ALBERT FINNEY: You’re conditioning comes through now and again. Even in simple things like I have a son, and sometimes you hear yourself saying something you never thought you’d say to your son that your father said to you. And it’s kind of an easy line to say in the circumstance, perhaps. You think, “God, I’m just repeating, really, something my father said.”
I think we are mysteries in a way. We are mysteries to our fathers and our sons because it’s a very complex relationship. I think there’s bound to be areas you for some reason don’t go into. You can have a much more open relationship with an uncle than maybe with a father. There isn’t that direct blood so you can perhaps be more honest to an uncle than you can to a father. My son said to me that he thought that my relationship with my nephew was more open than it was with him. I said, “Well, it’s bound to be more complicated with you. You’re my son!” But we got on.
What sets “Big Fish” apart?
ALBERT FINNEY: I would say you’re taken on a magic carpet ride. You don’t quite know where the film’s going. These flashes of imagination come in and will make you feel good. I think that at the end of it you feel, “Well, I’m going to talk to my father or my son more. I must.” And you do, then it’s a good thing. The thing between fathers and sons – I don’t know about between mothers and daughters, it’s too complicated – but between fathers and sons, if you can open up a bit it will be good.
JESSICA LANGE: The messages that are kind of presented in this film, and hopefully learned by the characters at the end, especially by the son, is this idea of judgment. How tough are we in judging our family, especially our parents? Maybe it goes the other way, too. You know, how hard are you on judging your children? I think it works stronger the other way. We are much more judgmental of our parents than our parents are of us. I think in a way what these lessons are, this idea of acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, I think all those are life-altering lessons. We all need to learn more acceptance and learn more tolerance.
What do you think about Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of the younger version of your character?
ALBERT FINNEY: Well, he’s not as good-looking, of course (laughing). No, I think Ewan’s a very good [actor]. I think he’s engaging as an actor. He’s very honest and direct, and he seems to have a very good time. In England, he’s opening about eight films this summer. He’s very different in them, and he keeps popping out of different cupboards with these characters. He seems to be having a lovely ride and taking it very well. I think he’s a joy as a young man. I was delighted that he was playing it. They say we look-alike but… They had two photographs when we were cast in the film. One of me in “Tom Jones’ and one of Ewan now. They felt we looked alike, sufficiently.
What did you think about Alison Lohman as the younger you? Did you work together to develop the character?
JESSICA LANGE: We didn’t have the opportunity. I asked about that. I thought that would be helpful for both of us. But the schedule just didn’t allow it to happen. I basically finished my part before Alison got down to the set. I actually didn’t even meet her. But there was one or two moments when I watched the film last night where I was kind of struck by the resemblance, certain angles. I think with Alison, I just kind of came in and established the character, she really had the burden of making it believable.
ALBERT FINNEY: They did this sneakily. We did our work first, [they] saw all the rushes we’d done, and then copied us (laughing). Because we didn’t discuss it at all. I think maybe they did that.
JESSICA LANGE: I think she did look at stuff. You’d have to ask her but I assume that that was part of her preparation.
ALBERT FINNEY: We just let the younger ones do it. “You do the work.”
At what point in making this movie did you realize you were working on something special?
ALBERT FINNEY: I thought the script was very special. My girlfriend read it too. She couldn’t put it down and said, “You’ve got to do it.” Straightaway. Then I met Tim and I felt I got on with him. He seemed very easy and sweet. From the get-go, I was in. Doing it was wonderful because I didn’t know anybody on the film. I’ve never worked with anybody on the film except Dick Zanuck. We just seemed straightaway to be an ensemble, to be hand-in-glove, and just feel good with each other. This lovely lady was a stranger to me. We’d spoken on the phone over a play, which I didn’t do. It just seemed to work. The relationships and the getting together just seemed so seamless to me.
Additional “Big Fish” Cast Interviews:
Ewan McGregor/Alison Lohman and Danny DeVito/Helena Bonham Carter/Steve Buscemi
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
"Big Fish" Photos and Trailer
