specialities.
The production brings Donachie back to Glasgow— Iike many talented Scots actors. his career has taken him to London. ‘You doleel alienated. The pace at lite is very quick. it's very dirty. Simple things like you can‘t drink a cup at tea without mucktloating on the top. Coming back here's always really nice. The lootball‘s better. the beer's better. the people are nicer. lget really nostalgic about it.‘
Tis Pity She's A Whore. Citizens', Glasgow. See Theatre Listings.
BERNARDO BERTOLUCCI
Four years ago this month. ltalian director Bernardo Bertolucci and writer Mark Peploe visited China with the aim oi securing oliicial co-operation in the making ola lilm project. They oltered two options; a screen version olAndre Malraux's La Condition Humaine. or an epic re-creation ol the lite ol Pu Yi. based on his autobiography From Emperor To Citizen. The authorities chose the latter and provided unprecedented assistance to the lirst Western tilmmakers who have been allowed to use the country lora lilm about modern China. The result is the intemationally-acclaimed The Last Emperor which has
just received Academy Award nominations.
Pu Yi came tothe ~ Imperial Throne in 1908. at the age oi three. and was lorced to abdicate in 1912 when China became a Republic. ‘One otthe most extraordinary anti-heroes at modern times. an oriental Peter Pan tloating like a cork on the stream 01 history'. he was a western playboy in the Twenties. puppet emperor ot Manchuria in the Thirties underthe Japanese. and laterspentten years oi re-education under Mao's People's Republic. Pardoned in 1959. he returned to Pekingthe lollowing year and spent his last seven years as a gardener in the Botanical Gardens. ‘Ne is a victim oi history.‘ Bertolucci claims. ‘lle is like a clinical Freudian case because. at the age oi three. he is made the Son 0t Heaven. the Lord 0i Ten Thousand Years. and he sees thousands olmen kow-towing belore him. He becomes addicted tothat image. to powerand omnipotence and his lite is conditioned by this constant need!
The Last Emperor opens at the Odeons. Glasgow and Edinburgh. on 26 February. See Film Listings tor details.
GRETA SCACCHI
White Mischieltells otthe events surrounding the murderotJosslyn Nayin Nairobi in 1941 . Atale oi scandalous romance and bloodshed amongthe decadent white colonialists. itieatures a plum role ior which any actress would beg. steal or borrow. Diana Broughton was a dazzlineg chic woman with the charm ola Hitchcock heroine. Who better to portray such a creature than Greta Scaachi? ‘l‘d read the book years ago andtollowed the progresstowards making it a lilm.
Femmelatale orinnocent victim? Diana appears to have been no more than an ambitious golddigger who moved remorselessly trom one rich husband to an even richerhusband. However. againstthe odds. Scacchi grewto admire her. ‘ltis very exciting to play a bit oi vice and although I didn‘t like her to begin with you have to put yoursell in her shoes it you are to play her. She did have enormous style and didn‘t pretend to be anything otherthan what she was. People in Nairobi talked with a great deal at respect about her. Someone like her who was an arriviste and social climber should have been devoured by her enemies yet she had such charm. even in herold age. She had spent £7000 on new clothes lorAscot just belore she died last yearand remained ilirtatious and coquettish until the end. lthink she suiiered a lotbecause true love had hit herby surprise. It wasn't a means to an end like hermarriage olthetime. She was someone who had no illusions about romance and never over-emotionalized anything. yet I thinkthe intatuation with Joss would have lasted. n
White Mischiet is scheduled tc open on 26 February atthe Odeon. Glasgow and the Cameo. Edinburgh. See Film Listingstordetails.
Greta Scaachi
MICK AUDSLEY
In an industry lamous ior its proiessional tensions. truitiul partnerships in lilm-making are as closely guarded as a successlul marriage — and are olten just as intense. A clash at personalities at the top can send a whole production oil the rails, like a reel oiiilm which has come all a projector and snakes quietly into chaos.
Stephen Frears and Mick Audsley. the team responsible lor Sammy and Rosie Get Laid which opens in Glasgow thistortnight (see leature) have now worked together as director and editor so often (Walter. The Hit. My Beautitul Laundrette. Prick Up Your Ears) that Mick gets to see the script and ‘throw my oar in' belore shooting begins. ‘lt‘s a real honour. Normally you just have to get on with it; the rushes come though the door and you have to make the lilm. But it the writing's bad you get to a point where editing will never overcome it. You can't go anywhere without good writing.’
Walter. the lilm which launched Channel 4 in 1982. was not only theiirst lilm they worked on together, it was alsothe lirst majorlilm Mick had cut. ‘I was completelyoti the streets and lwas terrilied because i knew and admired Stephen's work. It was a territic act at taith that he took me on.‘
Alanatic about lilm-making himselt. Mick is iull oi respect tor Frears
The Last Emperor
obj) yaw“? ,,,_ I.» / vs
Sammyand Rosie GetLaid
and the type oi tilms he makes. ‘Nis lilm-making ability is acute and he has an amazing eye tor material. it‘s impossible to live with a lilm tor. whattor us is tour oriive months. unless you ieel strongly about it. You have to believe in it absolutely.‘
It being trusted brings out the best in Mick as an editor. it is a responsiblity which also weighs heavy. ‘Actors and actresses look at editors with longing eyes because they know you can
rights to Peter Pan. gitted by J. M. Barrie to the Great Ormond Street Hospital tor Sick Children. expired. But the actors and management otthis production are determined that this shouldn't make any dilierence and that anyone in the luture who periorms this classic should continue . to pay Great Ormond Street. a particularly valuable gesture at a time otacute cash shortages in the NHS. Equity have just approved a
interfere with a motion to this eltect' says periormance or somehow George and he will be getitto work.’ calling anyone who doesn't
comply a ‘rattink' - ‘worst name i can thinkol'.
For all his and Frears' combined skill, they do
sometimes get. it wrong. I Peter Pan .- ‘When we made The Musical Laundrette. which was tor will be at the box we all very the Playhouse. | consciously cut it in a Edinburgh particularway torTV until Sat 20 becauselilm works quite February. dilierently according to the 7.30pm size oi the screen. Then (Saturday 20. E everyone said it looked 2,3opm and . great on a cinema screen ‘
and didn't work very 7.30pm). - well on television — so'we just go
away and set tire to ourselves Isuppose! (Sally
Kinnes)
GEORGE COLE
Swapping his trilby lora mass at dark 18th century ringlets George Cole is taking time oil trom the world oi the second hand car lot Minderto appear as Mr Darling/Captain Hook in Peter Pan. Nis biggest worry will be tor once not the law. but the crocodile who. having got a nibble oi the Captain when he bit his hand oil. is very keen to gobble up the rest. Co-starring is Lulu. playing Peter Pan tor the third time. and this production which is a musical and not a pantomime. comes to Scotland alter a highly successtul 3 month run at the Cambridge Theatre. London.
On January1 the
George Cole
h The [in w l’ch— 3 Matl‘ mesa