailspin, long-held secrets emerge and she is forced to depend upon her own divination to hold the family together.
Check out the official website for Bee Season
Daniel Robert Epstein: What made you want to act in Bee Season?
Richard Gere: It was such a beautifully written script. The quality of the writing was so high. The subject matter of four people who live intimately on top of each other but have absolutely no communication with all four of them are in the wrong way looking for God, however you define God. That is a very interesting premise for a film.
DRE: How much did you know about Kabbalah before doing this film?
RG: Not much. Tantra was part of Hinduism before Buddhism even came and that is in some ways similar to Kabbalah in using psychological, metaphysical techniques to achieve transcendence. In that way I come up with a parallel of those two things. So without knowing that much about Kabbalah I can tap into my own 30 year practice and use those emotions in dealing with this film. Kabbalah gave much to the idea of fixing the worlds broken and it needs to be fixed but from the Buddhist point of view it wouldnt be that the world is broken, but the world is hidden. This is a family where the individuals are broken and they need to be healed. Her act at the end of the final spelling bee is one to heal the broken family.
DRE: Does doing a film like this make you have to go take a look at your Irish roots?
RG: The self were talking about is beyond ethnicity. Its talking about universal identity. Not nationalistic or racialized, or ethicized or anything else. Its the interconnectedness of the whole race.
DRE: The man you are playing is failing at being a father in the most cheerful possible. Does it bring up any fears or anxieties you may have?
RG: I dont think Im a control freak. I dont cook every meal. I dont insist everyone goes to music lessons with me. Its not my thing at all. Im a much more private person and pretty much what every person wants to do that makes them feel good is fine with me. The relationship I had in this movie with Flora was informed by my kids. A sense of patience also and a sense of infuriation of when you get lied to. You still love them to death but you should be angry.
DRE: Are you finding that the roles coming to you are older and more paternal?
RG: Im not even playing as old as myself yet. I have that to look forward to. Im 56 and I dont think Ive played a character that was my age. When I was doing Unfaithful, [director] Adrian Lyne and I are very good friends and he offered me both parts. But I felt I had played the other guy before so playing the very straight, steady husband, thats new territory. I havent done that. Im finding these characters very interesting and I hope Im inhabiting them in a way thats not clich.
DRE: When you get a script, how important is it to have artistic license?
RG: As I said Bee Season was beautifully written by Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal from a beautiful book, so a lot of invention wasnt required. Nor is it the style of film nor are these directors stylistically the kind of directors who are looking to make up a bunch of stuff on the spot. It was a very controlled filmmaking and within that there was some movement with some scenes more than others. The Hoax which I just made with Lasse Hallstrm was about 1/3 improvised and we had a very good script to start. Its varies from work to work.
DRE: Eliza has an experience towards the end of the film that could be described as a religious experience but could also be a result of her pushing herself too hard. What is your opinion?
RG: She is definitely having a genuine religious experience.
In this movie of four characters, three of them are having genuine experiences. Saul is an academic so he can only see it. Hes like Salieri. He can see it, but he cant do it. He admits that to his daughter when he finally trusts her enough. Hes an extraordinary teacher but like many teachers, he cant get there himself. He knows his daughter is doing this extraordinary thing spontaneously and instinctively so hes trying to create an environment where she can be on solid ground and be protected within it. But when he finally feels that he can give her the real stuff and starts to pull out these books that hes translated and starts to give her these techniques and says, Look, this is something Ive wanted my whole life but I cant do it. I think you can. Thats a huge revelation for a man to give to his child. In a sense hes saying, Youre bigger than me. Youre faster than me and I need to help you explore this. Its probably the most generous and honest moment from Saul in the movie.
DRE: You have a five year old son, do you bring Buddhism into your family?
RG: My wife meditates but when my son gets older he can do whatever he likes. We dont sit around reading Buddhist tracts and that kind of thing. But I have my teachers and my Tibetan friends around all the time. Its more important to me that basic respect for all living things is taught. Thats irrespective of religion, just start with kindness and respect. That to me is important to teach a child and I would hardly call it religious.
DRE: After 30 years in Hollywood, would you like to finally get an Oscar nomination?
RG: That doesnt matter and it never really did. Ive been very fortunate. I continue to work on films that have meaning to me with good people that I respect. I make good money. I have no regrets, no issues with any of this whatsoever. Its all been upside.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Eliza Naumann [Flora Cross] has no reason to believe she is anything but ordinary. Her father Saul [Richard Gere], a beloved university professor, dotes on her talented elder brother Aaron [Max Minghella]. Her scientist mother, Miriam [Juliette Binoche], seems consumed by her career. When a spelling bee threatens to reaffirm her mediocrity, Eliza amazes everyone: she wins. Her newfound gift garners an invitation not only to the national competition, but an entre into the world of words and Jewish mysticism that have so long captivated her father's imagination. But Eliza's unexpected success hurls the Naumann family dynamic into a tailspin, long-held secrets emerge and she is forced to depend upon her own divination to hold the family together.
Check out the official website for Bee Season
Daniel Robert Epstein: What made you want to act in Bee Season?
Richard Gere: It was such a beautifully written script. The quality of the writing was so high. The subject matter of four people who live intimately on top of each other but have absolutely no communication with all four of them are in the wrong way looking for God, however you define God. That is a very interesting premise for a film.
DRE: How much did you know about Kabbalah before doing this film?
RG: Not much. Tantra was part of Hinduism before Buddhism even came and that is in some ways similar to Kabbalah in using psychological, metaphysical techniques to achieve transcendence. In that way I come up with a parallel of those two things. So without knowing that much about Kabbalah I can tap into my own 30 year practice and use those emotions in dealing with this film. Kabbalah gave much to the idea of fixing the worlds broken and it needs to be fixed but from the Buddhist point of view it wouldnt be that the world is broken, but the world is hidden. This is a family where the individuals are broken and they need to be healed. Her act at the end of the final spelling bee is one to heal the broken family.
DRE: Does doing a film like this make you have to go take a look at your Irish roots?
RG: The self were talking about is beyond ethnicity. Its talking about universal identity. Not nationalistic or racialized, or ethicized or anything else. Its the interconnectedness of the whole race.
DRE: The man you are playing is failing at being a father in the most cheerful possible. Does it bring up any fears or anxieties you may have?
RG: I dont think Im a control freak. I dont cook every meal. I dont insist everyone goes to music lessons with me. Its not my thing at all. Im a much more private person and pretty much what every person wants to do that makes them feel good is fine with me. The relationship I had in this movie with Flora was informed by my kids. A sense of patience also and a sense of infuriation of when you get lied to. You still love them to death but you should be angry.
DRE: Are you finding that the roles coming to you are older and more paternal?
RG: Im not even playing as old as myself yet. I have that to look forward to. Im 56 and I dont think Ive played a character that was my age. When I was doing Unfaithful, [director] Adrian Lyne and I are very good friends and he offered me both parts. But I felt I had played the other guy before so playing the very straight, steady husband, thats new territory. I havent done that. Im finding these characters very interesting and I hope Im inhabiting them in a way thats not clich.
DRE: When you get a script, how important is it to have artistic license?
RG: As I said Bee Season was beautifully written by Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal from a beautiful book, so a lot of invention wasnt required. Nor is it the style of film nor are these directors stylistically the kind of directors who are looking to make up a bunch of stuff on the spot. It was a very controlled filmmaking and within that there was some movement with some scenes more than others. The Hoax which I just made with Lasse Hallstrm was about 1/3 improvised and we had a very good script to start. Its varies from work to work.
DRE: Eliza has an experience towards the end of the film that could be described as a religious experience but could also be a result of her pushing herself too hard. What is your opinion?
RG: She is definitely having a genuine religious experience.
In this movie of four characters, three of them are having genuine experiences. Saul is an academic so he can only see it. Hes like Salieri. He can see it, but he cant do it. He admits that to his daughter when he finally trusts her enough. Hes an extraordinary teacher but like many teachers, he cant get there himself. He knows his daughter is doing this extraordinary thing spontaneously and instinctively so hes trying to create an environment where she can be on solid ground and be protected within it. But when he finally feels that he can give her the real stuff and starts to pull out these books that hes translated and starts to give her these techniques and says, Look, this is something Ive wanted my whole life but I cant do it. I think you can. Thats a huge revelation for a man to give to his child. In a sense hes saying, Youre bigger than me. Youre faster than me and I need to help you explore this. Its probably the most generous and honest moment from Saul in the movie.
DRE: You have a five year old son, do you bring Buddhism into your family?
RG: My wife meditates but when my son gets older he can do whatever he likes. We dont sit around reading Buddhist tracts and that kind of thing. But I have my teachers and my Tibetan friends around all the time. Its more important to me that basic respect for all living things is taught. Thats irrespective of religion, just start with kindness and respect. That to me is important to teach a child and I would hardly call it religious.
DRE: After 30 years in Hollywood, would you like to finally get an Oscar nomination?
RG: That doesnt matter and it never really did. Ive been very fortunate. I continue to work on films that have meaning to me with good people that I respect. I make good money. I have no regrets, no issues with any of this whatsoever. Its all been upside.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
Gawd I am such a pessemist.
Did I spell that correctly?
Good job DRE.