« The Oscar Campaign: Austerity | Main | Opaque Praise... »

October
23Clint Eastwood's Permanent Learning Curve

As we all re-encounter friends and colleagues over a span of many years, we tend to be re-assured by their familiarity. “He’s the same old Sam,” we may remind ourselves.

Spending time with Clint Eastwood the other day, I had the opposite response. Thinking back over my various encounters with him over four decades, I was impressed how deeply he had changed. And for the better.

The cowboy Clint of years ago was a tough kid, a steelworker’s son who had achieved stardom via an unorthodox route (spaghetti westerns) and who couldn’t quite believe it. He was a good guy, but not an especially serious one. He talked a lot about movies and about women and was a rock-solid Republican. He was in the game for all he could get.

The Clint circa 2008 – at age 78 – is famously soft-spoken, impeccably gracious and totally committed to his craft of filmmaking. His choice of subject matter is eclectic to say the least: He’s about to tackle a film dealing with the life of Nelson Mandela starring Morgan Freeman. He just finished directing and acting in a film about racial prejudice in a small town (“Gran Torino”). “Changeling,” his film which is about to open, explores the crypto-Fascist behavior of the Los Angeles Police Department in the late 1920s, when anyone who dared protest the system was slapped into the loony bin.

Clint is not looking for the next tentpole. He wants to make serious movies about serious topics, even if that means short shooting schedules and reduced paydays. He reads incessantly, searching for the next strong story. He admires the work of John Ford and Howard Hawks who, unlike many contemporary filmmakers, regularly turned out back-to-back films, two or three a year. His inquiring mind more resembles that of a gentle novelist rather than a make-my-day movie star.

But Clint, of course, remains a big star who has figured out how to use his clout to gain creative freedom. He is still a dedicated iconoclast and libertarian. But each film represents for him the opportunity to expand his horizons and understanding, and he effectively conveys that experience to his loyal filmgoers.

Clint Eastwood keeps learning, and we all benefit.

Posted at 6:01PM in |

Comments

I bookmarked this link. Thank you for good job!

Posted by: consultation free hydrocodone online tra | 11/18/2009 6:03:38 AM

If you have to do it, you might as well do it right.

Posted by: supportingfiles scripts areas player dir | 10/27/2009 3:43:00 PM

Perfect site, i like it!

Posted by: nonprescription online pharmacys with ph | 10/25/2009 8:47:59 AM

Great. Now i can say thank you!

Posted by: ciali qualities | 10/11/2009 7:56:50 PM

Work unbeatable. It makes us become your admirer.
Thank you!

Posted by: metalfin | 9/5/2009 7:29:09 AM

Ive been looking for some of these forever. thanks!

Posted by: forto | 9/4/2009 10:21:45 PM

thanks you so much

Posted by: lapiet | 9/3/2009 7:13:35 AM

Thanks for this!

Posted by: creain | 9/2/2009 6:54:21 AM

Thanks a bunch for this!

Posted by: desert | 9/1/2009 11:37:21 PM

Thank youuuuu!!! =)

Posted by: taging | 8/31/2009 11:26:18 PM

Nice blog! Very interesting themes. I will allways read it. Also e-mailed on rss

Posted by: rusinox | 8/31/2009 6:32:35 AM

I congratulate, what words…, a magnificent idea!!!

Posted by: conirieti | 8/30/2009 6:39:56 AM

It is the coolest site, keep so.

Posted by: snapcl | 8/29/2009 11:04:28 PM

great!

Posted by: pope | 8/28/2009 10:21:01 PM

Thank you very much :D

Posted by: temsrl | 8/28/2009 6:38:41 AM

Very nice! Thank you so much!

Posted by: candle | 8/27/2009 10:16:20 PM

Thanks for the contibution!!!

Posted by: mdweb | 8/24/2009 6:47:52 AM

Thanks for topic

Posted by: dmarco | 8/18/2009 10:42:37 PM

I have writena book, Eastwood: Evolution of a Filmmaker, published by Greenwood, for release in December that explores your very comments, the manner in which Eastwood has become a great director -- your esay tells me I am not alone in my thinking...thanks. Will send to you a copy.

Posted by: John H. Foote | 10/26/2008 7:09:26 AM

I was an extra on his made-in-Boston movie "Mystic River," and you could not have met a more gracious man. Everyone from the crew to the actors raved about his commitment to the work. It was truly a great experience to work on the movie.

Posted by: Brian T. Sullivan | 10/25/2008 7:30:26 AM

cLINT, cLINT, i THOUGHT i KNEW YE!

Posted by: impactone | 10/24/2008 11:27:00 AM

Mr. Bart, you've captured that special joy of watching a pleasant acquaintance grow into life mastery, and doing so with genuine humility.

Thanks.

Posted by: Arye Michael Bender | 10/24/2008 10:11:56 AM

Damn fine essay, good to read this type of writing when it's not an obit.

Posted by: PWP | 10/23/2008 9:41:38 PM

Post a comment

Display Name

Change Image
Before submitting this form, please type the characters displayed above.
Note the letters are NOT case sensitive.

Peter Bart's Column

Few frontrunners for revamped Oscars
Will the new Governors Awards infuse Oscar night?
Here's the conundrum: 10 best-picture slots and not much out there yet that's screaming "Oscar!"
• read more

About

Peter Bart is the editor in chief of Variety and the co-host of long-running AMC talk show Shootout. PeterBart.com is his take on the world of entertainment, culture, politics and more.

Subscribe to Peter Bart's Blog Feed Subscribe to Peter Bart's Blog Feed

Recent Comments

Variety's Blogs

The opinions expressed on this blog are the opinions of Peter Bart only, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views or positions of the Company.
Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill & Evan Goldberg explain why they're convinced their next plane flight is doomed, as well as how they conceived of the idea behind SUPERBAD.; Knocked Up; Judd Apatow; superbad; AMC; Jonah Hill; Seth Rogen; Shootout; Evan Goldberg; Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill & Evan Goldberg claim that the web-only R-rated trailer for SUPERBAD has been its biggest marketing asset.; superbad; AMC; Jonah Hill; Seth Rogen; Shootout; Evan Goldberg; Nikki Blonsky reveals the unique and sneaky way the producers of HAIRSPRAY sprung the news that she had been cast as Tracy Turnblad.; hairspray; Neil Meron; Craig Zadan; tracy turnblad; AMC; Shootout; nikki blonsky; HAIRSPRAY Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, along with Nikki Blonsky (Tracy Turnblad), talk about working with John Travolta and why he was their natural choice for Edna Turnblad.; hairspray; Neil Meron; Craig Zadan; AMC; Shootout; nikki blonsky; john travolta; HAIRSPRAY Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron explain their choice of Adam Shankman to direct the film: "It's in the DNA."; hairspray; Neil Meron; Craig Zadan; AMC; Shootout; nikki blonsky; Adam Shankman; WEB EXCLUSIVE! Former Czech President Vaclav Havel explains his 18 year hiatus from playwriting and why he has decided to write again now.; Czech; AMC; Shootout; Vaclav Havel; playwriting; Nandita Das & Arsinee Khanjian, two jurors at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, discuss how they evaluate the films they see, and comment on the content of film festivals today.; AMC; Karlovy Vary; Arsinee Khanjian; Shootout; Nandita Das; WEB EXCLUSIVE! Monte Hellman at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival speaks on TWO LANE BLACKTOP, Francis Ford Coppola, and movies of the 70's, but explains "I don't think in decades."; Karlovy Vary; Monte Hellman; Two Lane Blacktop; AMC; francis ford coppola; Shootout; Danny DeVito shares his experiences working with Milos Forman and Jack Nicholson on ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, and recalls a basketball game soft-drink mishap during a break from filming.; one flew over the cuckoo's nest; MILOS FORMAN; AMC; Jack Nicholson; Danny DeVito; Shootout; Bud Cort (Harold) from Harold and Maude tells us why he thinks the film did so poorly when it was first released, and about his joy at seeing it evolve from "cult film" to "American classic."; AMC; Karlovy Vary; Shootout; Harold and Maude; Bud Cort; Cybill Shepherd talks about her first movie, The Last Picture Show, and how she worried about her nude scenes and making the other actresses jealous.; AMC; The Last Picture Show; Karlovy Vary; Shootout; Cybill Shepherd; WEB EXCLUSIVE! Ethan Hawke talks about the burden of having great success at a young age, and how Robin Williams helped him through a difficult scene in DEAD POETS SOCIETY.; Robin Williams; AMC; Ethan Hawke; Shootout; Dead Poets Society; WEB EXCLUSIVE! Ethan Hawke gives a glimpse into the making of his film THE HOTTEST STATE, and how he expects it to do in theaters.; AMC; Ethan Hawke; The Hottest State; Shootout; WEB EXCLUSIVE! Ethan Hawke talks about working with Denzel Washington on TRAINING DAY, and how Washington "walks the world like he owns the joint."; Ethan Hawke; Training Day; Denzel Washington; AMC; Shootout; Robert De Niro; WEB EXCLUSIVE! Ethan Hawke discusses what it's like for two actors to be married, and why Warren Beatty's ego is not in any danger.; AMC; Ethan Hawke; Shootout; warren beatty; Werner Herzog explains that he knew Steve Zahn would be perfect for his role as a POW in Rescue Dawn because he "loves actors who know how to milk a cow."; Sunday Morning Shootout; Steve Zahn; AMC; Rescue Dawn; Werner Herzog; Werner Herzog and Steve Zahn disagree over living in Los Angeles vs. Kentucky; Sunday Morning Shootout; Steve Zahn; AMC; Rescue Dawn; Werner Herzog; Werner Herzog explains how he had to "invent cinema for himself" because of his lack of access to technology growing up.; Sunday Morning Shootout; AMC; Rescue Dawn; Werner Herzog; Geoffrey Rush explains why he feels that Johnny Depp is one of the truly great actors of this era.; geoffrey rush; johnny depp; Geoffrey Rush gives a behind-the-scenes perspective on why the credit list is so long for PIRATES OF THE CARRIBBEAN; geoffrey rush; pirates of the carribbean; candy; LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE herself, Abigail Breslin explains why she loves acting and speculates about the possibility of a career in show business.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; abigail breslin; Peter Guber; Alan Arkin explains why he doesn't mind when his characters die in the movies.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Alan Arkin; Peter Guber; Andy Garcia explains how he drew on 27 years of experience in film acting as he made his directorial debut with THE LOST CITY.; Andy Garcia; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; The Lost City; AMC; Peter Guber; Andy Garcia talks about the propensity for independent films to be recognized at the Academy Awards.; Andy Garcia; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Academy Awards; Peter Guber; Bill Paxton reveals how he found a way to identify with the character of a polygamist in BIG LOVE.; Big Love; Bill Paxton; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Brett Ratner talks about the driving force--desperately wanting to direct a comic book franchise film--that made him lobby to work on X-MEN: THE LAST STAND. (01m 24s); X-Men; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Brett Ratner; Peter Guber; Brett Ratner muses about being banned by (and subsequently, allowed back to) the Hotel du Cap, one of the hottest resorts at the Cannes Film Festival. (02m 16s); Cannes; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Brett Ratner; Hotel du Cap; Peter Guber; CRASH producer Bob Yari explains why he felt it was important that he press his lawsuit against the Academy.; Bob Yari; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; crash; Peter Guber; Charlize Theron describes what it felt like to win a Golden Globe.; Charlize Theron; Sunday Morning Shootout; golden globes; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Chris Rock talks about the difficulty he would have in branching out to non-comedic roles.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Chris Rock; Chris Rock discusses the tenuous nature of success in the entertainment industry.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Chris Rock; Chris Rock discusses what it's like to prepare for a tour, and reveals his key demographic.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Chris Rock; Chris Silverman discusses the value of constantly updated information in Hollywood. (01m 20s); Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Chris Silverman; Peter Guber; Clint Eastwood discusses his movie FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Flags of Our Fathers; Clint Eastwood; Peter Guber; Clint Eastwood recounts the difficulties of shooting a war movie on location in Iwo Jima which is considered a shrine by the local population.; Iwo Jima; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Clint Eastwood; Peter Guber; Kevin Costner discusses his role in the movie THIRTEEN DAYS; Shootout; Kevin Costner; Kevin Costner talks about the challenges of portraying a serial killer in MR. Brooks; Shootout; Kevin Costner; Kevin Costner discusses how important it is to offer studios a return on their investment in his movies, but declares that ultimately it's the end product that really moves him.; Shootout; Kevin Costner; Kevin Costner discusses he would have loved to play Steve McQueen's role in the movie SAND PEBBLES; Shootout; Kevin Costner; Craig Ferguson explains why he finds acting in big budget features repellent and yearns for a time when movies were movies.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; craig ferguson; Peter Guber; Cuba Gooding, Jr. reflects on some of the mistakes he made in managing his career after winning an Oscar for his role in Jerry Maguire.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Jerry Maguire; AMC; Academy Awards; Cuba Gooding Jr.; Oscar; Peter Guber; Mark Cuban gives his outlook on YouTube and the Web 2.0 phenomenon.; Mark Cuban discusses the possibility of buying the Chicago Cubs.; Shootout; Mark Cuban; Danny DeVito discusses his new Clickstar business ventures and the new channels he's developing.; Sunday Morning Shootout; AMC; Danny DeVito explains his perspective on why Arnold Schwarzenegger is so good at both acting and politics.; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Danny DeVito; Danny DeVito discusses the appeal of making movies in many different genres.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Danny DeVito; Peter Guber; LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE producer David Friendly explains how the film's cast found a nearly magical chemistry with one another.; Little Miss Sunshine; David Friendly; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Dennis Hopper discusses his involvement with the CineVegas Film Festival. (00m 45s); Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Dennis Hopper; Dennis Hopper reminisces about how art has influenced him as an actor and a director. (01m 03s); Art; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Easy Rider; AMC; Peter Guber; Dennis Hopper; Dennis Hopper discusses the pros and cons of the dissolution of Hollywood's old studio system. (o1m 56s); Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Dennis Hopper; Dennis Hopper ponders whether or not he'll be able to write a retrospective of his life--especially when he considers everything he'll need to leave out. (01m 24s); memoirs; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Dennis Hopper; Edward Norton explains his distinction between promoting his films and promoting himself, and why he prefers one over the other.; Edward Norton; Edward Norton discusses his sweeping new movie THE PAINTED VEIL.; The Painted Veil; Edward Norton; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Ed Norton; Peter Guber; Edward Norton recounts advice from and encounters with the inimitable Warren Beatty; Edward Norton; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; warren beatty; Peter Guber; Edward Norton bemoans what he calls the "orgy of self congratulations" that the awards season has become in Hollywood.; Edward Norton; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Ed Norton; Peter Guber; Emilio Estevez explains how a chance encounter while on a writing retreat at a ramshackle motel led to an unlikely inspiration as he wrote the script for BOBBY.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Bobby; AMC; Emilio Estevez; Peter Guber; Emilio Estevez recounts how difficult it was to shoot scenes of BOBBY at the Ambassador Hotel while bulldozers worked just off camera.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Bobby; AMC; Emilio Estevez; Peter Guber; Emilio Estevez describes how he made concessions in the filming of BOBBY in order to keep the film on budget.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Bobby; AMC; Emilio Estevez; Peter Guber; Greg Kinnear and producer David Friendly discuss the way LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE progressed from script to screen.; Little Miss Sunshine; David Friendly; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Greg Kinnear; Peter Guber; Greg Kinnear expresses why he chose to leave broadcast television to pursue a career in acting.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Greg Kinnear; Peter Guber; Greg Kinnear outlines the factors that inform why he chooses one role over another.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Greg Kinnear; Peter Guber; Director Guillermo del Toro talks about the success of PAN'S LABYRINTH, and the effect it's had on his career.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Guillermo Del Toro; Peter Guber; Pan's Labyrinth; Gwyneth Paltrow reflects on the pressure that comes with having won an Academy Award.; Gwyneth Paltrow; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Academy Awards; Oscar; Peter Guber; Helen Mirren discusses her preparations for THE QUEEN and transcending her roots.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; helen mirren; Hugh Hefner explains why he thinks that America will never return to the Victorian-esque sexual politics that characterized the 1950s.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Hugh Hefner; Peter Guber; Hugh Hefner describes how PLAYBOY found its way out of tough financial times back into the black.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Hugh Hefner; playboy; Peter Guber; Hugh Jackman explains how an early morning ritual helps him tap into the dark side of his personality in order to portray the character Wolverine in the X-MEN franchise.; X-Men; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Hugh Jackman; Peter Guber; Hugh Jackman explains how differently Broadway theater-goers approach a night at the theater compared with their London counterparts.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Hugh Jackman; Peter Guber; Jackie Earle Haley reflects on his life as a child actor and on his second shot at Hollywood.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; Jackie Earle Haley; Javier Bardem discusses his role in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN.; Cannes; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Shootout; Javier Bardem; Peter Guber; Jennifer Hudson talks about her post-DREAMGIRLS success, and the new direction her career is taking.; Jennifer Hudson; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; DreamGirls; AMC; Peter Guber; Director John Lasseter talks about why Hollywood should focus more on making great family films.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; John Lasseter; Peter Guber; John Lasseter reveals the secret of the "creative brain trust" and the importance of honesty.; animation; john lassetter; John Lasseter reveals a proposed alternate title for the new film RATATOUILLE; sequels; john lassetter; Ratatouille; John Waters discusses the $70 million budget for HAIRSPRAY, and sympathizes with Pee Wee Herman.; Sunday Morning Shootout; John Waters; Pee Wee Herman; AMC; hairspray; John Waters explains why the childern's movie he is trying to make has become the most difficult project he has ever faced.; Sunday Morning Shootout; John Waters; John Waters professes his love for Kevin Federline and enthuses about the prospect of working with him.; Keven Federline; Sunday Morning Shootout; John Waters; Peter Bart; AMC; Britney Spears; Peter Guber; John Waters discusses his new TV show TILL DEATH DO US PART about spousal murders.; Sunday Morning Shootout; John Waters; John Waters explains why he has always been more attracted to villains in the movies.; Sunday Morning Shootout; John Waters; Kate Winslet sticks up for actor Jude Law, revels in the joy of playing a contemporary British woman, and rues the lack of bathroom breaks at the Oscars.; Kate Winslet; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Kevin Connolly and Lukas Haas discuss their new movie premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival; Lukas Haas; Kevin Connolly; Shootout; Kurt Russell talks about his experience working with Quentin Tarantino on GRINDHOUSE; Kurt Russell; grindhouse; Quentin Tarantino; Mark Wahlberg talks about his experiences working with Martin Scorsese on THE DEPARTED. ; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Mark Wahlberg; The Departed; Peter Guber; Matt Dillon muses about his first trip around the Oscar circuit, and his status as an "old pro." (02m 14s); Oscars; Matt Dillon; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Paramount Pictures producer Lorenzo DiBonaventure is critical of the lack of passion that he sees in many studio executives and financiers.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Paramount Pictures; Lorenzo DiBonaventure; Peter Guber; Paul Haggis, the writer and director of CRASH, talks about how his film has consistently defied expectations. (02m 24s); Paul Haggis; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; crash; Peter Guber; Rosario Dawson recounts how she watched RESERVOIR DOGS seven times in one week and was in awe of Quentin Tarantino's storytelling ability.; Shootout; Rosario Dawson; Tribeca Film Festival; Rosario Dawson shares her excitement about the audience reaction to THE DESCENT which was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.; Shootout; Rosario Dawson; Tribeca Film Festival; The Descent; Terrence Howard explains the courage it takes an actor to challenge himself with a difficult role by declaring, "I refuse to look like a fool."; Sunday Morning Shootout; AMC; Academy Awards; Terrence Howard; Oscars; Tim Robbins explains why so many studios passed on producing DEAD MAN WALKING.; Dead Man Walking; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Tim Robbins; Peter Guber; Tim Robbins describes how preparation for a role often forces an actor to withhold judgment and find compassion for historical figures that they would normally be repelled by.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Tim Robbins; Peter Guber; Tim Robbins reflects on the professional price of being active politically and the personal price of remaining silent. ; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Tim Robbins; Peter Guber; Vin Diesel explains why he fell in love with the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons and what kept him playing even as he worked as a bouncer in New York City.; Vin Diesel; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Dungeons & Dragons; Vin Diesel recounts how he bought a Sidney Lumet book to learn how to direct when he was embarking upon his career.; Sidney Lumet; Vin Diesel; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Vin Diesel explains why he is the rare actor that actually enjoys promoting his movies.; Vin Diesel; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Peter Guber; Steven Spielberg describes his original vision for Dreamworks and reflects on the reality of the studio.; Sunday Morning Shootout; Peter Bart; AMC; Steven Spielberg; Peter Guber; Greg Kinnear and David T. Friendly discuss how their experimentation paid off when casting LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE; Little Miss Sunshine; David Friendly; Greg Kinnear; Jessica Biel shares her experience working with Adam Sandler and stresses the importance of variety in her film choices.; Jessica Biel;