Cinema Canada (Jan-Feb 1981)

more experienced comic. “If | had to categorize it, I'd say it was the A Chorus Line of comics,” says Clark. “It's a film about a group of ambitious young people trying to make it big. The truth of it is, most of them don’t.” Adds Howie Mandel : “It’s not a wacky comedy — it’s a real comedy. There’s nothing in this film that shouldn’t or couldn’t or hasn't actually happened.” Comics deals with some of stand-up comedy’s harsher aspects, among them the comic’s greatest fear: bombing, failing to make the audience laugh. “Approval is so much needed,” says impressionist Maurice Lamarche. “If you bomb on stage, you've only got yourself to blame.” To Howard Busgang, bombing is “an empty pit of loneliness, the most lonely feeling ever. You accept it, but you never get used to it.” Paramount originally bought the rights to Comics, but according to Clark, they wanted to soften the script and change the emphasis. “They wanted primarily a love story about a guy who was already an established comic, which of course changes everything.” Paramount and Clark parted ways amicably over the project and Comics lay dormant until Pierre David arrived in LA. earlier this year, in need of a script with which Filmplan could complete a previously negotiated threepicture deal. Of the dozens of scripts he read, David liked Comics best. Shooting began the first week of November; the eight-week schedule included seven weeks in Montreal and one in LA, at a budget of $3 million. “There would have been no deal if I couldn't have directed,” claims Clark. “I didn’t want to explain the material to anyone else.” Of his first try at directing, Clark says, “I like it. For Silent Movie | took the concept to Mel Brooks, and then he hired me as a production consultant. I followed that whole film through every stage — pre-production, post-production, and scoring. It was terrific training. If I hadn’t done that I wouldn’t dare direct.” Many of the film’s young comics, Maurice Lamarche, Mike McDonald, Howard Busgang, Marjorie Gross and Tony Molesworth, were discovered at YukYuk’s comedy club in Toronto. Lamarche and McDonald, along with Howie Mandel, perform original material for the film. A feature film role is a long-awaited break for many of the stand-ups. “It’s like a dream come true,” says Busgang. “It’s i a lot of us have been waiting or.” Bruce Malloch IN PROGREY The Grey Fox Director Phillip Borsos says he “just goes out and makes films.” Pretty humble words for a man who, by making The Grey Fox, is also turning a lot of dreams into reality. Some of them are his own — for six years, Borsos has wanted to bring to the screen the story of Bill Miner, a man with the dubious distinction of being Canada’s first train robber. The fact that it’s Borsos’ feature film debut at age 27 is a bit incredible in itself. On a larger scale, this $3.48 million production embodies many peoples’ dreams of actualizing a feature film, a good feature film, that’s a born-and-bred west coast Canadian production. The dream-come-true spirit has infected the entire production crew since shooting started in the Rocky Mountains on October 7. Now, on location in an old alley near the North Vancouver waterfront, Richard Farnsworth, who plays the lead role as Miner, summed it up: “The weather has been fantastic. The countryside... beautiful to shoot. And the crew is so very enthused. It’s just been going awful smooth.” For Farnsworth, The Grey Fox is providing him with “the role of a lifetime.” He’s been riding horses and performing stunts for the likes of Henry Fonda, Montgomery Clift and Kirk Douglas in over 300 movies since 1937. Now at age 60 Farnsworth has finally been recognized as a competent and talented actor capable of handling major roles. He was recently featured in Tom Horn with Steve McQueen, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Alan J. Pakulas’s Comes A Horseman. Farnsworth more than _ physically resembles his character. There is something in his gentle and gentlemanly ways that echoes the legendary Miner. “Miner was a fantastic old man,” Farnsworth said. “I identified with him the first time I read the script.” Bill Pinkerton of the famous detective agency described Miner as “the master criminal of the American West.” He was a curious blend of hood and Robin Hood. Even in the heat of a robbery he never forgot his manners, apologizing to passengers for the delay while he robbed their train. After serving 33 years in San Quentin prison for robbing stage coaches, Miner was released. He then realized that his old trade was obsolete. The 20th Century had arrived, and with it the steam engine. Being a survivor, he turned his talents to train robbery. Eventually, two of his marks were Canadian Pacific trains that made their runs through the Fraser Valley in 1904 and 1906. “His character attracted me,” Borsos said. “He is out of time and out of place.” The Grey Fox picks up Bill Miner's story on June 17, 1901 — the day he was released from prison. Two exteriors centered around that day were shot in the North Vancouver alley that set designer Bill Brodie (Superman, Barry Lyndon and Silence of the North) had effectively turned into a 1901 San Francisco street. A 12-foot fence built at the bottom of the alley blocked out the 1980 traffic. Awnings, old barrels and a sign proclaiming “North Star Steam Beer” were added to existing buildings. A catwalk was built at the second-story level to block out a skyscraper that appeared in the camera’s line of vision. The first scene involved Miner walking into the shop where he bought his first gun after his release. The alley was filled 46] Church Street: Toronto Ontario Canada Telephones: 962: 018! 962-0182 Cinema Canada/5