Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 4, 1995 TAG: 9503080011
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SUSAN KING LOS ANGELES TIMES
DATELINE: HOLLYWOOD LENGTH: Medium
So one expects the worst entering his expansive Pasadena, Calif., hotel suite. But Vice President Al Gore's former Harvard roommate seems to be on his best behavior this afternoon. Monosyllabic replies are few and far between. In fact, the lanky Texan offers a strong handshake and even helps his visitor off with her jacket.
Jones, who made his film debut 25 years ago in ``Love Story,'' has been on a roll since, winning the best supporting Oscar for his memorable turn as federal marshal Lt. Sam Gerard in 1993's ``The Fugitive.'' Last year alone, Jones starred in ``The Client,'' ``Natural Born Killers,'' ``Blown Away,'' ``Blue Sky'' and ``Cobb.'' This summer he turns up on the silver screen as Batman's nemesis Harvey Two-Face in ``Batman Returns.''
In between those projects, the 48-year-old actor managed to find time to co-write (with J.T. Allen), direct and star in the western ``The Good Old Boys,'' premiering Sunday at 8 p.m. on TNT.
Based on Elmore Kelton's acclaimed novel, ``Good Old Boys'' finds Jones playing an endearing cowboy named Hewey Calloway, who is torn between the life he loves and the shrinking American West of 1906. Sissy Spacek, who won an Oscar starring opposite Jones in 1980's ``Coal Miner's Daughter,'' is spunky Spring Renfro, the woman who nearly gets Calloway to settle down. Sam Shepard, Terry Kinney and Frances McDormand round out the strong cast.
Jones has been writing scripts for years. ``Originals,'' he says, flashing those piercing dark brown eyes. ``Nobody's ever read them. I'm scared [to show them].''
Executive producer Edgar J. Scherick brought ``Good Old Boys'' to Jones' attention. ``I knew he was talking about television,'' Jones says. ``I called him back and said, `You know you can't afford me. Neither can any of the television producers you can go to. If you compete on the open market for my services, forget it! But if you will consider letting me direct it, I will deliver an expensive actor. That's something I can do that no one else can do.'''
He shifts in his chair and flashes those eyes one more time. ``Really, most people, forget producers or people that work in the motion-picture industry, are more comfortable with the idea of an actor who really can't put one foot in front of the other, much less think,'' he says. ``That's really a lot easier to get your mind around. It just makes it so much easier for you. It is less intimidating. It's empowering somehow if you can objectify it. [Actors] are cattle.
``So there is a huge hump to get over,'' Jones adds. ``There is a stigma. There is prejudice, there is bigotry. I did not meet that at Turner. I said [to Scherick], `Look, we got to go there,' and we did and they said, `OK,' and off we went.''
As far as directing is concerned, the bottom line for Jones is that he ``loved every minute of it.''
Especially because he was surrounded by friends. ``I couldn't put one foot in front of another without Sissy,'' he says with a smile. ``I had to have her. I finished the script and sent it to her and asked her if she'd call me back and tell me if she liked it. If she did, would she be in it and who would she want to play? Once she did read it and called me up, I was pretty much OK. Other actors came to work, equally supportive actors who were good pals who didn't make me pay them what they were worth. They loved the story and wanted to all go together out to West Texas and make the movie.''
Jones says he learned how to direct by dogging his directors and following them around on sets. The director he gleaned the most from was Oliver Stone, who directed Jones in ``JFK,'' ``Heaven and Earth'' and ``Natural Born Killers.''
Jones would love the opportunity to direct again. ``I finished work on the eighth sound reel of `Good Old Boys' yesterday. We did the final mix - the final dub. They pried my cold, dead fingers away from the work print. Today, for the first time in my life, I am an unemployed director, which makes me feel like a human being. It makes me feel tall, big, grown-up with my feet on the ground. It [also] scares me to death. The actor is going to be fine, believe me. The writer-director is looking for something to do.''
by CNB