Canadian Film Digest (Jan 1973)

x The Canadian Film Digest JANUARY 1973 A Mari Usque Ad Mare... Page 9 The American Invasion, Part I: The Paper Chase PS Director James Bridges (seated right) cinematographer Gordon Willis looks on. Graham Beckel is in a unique position: to follow in someone's footsteps is one thing, but the someone is usually not your own age. Yet here he is, in his first movie role, as co-star to Timothy Bottoms, who also won for his first role a co-starring position in Jonny Got His Gun. Mass notoriety may result, but the notice has already occurred, Beckel made a name for himself in Joseph Papp's stage production of Sticks and Bones. Jt was a culmination of being stagestruck, confrontation with schools and draft boards, and studying drama. But it was almost football. “In high school I was the jock. Playing football was great, but I was interested in Need a Lab? Popcorn all gone? Your print is scratched? s confers with John Houseman, while Graham Beckel: From Stage To Co-Star _ made a deal: Let me be in the show and I theatre. In my final year I wanted to audition for a school play. Everyone expected football from me, so I hesitated. Finally I somehow said, ‘This is what I’ll be doing the rest of my-life.’ Everyone laughed when I auditioned, but I got the part.” His father was a history teacher at New York University at the time, and Beckel was raised in Greenwich Village. But school was elsewhere for college. Or rather schools, as he bounced from one to the other. One school was characteristic. ‘‘The highest per cent of ROTC enrollments in the country. I knew they didn’t want me there. The last show of the year was . coming up and I wanted to be in it but my marks were too low. I went to the head and Pig eass=s5! anon ae nan Cty a a0 et Owe ne 4 “* . i ena en Rg ee eee " =r a or Aan Between scenes Timothy Bottoms and Graham Beckel toss a frisbie. Shooting is taking place at Toronto’s Victoria College. ! Every day Toronto looks more like Twentieth Century-Fox territory, as The Paper Chase was shot here in November and December, along with The Neptune Factor. The PaperChase was written and directed by James Bridges, and starred Timothy Bottoms with newcomers Graham Beckel and Lindsay Wagner.’ Featured in the film was, John Houseman. Houseman has a long and distinguished career in American theatre and films. He was the-cofounder, with Orson. Welles, of the Mercury Theatre; he helped to write Citizen Kane; asa j producer of films he brought to the screen Julius Caesar with Marlon Brando, Lust for Life, and the Bad and the Beautiful. His stage direction can currently be seen in a touring production of Shaw’s Don Juan in Hell. Houseman is currently director of the Juilliard School of Acting in New York. He took the part, he says, because he must “‘get out of the classroom from time to time.” won't come back next year. He agreed.” After various other schools, construction jobs to finance a trip to Europe, and dealing with the draft board, Beckel ended up in theatre. And now the movies, where he plays Ford, the Devil-type figure. in The Paper Chase. ; For the part he Boerne some time observing Harvard Law Students at work. “Their personalities are in closets. They're cold and analytical. They are in a process where they're torn down; their personalities disappear.’’ Beckel found no such tension on this set, and looks forward to his project. He refuses to jump to any conclusions as to what it may be. ‘‘Its my needs at the moment.” THECANARTN Aa lcs The film was produced by Robert Thompson and Rodrick Paul, two young men whom.Fox President Gordon Stulberg met in the story department of Cinerama when he was there. Gordon Willis was_ director’ of cinematography. His most recent credits include The Godfather.and Bad Company. Locations consisted mainly of various sites on the University of Toronto campus. It was deemed similar to Harvard and was substituted for the latter. As well Toronto International Film Studios Stage Two offered a huge lecture hall set. The story is of a naive Minnesota boy attending his first year at Harvard Law School, his love affair with the daughter of his legendary professor, and the influence of a sophisticated. young Wall Street-bound fellow student. The company wound up _ principal photography in late December. Send your order to: Yearbook The Canadian Film Digest 175 Bloor St. East Toronto 5 CANADIAN FILM DIGEST YEARBOOK To get the 1e people and information ae a roca Ca a 7 ‘ . Ms by wed Pe e@&« tT. ci wed al dh oe elety Order the 1972/73 Canadian. Film Digest Yearbook. Only $5.00 per copy. Or $4.50 for 2 to 5. Or $4.00 for 6 to 10.