Mickey Rourke (10 page)

M
ICKEY CREATED ONE OF HIS ICONIC CHARACTERS IN THIS FILM AND FEW WHO SAW IT WOULD FORGET THE IMAGE OF HIM SHUFFLING DOWN THE MORE TATTERED STREETS OF
LA
, SLOPPILY DRESSED, UNSHAVEN AND OUT OF IT.

A
COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER THE MOVIE CAME OUT,
C
HARLES
B
UKOWSKI WROTE A NOVEL CALLED
HOLLYWOOD
WHICH WAS A FICTIONAL ACCOUNT OF HIS EXPERIENCES DURING THE PRODUCTION OF
BARFLY
AND IT IS CLEAR TO SEE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CHARACTER OF
J
ACK
B
LEDSOE, THE ECCENTRIC LEAD ACTOR WHO IS SURROUNDED BY AN ENTOURAGE OF STREET URCHINS AND PSEUDO GANGSTERS.

M
ICKEY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
B
UKOWSKI EVEN UP TO THE WRITER’S DEATH.
I
N ITS OBITUARY OF THE POET IN 1994, THE
NEW YORK POST
USED A PHOTO OF
M
ICKEY AS
H
ENRY
C
HINASKI IN THE FILM INSTEAD OF A PICTURE OF
B
UKOWSKI.

BARFLY
WAS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR
M
ICKEY OVERALL AND MADE HIM FEEL A BIT BETTER ABOUT THE WORLD AFTER LOSING HIS WAY FOLLOWING
A PRAYER FOR THE DYING
.
H
IS SPIRITS WERE ABOUT TO BE LIFTED EVEN FURTHER WHEN HE GOT THE GO-AHEAD TO STAR IN A MOVIE HE HAD LONG DREAMED OF MAKING.
HOMEBOY
(1988) WAS A TRUE PASSION PROJECT FOR
M
ICKEY, WHO WROTE THE SCRIPT UNDER THE PEN NAME OF
E
DDIE
C
OOK.
T
HE NAME HAD A HISTORY.
I
T WAS THE FALSE NAME HE HAD ONCE GIVEN TO THE COPS AFTER STEALING SOME CHOCOLATE WHEN HE WAS A KID.
Y
EARS LATER, IT WAS STILL A NAME HE WAS HAPPY TO HIDE HIS TRUE IDENTITY BEHIND.

T
HE STORY OF A BRAIN-DAMAGED BOXER DRIFTING FROM FIGHT TO FIGHT LONG AFTER HE SHOULD HAVE RETIRED FROM THE SPORT,
HOMEBOY
WAS INSPIRED BY THE PATH
M
ICKEY MAY HAVE TAKEN IN LIFE IF HE HADN’T STEPPED AWAY FROM BOXING WHEN HE DID.

I
T SAW HIS CHARACTER, SOFT-SPOKEN COWBOY
J
OHNNY
W
ALKER – BASED ON A TROUBLED FIGHTER WHO USED TO BOX IN THE SAME
M
IAMI GYM AS
M
ICKEY ALL THOSE YEARS AGO – RISKING HIS LIFE IN THE RING FOR ONE LAST SHOT AT BIG WINNINGS.
H
IS UNSCRUPULOUS MANAGER,
W
ESLEY
P
ENDERGASS, WHO HIDES THE EXTENT OF HIS MEDICAL CONDITION FROM HIM, IS PLAYED BY
C
HRISTOPHER
W
ALKEN.
T
HE SLOW-PACED FILM COMES ALIVE WHEN THEY ARE ON SCREEN TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN THE SCENE WHERE
W
ESLEY TELLS THE FIGHTER HIS THEORY ABOUT WHY DINOSAURS BECAME EXTINCT.
T
HAT SCENE HAD ITS BEGINNINGS NINE YEARS EARLIER WHEN
M
ICKEY AND
C
HRISTOPHER WERE HAVING DINNER AT THE
O
UTLAW
I
NN IN
K
ALISPELL,
M
ONTANA, AFTER A DAY’S FILMING ON
HEAVEN’S GATE
.
W
ALKEN OUTLINED HIS THEORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DINOSAURS – THAT THEY GREW WINGS AND FLEW AWAY TO ANOTHER PLANET.
T
HAT CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF HIS IDOLS STAYED IN
M
ICKEY’S MIND AND WHEN HE WROTE
HOMEBOY
AND CAST
W
ALKEN IN THE FILM, HE DELIBERATELY GAVE
C
HRISTOPHER’S CHARACTER A BIZARRE SPEECH ABOUT DINOSAURS TURNING INTO BIRDS.

M
ICKEY’S LOVE INTEREST IN THE FILM,
R
UBY, WAS PLAYED BY HIS WIFE,
D
EBRA
F
EUER, FROM WHOM HE WAS ESTRANGED AT THE TIME.
T
HEIR CHARACTERS SHARE A SWEET, TENDER, AND ULTIMATELY DOOMED ROMANCE, BUT
M
ICKEY AND
D
EBRA DISPLAY A CURIOUS LACK OF CHEMISTRY ON SCREEN.
M
ICKEY HAD WRITTEN THE ROLE WITH
F
EUER IN MIND AND THE PAIR HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEIR MARRIAGE WAS NEARING ITS END.

A
S CLOSE AS HE WAS TO THE MATERIAL,
M
ICKEY CHOSE NOT TO DIRECT
HOMEBOY
.
I
T WAS ORIGINALLY HIS INTENTION TO DO SO, AND HE SPENT A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS SHOOTING SOME TEST FOOTAGE.
B
UT WHEN
M
ICKEY SAW IT, HE REALIZED HE WASN’T TECHNICALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH TO CREATE THE LOOK HE WANTED.
S
O HE BROUGHT IN
ANGEL HEART
’S CINEMATOGRAPHER
M
ICHAEL
S
ERESIN TO DIRECT THE MOVIE AND HE GAVE THE FILM A TERRIFIC LOOK, ALTHOUGH THE FIRST-TIME DIRECTOR WASN’T QUITE AS SUCCESSFUL WITH THE PACING: THE STORY DRAGS IN PLACES.

HOMEBOY
FEATURES CAMEOS FROM SOME OF BOXING’S MOST BELOVED FIGURES, INCLUDING RING ANNOUNCER
M
ICHAEL
B
UFFER, LEGENDARY TRAINER
B
OBBY
S
LAYTON AND EX-CHAMP
I
RAN
B
ARKLEY.
T
HE FILM’S MEMORABLE MUSIC WAS WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY
E
RIC
C
LAPTON.

W
HILE
HOMEBOY
WASN’T A COMMERCIAL HIT, THE MOVIE CERTAINLY HAS ITS MOMENTS AND EVERYONE INVOLVED COULD BE PROUD OF THEIR EFFORTS.
M
ICKEY FOLLOWED IT WITH ANOTHER LOW-BUDGET INDEPENDENT FILM, BUT ONE THAT OFFERED A VERY DIFFERENT ROLE FROM ANY THE FANS HAD SEEN BEFORE OR SINCE – AND A PERFORMANCE OF WHICH HE WAS VERY PROUD.

FRANCESCO
(1989) SAW HIM PLAY
S
T
F
RANCIS OF
A
SSISI.
G
IVEN HIS OFF-SCREEN REPUTATION AS SOMETHING OF A SINNER, IT WAS A SURPRISE TO SEE
M
ICKEY PLAY A SAINT.
B
UT THAT WAS LARGELY WHAT HAD DRAWN HIM TO THE PROJECT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
M
ICKEY HAD BEEN RAISED IN THE
C
ATHOLIC FAITH AND IS STILL A REGULAR CHURCHGOER WHO SAYS HIS PRAYERS EVERY DAY.
S
OME OF HIS EARLIEST MEMORIES ARE OF GOING TO CHURCH WITH HIS FATHER AND EATING DOUGHNUTS AND DRINKING MILK WITH HIM AFTERWARDS.
W
HEN HIS MOTHER BROKE UP WITH HER HUSBAND AND MOVED AWAY TO
M
IAMI WITH THE KIDS, SHE JOINED THE
E
PISCOPAL
C
HURCH AND TOOK
M
ICKEY ALONG.
B
UT WHEN HE WAS SEVENTEEN AND FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE,
M
ICKEY DECIDED TO SWITCH BACK TO
C
ATHOLICISM AND HAS STUCK WITH HIS FAITH EVER SINCE.

H
E KNEW ABOUT SEVERAL SAINTS BUT WASN’T TOO FAMILIAR WITH
S
T
F
RANCIS UNTIL HE READ UP ON HIM AS RESEARCH FOR
FRANCESCO
.
W
HEN HE LEARNED
F
RANCIS HAD BEEN A PAMPERED PLAYBOY WHO LIVED LIFE IN THE FAST LANE,
M
ICKEY KNEW THIS WAS A PART TO WHICH HE COULD RELATE.

H
E DOES A GOOD JOB IN THE FILM PORTRAYING THE SWITCH TO AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LIFE AS
F
RANCIS FINDS
G
OD THEN DEDICATES HIS LIFE TO HELPING THE POOR.
T
HAT WAS PARTLY THANKS TO DIRECTOR
L
ILIANA
C
AVANI HAVING THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF PATIENCE AND FAITH TO GET THE BEST OUT OF
M
ICKEY.
O
NE SCENE CALLED FOR HIM, AS
F
RANCIS, TO STAND ON A MOUNTAIN TOP WILLING
G
OD TO SPEAK TO HIM AND THEN SUFFERING AN EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN WHEN IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.
M
ETHOD ACTOR
M
ICKEY JUST COULDN’T GET INTO THE RIGHT MOOD EMOTIONALLY, EVEN AFTER NEARLY TWO HOURS OF WORKING UP TO IT AND, WITH TIME BEING MONEY ON A FILM SET, SOME MEMBERS OF THE CREW STARTED TO LOOK AT THEIR WATCHES WONDERING WHEN HE WOULD EVER BE READY TO FILM A TAKE.
B
UT
L
ILIANA CAME OVER AND TOLD HIM, “
F
ORGET ABOUT THE TIME, FUCK THE TIME, YOU TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU WANT.”
M
ICKEY WAS GRATEFUL AND WENT BACK TO HIS PREPARATION.
A
S HE HAD THE LINE, “
O
H
F
ATHER…” HE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT HIS OWN FATHER AND THAT FAMILIAR PICTURE OF HIS DAD IN THE BODYBUILDING POSE.
H
E LOOKED TO THE SKIES THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH HE WISHED HIS OWN FATHER WOULD APPEAR FROM THE HEAVENS AND SPEAK TO HIM.
T
HAT MADE
M
ICKEY READY TO SHOOT THE SCENE AND HE NAILED A PERFECT TAKE.

H
E HAD SO MUCH FAITH IN
C
AVANI THAT HE LATER AGREED TO HER REQUEST TO SHOOT AN EXTRA SCENE FOR THE FILM WHERE HE ROLLS AROUND NAKED IN THE SNOW TO CLEANSE HIMSELF SYMBOLICALLY OF HIS SINS – SOMETHING HE MIGHT NOT HAVE DONE FOR OTHER DIRECTORS.
H
E WAS LESS PLEASED ABOUT HIS DECISION WHEN HE FOUND A PAPARAZZI PHOTOGRAPHER HAD SNEAKED ONTO THE SET AND LATER SOLD PICTURES OF THE NAKED CLEANSING TO A MAGAZINE.

W
HILE HIS PERFORMANCE IN
FRANCESCO
IS SUITABLY SERENE, THE LOW-BUDGET FILM IS SOMEWHAT LET DOWN BY
M
ICKEY HAVING A LATE 1980S HAIRCUT.
I
T ALSO SEEMS ODD THAT WHILE THE REST OF THE CAST DELIVER THEIR LINES IN
E
NGLISH ACCENTS,
M
ICKEY USES HIS OWN SPEAKING VOICE.

D
IRECTOR
L
ILIANA
C
AVANI’S DECISION TO DRAMATIZE A SERIES OF INCIDENTS FROM THE SAINT’S LIFE, RATHER THAN STRUCTURE THE FILM WITH A COHERENT NARRATIVE, DOESN’T MAKE FOR EASY VIEWING AND THE MOVIE WAS LITTLE SEEN AND QUICKLY FORGOTTEN.
N
OT THAT A MOVIE ABOUT A SAINT FINDING
G
OD WAS EVER GOING TO BE AS BIG A HIT AS SOMETHING WITH SEX, VIOLENCE, AND EXPLOSIONS.

A
FTER MAKING BACK-TO-BACK INDEPENDENT FILMS FOR COMPARATIVELY LITTLE PAY,
M
ICKEY WELCOMED A RETURN TO BIG-BUDGET STUDIO PICTURES, NOT LEAST BECAUSE THE SEVEN-FIGURE SALARY WOULD HELP OUT WITH HIS EXPENSIVE TASTES.
B
UT HE WAS CAREFUL TO PICK OUT A FASCINATING CHARACTER TO PLAY AND CHOSE WELL WITH
JOHNNY HANDSOME
(1989), AN UNDERRATED REVENGE THRILLER WHICH SAW HIM CAST AS A MOST UNUSUAL CRIMINAL AND WEARING HEAVY PROSTHETIC MAKE-UP FOR THE OPENING SCENES.

I
N A ROLE ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR
A
L
P
ACINO, WHO DROPPED OUT BECAUSE HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SCRIPT,
M
ICKEY PLAYED CAREER CRIMINAL
J
OHN
S
EDLEY WHO HAS A SEVERELY DISFIGURED FACE UNTIL KIND-HEARTED PRISON SURGEON
D
R.
S
TEVEN
F
ISHER, PLAYED BY
F
OREST
W
HITAKER, OPERATES ON HIM AND GIVES THE CONVICT A HANDSOME NEW APPEARANCE.
W
HEN HE LEAVES PRISON WITH A CHANCE FOR A NEW LIFE,
J
OHNNY JUST WANTS TO GET BACK AT THE DOUBLE-CROSSING CROOKS WHO LEFT HIM TO BE ARRESTED AND LOCKED UP, SO HE USES HIS NEW IDENTITY TO LURE THEM TO THEIR DOOM.
D
IRECTOR
W
ALTER
H
ILL CRANKS UP THE EXCITEMENT,
M
ORGAN
F
REEMAN IS TERRIFIC AS A CYNICAL COP, AND
M
ICKEY BRINGS POWER AND PATHOS TO HIS CHARACTER’S JOURNEY.

B
UT ALTHOUGH HIS PERFORMANCE WAS EXCELLENT, ACTING HAD LOST ITS EXCITEMENT FOR
M
ICKEY.
I
T WAS BECOMING A BORING, UNFULFILLING JOB FOR HIM.
A
ND WHEN
JOHNNY HANDSOME
BOMBED AT THE BOX OFFICE, IT WAS ANOTHER DISAPPOINTING SETBACK.

H
IS NEXT MOVIE,
WILD ORCHID
(1990) WAS PRETTY AWFUL BUT PROVED A HAPPY EXPERIENCE FOR
M
ICKEY AS HE FELL HEAD-OVER-HEELS IN LOVE WITH HIS CO-STAR, MOUTHWATERING MODEL
C
ARRÉ
O
TIS.
S
HE PLAYED YOUNG LAWYER
E
MILY
R
EED WHO TRAVELS TO SULTRY
R
IO DE
J
ANEIRO ON BUSINESS AND MEETS
M
ICKEY’S CHARACTER, MYSTERIOUS AND SEDUCTIVE MILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN
J
AMES
W
HEELER, WHO EXPOSES HER TO A WORLD OF STEAMY PERVERSIONS AND VARIOUS SEXUAL SHENANIGANS.
I
T WAS A KIND OF LOW-RENT
9½ WEEKS
AND WAS DIRECTED, AND CO-WRITTEN, BY THAT FILM’S CO-WRITER, SOFT-CORE KING
Z
ALMAN
K
ING.

I
N THE FILM,
M
ICKEY GETS TO LOOKS MOODY, WEAR NICE CLOTHES, RIDE HIS
H
ARLEY
D
AVIDSON, AND DELIVER SOME DREADFUL DIALOGUE DURING A PERFORMANCE WHICH WOULD SEE HIM NOMINATED AS
W
ORST
A
CTOR AT THAT YEAR’S
G
OLDEN
R
ASPBERRY
A
WARDS FOR THE BIGGEST DISASTERS IN CINEMA.
T
HERE WAS A FAR FROM CONVINCING PERFORMANCE FROM
O
TIS WHOSE WELL-EDUCATED CHARACTER SUPPOSEDLY SPEAKS SIX LANGUAGES, BUT
C
ARRÉ EVEN STRUGGLES WITH HER NATIVE
E
NGLISH.
S
HE LOOKS GOOD, THOUGH, WHICH IS PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT IN THIS KIND OF FILM.