Eastwood Unforgiven As Secret Serviceman He Plays Frank Horrigan, a Somebody You Might Not Even by PAUL FREEMAN Maverick Secret Service Agent Particularly Respect
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`In the Line of Fire' Rene Russo and Clint Eastwood are Secret Service aces under stress in 'In the Line of Fire' Eastwood Unforgiven As Secret Serviceman He plays Frank Horrigan, a somebody you might not even BY PAUL FREEMAN maverick Secret Service agent particularly respect. You just do it SPECL4t TO THE CHROMCIE whose commitment to his job has because It's your job. That mental- Los Angeles turned him into a loner. Racked ity is hard to understand, but LINT .EASTWOOD recently with guilt, Horrigan cannot es- admirable." went through an important cape the doubts surrounding his He has known many Secret period in his career Be- failure to prevent the assassina- Service agents over the years. C tion of John F. Kennedy. tween last October and January "I've spoken with them while I the Hollywood film maker and Horrigan, however, gets his was playing golf with Gerald Ford actor was tieing honored for opportunity for redemption when or visiting the White House. But I "Unforgiven." he encounters a brilliant psycho- learned much more in preparing path (Mitch Leary, played by John for this. They allowed me to watch Instead of basking in the long Malkovich) who plans to kill the training film. I spoke with guys overdue glow, Eastwood was president. who'd been on duty during the working intensely, giving the per- Eastwood says the Secret Ser- Kennedy assassination or at- formance of his life in the scintil- vice always has fascinated him. tempts on other presidents." lating thriller "In the Line of "That's because it's an organiza- "In the Line of Fire" is the first Fire." tion that shuns publicity. I'm film to receive the approval and intrigued by what it would take to cooperation of the Secret Service. "fn the tine of Fire" opens Friday at throw yourself in front of some- Eastwood's participation could the Kabuki and Plaza theaters. body, take a bullet for somebody, have been a significant factor. The film portrays the service in a heels of 'Unforgiven.' I still hadn't favorable light, but shows a few recovered from the pressure of warts. "I like flaws in a charac- putting that all together." ter," Eastwood declares. "because Helping to hold the dramatic that makes them human. No web of "In The Line of Fire" human being is picture perfect, together is the unnerving perfor- although they're often depicted mance of Malkovich. "The film that way on the screen." needed that to make it work," Eastwood portrayed complex Eastwood says. "The greater the characters earlier in his career, as obstacle the antagonist presents, in "The Beguiled" and "Tight- the greater the protagonist's ac- rope," but Horrigan gives him an complishment. John makes a very opportunity to display a wide provocative antagonist:" _ range — tough and tender, hu- Malkovich, whose next assign- morous and poignant. ment, ironically, is to adapt and direct a Chicago stage production Co-star Rene Russo ("Lethal of "Libra," about Lee Harvey Weapon 3"), who plays a female Oswald, has great respect_ for agent, asserts, "Clint Eastwood Ush.v094----- - fans are going to be surprised by "He's someone I've always ad- this film, because he's so vulnera- mired enormously. He is, in some ble and so romantic in it." strange way, what everyone wish- Malkovich as Wolfgang Petersen ("Das John an assassin es their father was. He's the icon Boot"), who directed "In the Line had recommended me for this job, of American cinema, of America, of Fire," recognized early that this so he was comfortable. Being a period. He is America in terms of would be a breakthrough for director, be understands that it's what we are and what we wish we Eastwood. "I didn't study his the film maker's film, so why be were. After all, he said, 'Smith and previous films, which is what I difficult? This was probably the Wesson and me.' He's made an would usually do, because I want- easiest time I've ever had with an indelible impression on our cul- ' ed to take a fresh approach with actor." ture." Clint as a personality." Ten years ago, Francis Ford Petersen sometimes demanded Coppola approached Malkovich In a moment that may fasci- nearly 41) takes. Eastwood, who, as about starring in. "Unforgiven." nate many audiences, Eastwood's a director, rarely exceeds five, Horrigan, recalling the horror of "It would have been a total says, laughing, "Wolfgang is a failure. Who would want to see that November day in Dallas, very charming guy and he can winds up in tears. "You've never that? I wouldn't. It takes a certain con you, I mean talk you into presence. Acting shmacting. At seen a scene like that in an doing as many takes as he needs. Eastwood movie," Petersen pro- the end, when you know the claimed. "He made the scene "After directing for years, it character is going to have to start work, but I can take a bit of credit. was great fun to just do the shooting, it requires a kind of On the second take, I told Rene, acting, to have someone else take mythic figure, which Clint is." who was standing by him through the brunt of the work. 1 could Eastwood doesn't read too his speech, 'Next time, grab his relax and concentrate on the role. much into his recent Oscar suc- hand, squeeze it.' This would have been a difficult cess. "If you believe in astrology, one to direct, especially on the maybe it was a case of the stars "Sometimes that sort of thing pushes you over the brink. Clint, not expecting it, was overwhelm- ed. Afterwards, he walked away from the camera and just stood in the hack, recovering." being in the right alignment. myself. As my character in 'White Eastwood downplays the his- When I was elected mayor of Hunter, Black Heart' said, 'You've torical impact of the scene. "I Carmel, I went to the staff the got to forget anyone's going to see don't think that's the first time first day and said, 'We must take the film when you're making it' " I've ever cried on screen. I think I the work seriously, but never take did in The Outlaw Josey Wales.' ourselves seriously.' I've always At 63, the San Francisco-born Crying is not necessarily acting. had that attitude. It was given to Eastwood believes he is entering Most actors can do that without me by my parents. It's sad when his prime. "I have the luxury of much trouble. It's what you hold stars take themselves seriously, having lived more of life, having back, what you're trying to stifle, because it obviously means that more experiences to draw from. that builds up the inner energy in they don't have enough on their our art." You won't atrophy, physically or minds to keep them occupied. mentally, if you keep forgine, Petersen says that Eastwood, "I'm not in the recognition ahead, creating new hurdles for now an Oscar-winning director, business. I make pictures to please yourself." ID never intruded with suggestions on the set. "He was the one who .