1 THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WEST INTERNATIONAL SALES INTERNATIONAL PRESS EUROPACORP PREMIER La Cité du Cinéma Claire Gascoyne 20, rue Ampère T +44 207 292 6433 - M +44 7515 587 173 93413 Saint-Denis Cedex [email protected] T: +33 1 55 99 50 00 Emma Robinson www.europacorp.com T +44 207 292 5083 - M +44 7802 466 887 [email protected] www.premiercomms.com 2 EUROPACORP PRESENT TOMMY LEE HILARY JONES SWANK A FILM BY TOMMY LEE JONES WRITTEN BY TOMMY LEE JONES & KIERAN FITZGERALD & WESLEY OLIVER PRODUCERS PETER BRANT, BRIAN KENNEDY, LUC BESSON A MICHAEL FITZGERALD AND TOMMY LEE JONES PRODUCTION SUNDAY, MAY 18TH IN THEATERS 3 4 SYNOPSIS When three women are driven insane on the edges of the Ame- rican frontier, the task of delivering them back east falls to a pious spinster named Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank). The daunting challenge of driving a wagon loaded with madwomen four hundred miles compels her to employ a partner—a drifting low-life who goes by the name of ‘George Briggs’ (Tommy Lee Jones). Together, the unlikely pair head out across the prairie with their freakish cargo, re-traversing the harsh, untamed Ne- braska Territories in a journey marked by stark beauty, constant threat, and psychological peril. Their destination is a Church in Iowa where a minister’s wife (Meryl Streep) waits to relieve them of the lost souls in their care. But before they can cross back into civilization, their mis- sion will exact a brutal toll—one that speaks to every backward tragedy and unsung act of heroism buried in the foundations of the American West. 5 Q&A WITH TOMMY LEE JONES (DIRECTOR - PRODUCER - GEORGE BRIGGS) What is THE HOMESMAN about? American West? Do you consider it to be a Western? THE HOMESMAN is the story of three women It was important for me to explore because I think I don’t know how the term Western is defined. who are transported in a wagon across Nebraska in it’s the origin of the female condition today. I have the impression over the years that the 1854, because they have been driven pretty much Western is a movie that has horses in it and big insane by the hardships of life on the American Who is George Briggs, the character you portray hats and that takes place in the 19th century frontier. When I completed the script, my vision in the film? usually on the west side of the Mississippi river. of the film was minimalist because there are not George Briggs is a fearless man, a claim jumper, I’ve even read critics who are bold enough to call a lot of visual details to show it’s Nebraska and an army deserter—an independent man of rather a science fiction movie a Western. It’s a term that the Northern part of the West. Now, I’m certainly low character. He is willing to help a woman who people use so often that I don’t think it has much impressed by North Eastern New Mexico, where believes she can get across Nebraska in a wagon meaning anymore. So I’m not sure I can really we shot the movie, because it stands in very well with three insane women as passengers. The truth answer your question, because I don’t know what for Nebraska. For me, the landscape itself is a is, he agrees to help her out because she rescues a Western is. very important character in our movie him from a very dangerous situation, and so he is indebted to her, even though she finds out that she How was it working with Hilary Swank? Why was your vision «minimalist»? wouldn’t have made it on her own. It’s wonderful to work with Hilary Swank; she’s Because of the landscape, which mostly consists always prepared, she’s always happy; very creative. of a line that divides heaven and earth. The line THE HOMESMAN features an original and an She read the script very rapidly and understood it. is usually straight, which creates an emotional unlikely team… She’s always ready to go, at the very beginning of environment as much as a natural one, and you They don’t like each other at the beginning of every single day. It’s a joy to know Hilary Swank, can take it from there. the story. But they learn that they need to be and a greater joy to work with her. able to rely on each other, and how to depend Why was it important for you to explore the on another—until somehow they finally begin to How about Meryl Streep? female condition in the mid-nineteenth century understand one another Meryl Streep needs no praise; she’s got plenty 6 7 of it. She’s one of the finest movie actors in the history of cinema, and I’m very happy to call her a friend, because to be a friend of hers is another total joy. Tell me about James Spader. Spader is a very fine movie actor and he’s very good company. He’s a congenial man, very funny, and we always had a lot of fun, whether working or playing. But the character that he brings to the screen has nothing to do with the real James Spader. What about Hailee Steinfeld? Hailee is a complete actor, beyond her years. She had a small part in this film but a very important one and she played it perfectly with no evasions, nothing extra, or irrelevant. She’s very simple and very direct to the material. A couple of the scenes she appeared in had a strange quality to them – she was able to observe and play in a way that made perfect sense to the narrative. How do you use rehearsal to prepare your cast? Elles permettent à chacun de connaître la mise Well, everybody needs to know where to stand—that’s called blocking—and everybody needs to gain confidence, to know their lines, to gain some idea of what the camera is doing, whether it’s going to move, whether it’s close, 8 or wide. And with rehearsals, actors can and Critics’ Choice Award nominations. develop an idea of how they relate to one another. BIOGRAPHY Tommy Lee Jones was awarded the Best Every rehearsal is different – some people need Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the a lot of rehearsals, some people need very little; Tommy Lee Jones made his feature film debut uncompromising U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard in some people can get a lot of rehearsal and won’t in LOVE STORY and, in a career spanning four the box office hit THE FUGITIVE in 1994. For do better; you never use rehearsal the same way decades, has starred in such films as EYES OF this performance, he also received a Golden twice. But the point of rehearsal is to be ready, and LAURA MARS, COAL MIner’s DAUGHTER Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. Three the readiness is all, I read somewhere. – for which he received his first Golden years earlier, Jones received his first Oscar Globe nomination – STORMY MONDAY, nomination for his portrayal of Clay Shaw in Please tell us about your work with production THE PackagE, JFK, UNDER SIEGE, THE Oliver Stone’s JFK. designer Meredith Boswell. FUGITIVE, HEAVEN AND EARTH, THE Meredith is a wonderful production designer, and CLIENT, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, BLUE In 2007, Jones starred in the critically acclaimed she can design the simplest of things, including a SKY, COBB, BATMAN FOREVER, MEN film IN THE VaLLEY OF ELAH for which he wagon rolling across 19th century Nebraska and IN BLACK, U.S. MARSHALLS, DOUBLE received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. when you put a lens on it, it’s always beautiful and JEOPARDY, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, In 2005, Jones starred in the THE THREE very functional. She is the best production designer SPACE COWBOYS, MEN IN BLACK 2, THE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, I’ve ever met. HUNTED, THE MISSING, THE THREE which he also directed and produced. The film BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA, debuted in competition at the 2005 Cannes Billy Burton and you have struck up a strong sense A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, IN THE Film Festival and garnered Jones the award of camaraderie. ELECTRIC MIST, THE COMPANY MEN, for Best Actor and screenwriter Guillermo I’ve been working with Billy for thirty-five years CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, Arriaga the award for Best Screenplay.The film and we’ve always got good results. We communicate MEN IN BLACK 3, HOPE SPRINGS, THE was also nominated for the Palme d’Or and the clearly, concisely, and quickly. He’s getting a little EMPEROR and The FamiLY. film received four Independent Spirit Award older now but he has been one of the handiest nominations for Best Feature, Best Screenplay, people in the motion picture stunt business. Recently he portrayed Thaddeus Stevens in Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Steven Spielberg’s film LINCOLN. For this Male. How about Lahly Poore? performance, Jones won the Screen Actors Her costumes are perfectly appropriate and specific Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor and to 1855. She achieved beautiful work with a small Academy Award nomination, BAFTA Award budget. nomination, Golden Globe Award nomination 9 Q&A WITH HILARY SWANK (MARY BEE CUDDY) How would you sum up THE HOMESMAN? -- «Don’t do unto others what you don’t want THE HOMESMAN deals with an unusual and I see THE HOMESMAN as being about the others to do unto you.» Something else that I an original team: the claim jumper and a pioneer.