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Jeremy Irons Moonlights at the Jacob Burns Film Center

Academy Award Winning Actor Reminisces with Audience

By Rich MonettiPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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Jacob Burns Film Center

A few years ago, Jeremy Irons appeared at Jacob Burn Film Center. Here's a look back at the evening.

Jeremy Irons recently made an Q&A appearance with Jacob Burns Board President Janet Maslin for a screening of the 1982 film, Moonlighting. In scheduling, Irons and Maslin wanted to offer something that people might not have seen before. Conversely, the Academy Award winning actor was only too happy to defer on the obvious choice of Reversal of Fortune. It took only one word to dispel whether he’s spent enough time over the years talking about Clause Von Bulow.

“Yes,” he said as if exhausted. But Irons also feigned a bit of denial on all the years that have passed since Moonlighting opened 37 years ago. “All I could see is my son up there,” he joked.

An Old Glimpse of the 'Moonlighting'

Just about coinciding with the imposition of martial law in Poland, the film follows four Polish workers illegally renovating a home in London. The political implications were definitely interesting to him, but the film's creative force really made him want to bring down the curtain. “There’s nothing liking working with a director on a project that’s really close to his heart,” Irons said of the films Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski.

It was also Skolimowski’s actual home that was renovated in the film, and as a bit of a handyman, the film appealed to Irons on two levels. “I was drawn to his enthusiasm and his house,” Irons revealed.

The release also represented the first time that once his name was associated with a film, the money began to role in. Still, Moonlighting required a frantic pace to keep up with the actual events, which suited Irons just fine. He hates “top heavy films” that take forever to shoot.

And he didn’t exclude himself when it came to keeping things moving. In one particular scene, he needed to slick back his hair for effect, but no gel was readily available. So Irons stuck his hand into a nearby puddle and the scene quickly ensued. “The crew was very impressed,” he said, and they would go on to complete the film in only four months.

The film also gave him the recognition he wanted among directors as an interesting European Actor. That was verified when famed German director Werner Herzog met Irons and provided a pleasing peg. “You’re not Jeremy Irons, he’s a Pole,” Irons conveyed.

Dead Ringer, Brideshead and Coming Home

That's exactly what Irons wanted. So films like Dead Ringers came easily a calling. But that's another film they passed on for this event.

Irons remembered his own uneasiness the last time he was presented with watching the thriller. Sitting in for the credits, he was awash with emotion and decided to drown them once the credits rolled. "I think I'm going to have a drink," Irons said to himself, and that's what he did without returning.

Irons also had a similar experience with his true breakthrough film, Brideshead. Or at least the recent remake of it, and he has so far passed on taking a look. "It's like going to your ex-wife's second wedding,” he said. “You just wish her well."

Otherwise, he hasn’t limited his roles to those of English speaking. Having done several films in French to the appreciative approval of Maslin, Irons shared the secret to its mastery. “If you speak and sound very, very rude you’ll be just fine,” Irons said he was instructed.

On the other hand, speaking American in film was something he had a hard time taking seriously. “Everyone sounds like John Huston or as if they are auditioning for a Woody Allen film,” Irons said. But he eventually took it on in his portrayal of F. Scott Fitzgerald in Last Call.

As for now, he’s looking forward to heading home but sees no reason to designate a solitary home base as a globe trotting actor. “Home is where someone misses you,” Irons concluded the evening.

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Rich Monetti

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