Audio Interview: Joel and Ethan Coen (“True Grit”)

This month, I’ll be posting an audio interview with a notable screenwriter each day. Today:Joel and Ethan Coen about their version of the movie True Grit from an interview on NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross. You can hear it here. An excerpt:

You know, one of the things which was somewhat peculiar about our recollection, even our distant recollection of the first movies, you know, we were aware of the fact that that part was played by Kim Darby, and she was in her early 20s when she played the part.

But it’s so clear from the novel that part of what’s interesting — I mean, you know, what’s very interesting about what Charles Portis did in the novel is he made the protagonist just on the brink of puberty, of, you know, of sort of sexual awareness. I mean, just on that weird edge between being a child in between being a, you know, an adolescent or sexual creature.

And it’s part of what’s interesting about the whole dynamic between her and the two men in the story. And no, we didn’t want to sexualize it, but on the other hand, there’s this sort of sexual element of them and her age is part of the story and part of what we wanted to be there.

While we’re talking about interviews, don’t forget about these: 

Interviews — Video

Interviews — Written

Probably over 300 interviews there meaning a lot of great insight and wisdom into the craft — and it’s all free!

Thanks to Kirsten Lind for emailing me the link to the “Fresh Air” interview.