Unnamed Woman

Miss Davis, you haven't done a theatrical film for quite a long time. What was it that attracted you to this particular picture?

Miss Davis, you haven't done a theatrical film for quite a long time. What was it that attracted you to this particular picture?

I was a bit shell-shocked after it. I spoke to a production assistant. I said, how did I do? And they said to me, well, she made mincemeat out of you. And I thought, oh, wow, that's pretty bad. But she was the real thing. There was something very authentic about her.

I was a bit shell-shocked after it. I spoke to a production assistant. I said, how did I do? And they said to me, well, she made mincemeat out of you. And I thought, oh, wow, that's pretty bad. But she was the real thing. There was something very authentic about her.

And the thing I think about the press at that time, the kind of film movie press, is that they loved her because she gave great quotes. I remember covering a press conference when she was really holding forth, saying how much she liked all the awards that she had won. She won two Oscars in her life.

And the thing I think about the press at that time, the kind of film movie press, is that they loved her because she gave great quotes. I remember covering a press conference when she was really holding forth, saying how much she liked all the awards that she had won. She won two Oscars in her life.

You got hold of James Cagney.

You got hold of James Cagney.

This was towards the end of his career. And I went into the room and he was a diminished figure. He was in a wheelchair. He was, I would say, three quarters coherent. I recorded about half an hour with him. We edited it down. And it was a memorable encounter.

This was towards the end of his career. And I went into the room and he was a diminished figure. He was in a wheelchair. He was, I would say, three quarters coherent. I recorded about half an hour with him. We edited it down. And it was a memorable encounter.

When you look back at your filmmaking career, which to you is the best film that you've ever made?

When you look back at your filmmaking career, which to you is the best film that you've ever made?

So you do it. I do remember... being surprised by what an amazing hoofer, what an amazing dancer he actually was, James Cagney. This business of interviewing stars at junkets, they're called, is when the film studios allow access under very controlled circumstances and very controlled time to the stars. And one of the first times you met Tom Cruise was at one of these junkets.

So you do it. I do remember... being surprised by what an amazing hoofer, what an amazing dancer he actually was, James Cagney. This business of interviewing stars at junkets, they're called, is when the film studios allow access under very controlled circumstances and very controlled time to the stars. And one of the first times you met Tom Cruise was at one of these junkets.

And you tried, I think, to get some news out of Cruise.

And you tried, I think, to get some news out of Cruise.

I went to interview him for the film Top Gun. Some people charged that the film was really glorifying combat, and I put that to Tom Cruise, and he got a wee bit snippy. Not terribly, but a wee bit snippy.

I went to interview him for the film Top Gun. Some people charged that the film was really glorifying combat, and I put that to Tom Cruise, and he got a wee bit snippy. Not terribly, but a wee bit snippy.

Recently, I think you tracked down Ethan Hawke, and this was at the Berlin Festival in the last few days. He's in the middle of doing, what, 30 interviews a day, and you try and ask him to reflect on the process. What does he say?

Recently, I think you tracked down Ethan Hawke, and this was at the Berlin Festival in the last few days. He's in the middle of doing, what, 30 interviews a day, and you try and ask him to reflect on the process. What does he say?