Online exclusive! Extra interview

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Clint Eastwood
Would you believe the quintessential Hollywood tough guy thinks today's movies are too violent? That's just one surprise in our revealing interview with this Oscar winner, who's bound to win another nomination for "Mystic River."
An interview by Dennis McCafferty

In a conversation with USA WEEKEND, Eastwood unwound pleasantly for two hours.

He walks into a luxury resort, sans entourage, with the unassuming manner of, well, a man with no name. But his name happens to be Clint Eastwood, and he owns this spread, the 22-acre Mission Ranch in Carmel, Calif., an idyllic community he once served as mayor. He is an Oscar-winning director and, as an actor, an American icon. At 73, with a half-century of career accomplishments behind him, a new defining moment may be yet to come: Eastwood has generated much critical praise for his work behind the camera with his 24th feature film as a director, "Mystic River." Expected to garner multiple Academy Award nominations Tuesday, "River" is an emotionally raw depiction of the long-lingering effects of a brutal crime on a trio of boyhood friends. This Sunday night, the film is up for five Golden Globes, including Best Drama and Best Director.

These days, Eastwood's trademark squint is more reflective than threatening. Clearly, he's far beyond having to prove himself, having earned the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for "Unforgiven" a decade ago. He's won over the critics who condemned the violence in his films. And Eastwood appears settled in his personal life. He's married to Dina Ruiz, a former local TV anchor, and the two have a daughter, Morgan, 7. It's the most recent version of family life for Eastwood, who has two grown children from his first marriage, to model Maggie Johnson; he also has four children from three other relationships.

In a conversation with USA WEEKEND, Eastwood unwound pleasantly for two hours, enjoying the opportunity to talk about misimpressions about him from the old days, and how his work has evolved. And he doesn't mince words about those other movies Hollywood has been putting out lately. You may be surprised to learn that Eastwood -- who starred in Sergio Leone's starkly violent Italian-western trilogy, as well as the gritty "Dirty Harry" series -- isn't all that crazy about movie violence these days. Or sequels. To find out more, read on:

Now that the Oscar nominations are upon us ... Kineahora! Kineahora!

Pardon?
That's a Jewish expression meaning "Don't talk about it. It's bad luck." [Laughs.]

Sorry 'bout that. But odds are you'll need a tux on Oscar night. "Mystic River" has earned sensational reviews. How do you bring the cast to such a high level in such an emotional film?
We don't have bells ringing on the set. We don't have people shouting. The actors work in an atmosphere that feels like real life. When Sean Penn's character arrives at the scene where his daughter's body has been discovered, we didn't rehearse at all. That way, Sean didn't have to burn himself out. He'd have been a physical and emotional wreck otherwise. We did the scene two times. Maybe three. But that's when I felt like we had it.

Do you have any tricks up your sleeve to get the actors to be true to life?
A lot of times, I'll just start having the actors talk through a scene. Then I'll quietly signal for the camera to start rolling. I don't use the word "Action!" You allow the actors to crescendo into a scene rather than get jolted into it. The adrenaline is saved for the scene. ... I'm more focused on making a scene seem real as opposed to perfect. There's a part in "River" where Tim Robbins comes out on a porch and lights a cigarette. The match exploded in his hand. A lot of people would have said, "Let's do it again." But we kept it. It seemed like such a natural thing to happen -- something you can't buy, really.

"Unforgiven" and "Mystic River" are intended to get audiences to think about the consequences of violence, instead of taking voyeuristic pleasure in it. But while your work has matured, Hollywood has taken more of a video-game approach, with the "Kill Bills" and "Terminator" movies. Do you find this troubling?
I see a lot of shooting in films, to the point where violence has become kind of a turnoff. I've seen pictures where the violence goes overboard, and I think, "Gee. Why did they do that?" When I bought the script to Unforgiven, I was drawn to the central character being tormented by his violent past. I've been lucky enough to be able to direct at various stages in life, where I can reflect upon the various cycles I've gone through as a person.
I haven't seen "Kill Bill," but I know that the director, Quentin Tarantino, is a younger guy who likes the westerns I did with Sergio. Presumably, at some point later in his career, he may try to take a different tack with violence. "Terminator 2" is actually a good movie. It's entertaining and escapist. I haven't seen "T3."

Really? We thought you director types watched everything.
Well, I have a small child. Being a parent takes a lot of time. People always ask me, "What movies have you watched lately?" I tell them, "Finding 'Nemo' ... 'Shrek' ..."

Do filmmakers have a responsibility when it comes to violence? Doesn't endless, gratuitous blood and guts contribute to actual violence?
I grew up watching Bogart and Cagney. Did their violence make me want to shoot somebody? No. To the healthy mind, it doesn't do anything. Those Columbine guys? They were sickos to begin with. You could make a case, anyway, that children get introduced to violence when they read the Old Testament. There's some heavy mayhem in there! [Laughs.] You get all the dismemberment and everything else. Then you go and see the tragic plays, with Shakespeare and the depiction of violence and incest and all kinds of things.

With your more celebrated works, you were willing to take risks to present your own vision of violence. In other respects, you're right there with the multiplex crowd. "Dirty Harry" helped create the movie comfort food of our times -- endless sequels.
I know it. And I apologize for it! [Laughs.] There are still studio people who'd love for me to do another "Dirty Harryv instead of "Mystic River." But why do another? Once in a while, I'll see a sequel. But unless there's a brilliant story that goes in another direction, there's no reason to watch.

In many of your films, you've appealed to a conservative, heartland-of-America audience. But much of that crowd wouldn't approve of your personal life.
What? My modern, dysfunctional family? [Laughs.] Life is no great plan. Mine is career-driven and fate-driven. I was in a job that took me around the world. I wasn't always the good guy I could have been. But I haven't run away from members of my family, either. I'm a very integral part of their lives. Dina is wonderful with my ex-wife and the others from my past relationships. She's brought them all together. My ex-wife and I are still business investors, and when she needs something, Dina and I are the first ones there. So I'm blessed.

So, socially, you're live-and-let-live. How about politically?
I suppose. I don't see myself as conservative, but I'm not ultra-leftist. You build a philosophy of your own. I like the libertarian view, which is to leave everyone alone. Even as a kid, I was annoyed by people who wanted to tell everyone how to live.

As an ex-politician, does that extend to your view of same-sex marriages? That could be the polarizing issue of the presidential race.
From a libertarian point of view, you would say, "Yeah? So what?" You have to believe in total equality. People should be able to be what they want to be and do what they want -- as long as they're not harming people.

Speaking of politics, do you think Arnold Schwarzenegger should have run for governor?
If he wanted to, why not? Arnold is a smart guy who has done a lot with his life. Obviously, he's a very disciplined guy. Now, if he wants to do it, more power to him. But, boy, it's going to be tough. I had a lot of people try to talk me into running for governor before he came along. I said, "No chance." When I ran for mayor, everyone thought I was positioning myself, being that Reagan had become president. But I was only interested in helping the community here.

We all have this image of Clint Eastwood, the loner pursuing his own sense of justice. When it comes to who you really are, is that image a crock?
I guess. Still, in some ways, you're a little bit of all of those things. But, a lot of times, people are disappointed when I don't act like the characters I play. They're disappointed when I don't come at them with "Make my day!"

Which brings up the obvious question: How often are you asked by strangers to say that line?
A lot!

What can you tell them?
I might joke with them and say, "I got a lot of money for saying that!" Years ago, I was on Johnny Carson's show, and I met Muhammad Ali. He said, "Hey! Come here!" He was really enthusiastic. So we go downstairs into this little room and I'm thinking, "What the hell does he have on his mind?" He turns to me and says, "Now, you just look at me and give me that look." I asked him, "What look?" He said, "That look you give when you tell me that I have 10 minutes to get out of town!"

We bet you didn't know ...
-- Eastwood once earned a living playing honky-tonk piano and remains a devoted jazz buff, even launching his own label, Malpaso Records. And, yes, he played Carnegie Hall, in the 1996 show "Eastwood: After Hours, a Night of Jazz."
-- He sang in a musical once -- with tough guy icon Lee Marvin, no less: 1969's "Paint Your Wagon."
-- His early career was spent in B-movie dreck like "Revenge of the Creature," "Tarantula" and "Francis in the Navy." Even after breaking into the movies, he dug swimming pools in Beverly Hills to pay the bills.

Cover illustration by Patrick Faricey for USA WEEKEND.

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Online exclusive! Bonus Interview

We realize you don't want to jinx yourself, but you've already gone through the Oscar tradition in a big way with "Unforgiven." How much does a night like that mean?
Eastwood: It meant a lot. I took my mother, who was 84 then. I was up there on the stage, and just looking down and seeing her made it all worthwhile -- to see her so happy, with her knowing that this was her kid up there because of this project he made. You start thinking about all the things that kids put their parents through growing up, and this was one way of giving her something back.

In "River," Sean Penn's presence stands out. In the very first scene with the actor, the connect between him and his daughter seems so real and so strong.
Eastwood:Yeah, yeah, exactly. One of the reviewers mentioned said that he makes everyone else look like they're acting. That's certainly the best compliment you can get. He just has a very natural way of delivery. He has a very natural way of immersing himself in the role. He was ready to go all the time. I have had cases like that over the years -- people who really like working and set a style. You feel like you're accomplishing something every day.

The violence in your films represents a broad and often dark prism of America: the Civil War, the post-Civil War, Western pioneers, urban crime. Even your first film as a director, "Play Misty for Me," conveyed a violent subtext within the late 1960s, early 1970s swinging singles scene. You haven't always made America look good either. There's a brutal scene, for example, near the beginning of The Outlaw Josey Wales that depicts the 'heroes,' the Union soldiers, as cold-hearted killers. Why does this nation, warts and all, present such a compelling canvas for your work?
Eastwood: I am intrigued by it. "Play Misty For Me" remains contemporary because it was about stalking in America, and a lot of people are going through that today. It's got everybody talking. With "Wales," it didn't depict a nice image of the Union. But it wasn't a nice time. There was a lot of discord and mayhem back then. There are certain elements of American history that aren't pleasant, but you have to tell them, because they're dramatic. Hopefully, you can do it in a historically accurate way. If you have historically accurate guns and sets, but you have a dumb wardrobe, it throws the whole thing off. I remember seeing a Western where an actor said "You're putting me on." I said "What is this?" It was a little thing, but it threw me off of the picture as a viewer. You have to be accurate to pull the audience in and hold them there.

When the usual tributes to Clint Eastwood are made in the usual retrospectives, a usual suspects' list of films get mentioned: the "Leone" trilogy, "Wales," "Dirty Harry," "Unforgiven," "Bridges of Madison County" and, now "Mystic River." But what is one that doesn't get that same kind of mention that's still among your favorites? A 'forgotten classic' from the Eastwood
Eastwood: "High Plains Drifter."
Ahhh. That's the one where the town hires you to protect them from outlaws. But you end up causing chaos there instead. You have the town painted red and you rename it "Hell." Then, when the outlaws come, you set it up so that a bunch of the town leaders get killed. It's really a twisted flick. And we mean that in the positive sense!
Eastwood:The whole concept was: What happens if, in "High Noon," the sheriff got murdered? What's the story beyond that? When I was casting "Unforgiven" years later, I called up the late Richard Harris. He was in the Bahamas somewhere. He gets on the phone and says "Who's this?" I said "Richard, this is Clint. I got this picture that I'd really like for you to play a part in. Can I send you a script?" He said "You got to be kidding? Do you know what I'm watching right now? "High Plains Drifter." It's my favorite Western! You don't have to send me a script for your new movie. I'd love to do it."

Apparently, John Wayne was not quite as big a fan of "Drifter." In fact, it ticked him off big time.
Eastwood: Yeah. He didn't think that this was what the settlers and pioneers were all about. He wrote me a letter about that, going off about the movie. Well, it's an odd film and that's why I did it.

What are some other films that come to mind?
Eastwood: "Bronco Billy" would be one. Or "Honky Tonk Man." They're small films with stories about characters. They were just small, little adventures, but they had a certain charm. Especially "Bronco Billy." "White Hunter, Black Heart" was fun to do too. It was just a smaller film about an obsessed guy, distracting himself from doing the job and how he lets down all the people around him by his obsession. The character is based upon director John Huston. I always thought he was an interesting guy.