home
life. "A wife
stands between you and life's many frustrations"
add so much more
to your life than . . . What I mean is . . . I couldn't live without
her."
He had obviously warmed up to the subject and showed no intentions
of letting it get away from him. There was a lot a woman could mean,
he continued. She represented security for a man outside his work.
She was the only one capable of bringing him down to simple humanity
where all the human emotions could be felt. Home, then, became a place
where you could let down the guard on your weakness.
"You get closer to positive things," Cassavetes decided, "because
a woman can step between you and all those little frustrations in daily
living that can drive you crazy.
"Oh sure, I want to be a success," Cassavetes admitted. "I
want to be a millionaire with two—no, make it three— swimming
pools."
Lane and McEndree thought that was the funniest thing they had heard in the last
second or two. "John's been turning down a lot of work so he could stick
with Shadows," one of them said. "Nobody here has any money. We've
been pumping it all into this project."
|
RARE SHOT of
Cassavetes relaxing. "I can't be bothered with all that nonsense," he
says and proceeds to work his usual 16 hours a day. |
The main concern of this actors' workshop, Cassavetes insisted, is
to develop the separate individualites. Once you figure out what
your capabilities are, nothing, including criticism, should stand
in the way of your own individuality.
"It's not only my opinion but has been proven many times: Individual
expression is the highest paying commodity.
"Who needs good looks, when you're an individual?" Cassavetes demanded.
"For example, a lot of stars look entirely different in ordinary
everyday living. No producer, at first glance, would call them good
material. Before James Dean became a star, I saw him around town
many times. He certainly didn't have what you'd call physical appeal.
Nor did Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Edward G. Robinson, and Charles
Laughton. Make-up can do wonders for any face, but you can't get
away with a surface job of individuality. All the great ones have
it. Look at them, and you'll find a definite and personal expression."
In these times of almost dreary conformity everyone dressed alike,
everyone lives in the same sort of house, every-
continued on page 23
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A non-profit organization, Shadows, Inc., had been formed in September, 1956,
to give new and untired theatrical talent a chance to prove itself. Cassavetes
and Lane also wanted a place where they could turn out plays minus commercialism.
Cassavetes
refuses to tell what the experimental picture is about. "Everyone will
get the wrong idea and say we've got a cause. I couldn't care less
about
causes of any kind. Anyhow, this picture is just for acting groups
and perhaps colleges." " When an actor is out of work a long
time, he grows self-centered and bitter. I know, I went through it
for five years myself before I broke into television. You get so wrapped
up in your personal worries and miseries, you lose interest in other
people. That's deadly for anyone— especially an actor. Watching
people is the only way to discover what they're like. How else can
you expect to understand them? Whatever success I have, I want to use
to help others."
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