Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Oct. 19, 1989, edition 1 / Page 18
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Page GB - TOE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, October 19. 1989 ”Dry White Season" Gets Best Out Of Sutherland BY BOB THOMAS ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER LOS ANGELES CAP) — For a po litical activist such as Donald Sutherland, the experience of playing the role of an Afrikaner who becomes a fighter against South Africa's apartheid was something to "kick-start" his soul. The film Is "A Dry White Sea son," which so moved another actor, Marlon Brando, that he ended a nine-year retirement to take the brief role of a civil rights lawyer. The MGM release Is also notable as the first major film by Euzhan Palcy, a 32-year- old from Martinique who direct ed her only other feature, "Sugar Cane Alley," on a $1 million budget. Sutherland and Palcy were here to help kick off "A Dry White Season," and In separate Interviews both had high praise for Brando. "He's a genius." declared Su therland. "A genius as a per former but also as a human be ing. He has this Immense wealth of observation, culture and liter ary reserves. You start to talk to him, and you can see the ripples of the little stone you throw Into the water. "As a fellow actor, he Is blissful and so sharing. He makes you feel so secure. I'm 54, and to work with this man that I used to see In movie theaters and gig gle at because he was so perfect. It was Incredibly Intimidating. I had this crush on him; I just wanted to be next to him." "He was wonderful," said Palcy, a stunning beauty with a dark helmet of tiny braids. "When Marlon came to the set the first day of shooting _ dead silence. Nobody was talking. It was mag ical, the myth was there. At the end of the first shot, he did something very funny: He said, 'And now I'm going to pee.' Eve rybody laughed, realizing he was a human being." Expectedly, Brando brought his own concepts to the role of the defense lawyer: rumpled hair, a limp, a cane and an English ac cent "Marlon didn't want to por tray an Afrikaner, so he wanted the character to be an English South African banister," the di rector said. Palcy's Involvement with "A Dry White Season" began In 1984, when she read the Andre Brink novel about an Afrikaner school teacher whose tolerance for apartheid turns to activism at the sight of the regime's atiDC- Itles. Two years later she joined forces with Hollywood producer Paula Weinstein, who had been seeking a project about South Africa. The f)alr developed the script at Warner Bros., which decided not to proceed. MGM's then boss, Alan Ladd Jr., agreed to sponsor the project. A key element In get ting "A Dry White Season" made was the participation of Bi:ando. The connection was made through the actor's close friend. Jay Ranter, then Ladd's asso ciate. When Brando approved the script, Palcy warned that the $9 million budget did not permit big salaries. He replied, "I'll do It for nothing." Sutherland became Involved In "A Dry White Season" through his former agent, Hannah Wein stein, Paula's mother. Paula Weinstein also served as his agent before moving on to pro duction posts at major studios. Sutherland signed on at one- third his usual salary. "I thought It had the potential to be an entertaining film In the best sense of entertainment," said the actor, who has never visited South Africa. "I didn't want It to be just a message pic ture. "I loved the Idea of this film be ing about an Afrikaner, not about a white Anglo llbersil, but an Afrikaner whose forebears had forged their way through on that great trek to set up their own community. It was not un like what we did In North Amer ica: We came In and wiped out the local people, put them Into reserves." The locations for "A Dry White Season" were filmed In Zimbab we. and Sutherland rhapsodized a Best-selling records of the week: 1. "Miss You Much," Janet Jackson 2. "Cherish," Madonna 3. "Mixed Emotions," The Rol ling Stones 4. "Love Song," The Cure 5. "If I Could Turn Back Time." Cher 6. "Listen to Your Heart," Rox- ette 7. "Sowing the Seeds of Love," Tears'for Fears 8. "Heaven," Warrant 9. "Dr. Feelgood," Motley Crue 10. "Don't Look Back, Young Cannibals (Source: Cashbox magazlne) Fine about such experiences as watching 79 elephants walking noiselessly In the moonlight. "Of all of the places I've been. Including China, Zimbabwe Is the only place where my wife and I want to go baek on vaca tion," he said. Donald Sutherland has trav eled far from Nova Scotia, where he grew up plagued by shyness, 111 health and gawkiness that prompted pla5mates to call him Dumbo and Goofus. He withdrew Into a world of Imagination, fa shioning puppets and perform ing his own plays. He claims a 40-year career. "At 14 I was a radio armouncer In Nova Scotia," he said. "Then I went to the University of Toron to and got Involved In theater there. I studied at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Art In London. I worked In the profes sional theater In England until I got a walk-on part. In a film called The Dirty Dozen.'" He recalled sitting around a table with Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes and other members of the cast. Clint Walker complained to director Robert Aldrich that he didn't want to Impersonate a general because It wasn't fitting for his role as an Indian. "So Aldrich, who made deci sions faster than you can Imag ine, looked down the table, saw my shaved head but didn't know my name. He said. You with the big ears, you do It.' That changed everything," Sutherland re called. Sutherland became one of the screen's busiest actors, with such achievements as "M-A-S- H," "Klute" and "Ordinary Peo ple," as well as duds such as "Start the Revolutlori Without Me," "Casanova" and "Die! Die! My Darling!" Now his son. Kief er, Is following his father's foot steps. "He's terrific," said Donald. "He has what I used to have before I went to school and had It trained out of me: a kind of puri ty." USDA Choice Beef LONDON BROIL AND TOP ROUND ROAST EoacEiEimiciiamiiiEii 16 I 17 I 18 I 19 20 21 22 Prices in this ad good Monday, Oct. 16 thru Sunday, Oct. 22, 1989. maii o/Tf Grade a Wighs fe) Genuine Idaho F/10 LB. BAG POTATOES Tasty Yellow Onions 3 Lb. Bag >99 $199 Deli Bonus Buys! Gourmet TURKEY BREAST Lb. ‘Good at deli/bakeries only.” 3 Liter Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Diet Coke 3 Liter Sprite 1.49 Jack-O-Lantern PUMPKINS 10, Fresh Squeezed APPLE CIDER Gallon Blue Grapes, Red Or White SEEDLESS GRAPES Lb. Red Delicious Or ROME ADDI EC EXTRA LOW PRICES...EVERYDAY!!! 16 Oz. - Assorted PFEIFFER DRESSINGS 3 Oz. - Beet/Chicken/Pork/ MushroomA/egetable Beef RAMEN PRIDE NOODLES 10 Oz. - Frozen Sausage/Hambur- ger/Pepperoni/Sausage & Pepperoni/Cheese CHEF BOY AR DEE PIZZA 3 Lb. Tub - Spread PARKAY MARGARINE 18 Oz. - Smooth Or Crunchy Peter Pan PEANUT BUTTER 16 Oz, - Greer APPLE SAUCE 64 Oz. Carton - Old South ORANGE JUICE 3»1 MS129 9.5 Oz. - Regular/Bran Biscuits BUTTER-ME-NOTS FLOBIOA-S SEAL OP APPROVAL 16 Oz. - Libby’s FRUIT COCKTAIL ARTlflClfktlT.KM' bUtteY: - n?e-i?ot5. ■O ^*tSCUITS - 0 focktah 128 Oz. - Spring/Distilled FOOD LION WATER 2/$109 6 Oz. - Assorted WHISKAS CAT FOOD There is a Food Lion conveniently located near you: Route 2, Highway 51 - PINEVILLE; 7400 Plaza Road Ext. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 19, 1989, edition 1
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