Profile: David Fincher, Part 3

Our friend Trevor Hogg’s latest FlickeringMyth.com profile is on director David Fincher, currently out with his new movie The Social Network. Some excerpts from Part 3:

David Fincher’s seventh cinematic endeavor The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) is an adaptation of a fictional short story by Scott F. Fitzgerald about a man who ages backwards. “Obviously David [Fincher] is different than Michael Mann [The Insider] or Steven Spielberg [Munich],” observed screenwriter Eric Roth. “Everybody has a process and each of them tries to get the best work from you and you try to get the best ideas from them.” Producer Kathleen Kennedy (War of the Worlds) thought Roth was the perfect choice to craft the script for the $150 million production. “Eric was the ideal person to fully realize the potential of such a large-scale but deeply personal story,” stated Kennedy. “In Forrest Gump [1994], he revealed intimate portraits against the backdrop of epic stories, and a gift for richly observed detail.” Reflecting on the picture which awarded him with an Oscar, Eric Roth remarked, “Not to disparage Forrest Gump, but I feel this to be more mature writing. Some of it is much more personal because both my parents died while I was writing this, so there were obviously personalized things about love and life and death.” Roth gave an example, “I remember, I asked my mom, ‘Are you afraid?’ and she said, ‘I’m curious.’ And I think that’s almost the first line of the movie.”

On the creative challenge of developing the cinematic personas portrayed by Brad Pitt (Burn After Reading), Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth), Julia Ormond (Smilla’s Sense of Snow), Elias Koteas, Taraji P. Henson (Hurricane Season), Earl Maddox (Little Chenier), Jacob Tolano (Guy in the Trunk), Donna DuPlantier (The Roe Effect), Jason Flemyng (Clash of the Titans), David Jensen (The Mist), Ed Metzger (Dog Day Afternoon) and Joeanna Sayler (Trust Me), the screenwriter stated, “Whether you like them or not you have to give them some reality, some history, some psychological traits that would be accurate for that personality.” The biggest complication was in the depiction of the title character over the various stages of his life. “There was some talk for a while of having four or five actors playing Benjamin at different ages, but I had faith that David could figure it out.” Playing the role of Button is an actor working on his third project with David Fincher. “For Brad Pitt, it’s harder acting than other roles that are so huge, because to be quiet is the hardest thing.” Eric Roth recalled a conversation with an Oscar-winning performer. “I remember Bob DeNiro telling me that the hardest thing to do as an actor is to listen. He said most actors are planning what to say next, and if you watch really good actors, they’re listening.” Pitt laments the lack of respect the elderly receive from the younger members of society. “I wouldn’t say our culture leans toward respecting the wisdom of age and those who’ve been around a lot. It’s Beavis and Butt-head, ‘You’re old!’”

“I remember Tom Hanks [Castaway] said, ‘Gee, your movies are always about loneliness,’” stated Eric Roth. “And I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t think the movie is necessarily about loneliness. It’s more about what comforts you.” Brad Pitt believes, “It’s a tragedy in the sense that any love involves loss, and that’s the risk you take.” Reflecting on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher commented, “I like to think of it as being about the dents that we make on each other.” Julia Ormond was intrigued by project because of the involvement of Fincher. “I love the choices that he made with it,” admired Ormond. “There’s a moment in it when Brad is leaving Cate, or when Benjamin is leaving Daisy, and he’s stealing out at night, and looks at her in the bed. And she’s looking right back at him, and nothing is said.” Eric Roth was concerned that the celebrity status of the leading man would serve as a distraction. “We had test screenings early on and test groups only talked about Benjamin,” remembered the screenwriter. “We realized, they’re not talking about Brad Pitt… because they got lost in the character.”

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button earned $334 million worldwide and won Oscars for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects while contending for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Picture, Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Eric Roth and Robin Swicord). At the BAFTAs the epic fantasy tale won Best Makeup, Best Production Design, Best Special Visual Effects along with receiving nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Editing Best Film, Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Music, Best Adapted Screenplay. The Golden Globes nominated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for Best Director, Best Picture — Drama, Best Original Score, Best Actor (Brad Pitt), and Best Screenplay. David Fincher was honoured with a nomination by the Directors Guild of America. The film was nominated at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Taraji P. Henson), and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Brad Pitt). At the Young Artist Awards, Madisen Beaty competed for Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

For the rest of Part 3, go here.

For Part 1, go here.

For Part 2, go here.