Life in the Slow Lane

BBC Breakfast Transcript
Sorry, I don't know the interviewers' names, so I just called them "He" and "She".

Snow Cake clip:

Alex: Mrs. Freeman . . . may I come in?

Linda: Do I know you?

Alex: No, no, no. My name is Alex Hughes. I just wanted to talk to you for a couple of minutes.

Linda: About what? I'm very busy, and I don't do social!

Alex: The police have been, haven't they?

Linda: Yes. The police were here two hours and twenty minutes ago.

Alex: So you know what's happened.

Linda: Yes. I know Vivienne is dead. (long pause) Is that it?

Alex: Well, I just wanted to explain that I gave your daughter a lift. It was an accident. I'm so sorry.

Linda: Ok, then.

He: Well, Alan's with us now. Good morning to you.

Alan: Hello.

He: It's a quite an intense film, this, isn't it? Interesting work, I imagine. How did you go into it? What knowledge did you have of autism before you did the film?

Alan: Um, I think the kind of scrappy knowledge that most people have and usually, I guess, it's centered around children. When you hear the word autism you think of - and in fact the author Angela has a 9 year old autistic son, which, I guess, is where the heart and soul of it comes from. But, uh, it's very focusing to realize that there are, of course, functioning autistics in the world around us. Not only that, but you look at your own life and you go, "Wait a minute, we're all on that spectrum somewhere", as you watch yourself arrange your pencils in a row and that's just the mild kind of form of any obsessive/compulsive behavior.

She: Interesting observation. Tell us a little bit about the character that you play in this. I - the role was written for you wasn't it?

Alan: Yeah. I didn't know that at the time, so, you know, so she's privately writing it and thinking 'I want him to play it'. In a way, he's - I don't know about a cypher, but he's a drifter from England. We don't know much about him. We learn about him and I hope the point of the film is that he learns a bit about himself by coming into this strange, desolate landscape in northern Ontario.

He: We're going to see another little piece of the film now, we'll take another little clip so people can get a sense of what it is. Let's have a look now.

Snow Cake clip:

Linda: By the way, that's my third favorite sweater, so you can't keep it. Don't look at me, I'm doing my checking. I check the kitchen every time I use it and every time I don't use it.

Alex: That must take up a lot of time.

Linda: Yes, it does. (dog barks) That's Marilyn, Vivienne's dog. Can't stand her.

Alex: So, did Vivienne live here with you all the time?

Linda: Yes. Vivienne came on a short stay 3 years ago and didn't leave.

She: It's astonishing to watch 'cause I know that you came at this from a blank slate in terms of autism - you didn't want to ? it too much because you wanted to react to Sigourney Weaver and, just to explain the relationship that you have, you picked up a hitchhiker, there was an accident, she died, and you, then, have to tell Sigourney Weaver, who is the mother that she's died, so we've seen a little bit of that. Then take us through the relationship that you have with her in terms of how you react to her behavior.

Alan: Well, I mean, the first thing is that it's the mother who has no huge reaction to the knowledge that - or the information - that her daughter's been killed. She just says, "Oh, yes, my daughter's dead." Like - and you've kind of come through the rain, wind and snow to get to her door, but it's clear that she has no way of dealing with it. She's got no friends, there's no social interaction and he decides that he has to stay there and help her get through the next few days towards the funeral. I have to say that this film is actually very funny. It's not like a penance to go and watch it.

He: Um, tell us a little bit about the other - uh - you're kind of famous for playing kind of arch villain types. That'd be fair, wouldn't it?

Alan: It would also be unfair.

He: Yeah? Why? Why so?

Alan: Uh, it depends - depends what you've seen - it depends, do you know, what's the last thing I did. It depends . . . usually it depends which films got the biggest publicity budget, which is why I'm here now - because this film never did have and it's uh . . .

She: And you ? Sweeney Todd, I wonder

Alan: Alright. OK.

She: Yeah. Tell us about Sweeney Todd, because we've had lots of emails asking - people say - huge fans of yours "Love Snow Cake, but please tell us a little more about Sweeney Todd.

Alan: Well, first of all, it's why I'm sitting her unshaven and with scruffy hair, 'cause next week I actually have to get shaved, um, in the barber's chair and, I guess, you know, the knife will come across the throat.

He: Best you came in now, then.

Alan: Just as well, yeah. In case the knife slips. Yeah, it's a - it's a film of, uh, Stephen Sondheim's musical, so this could be the end of a glorious career.

He: OK.

Alan: We have to sing.

He: We are out of time, as always, not enough time to speak to people, but, Alan, thank you very much for coming this morning.

She: Good luck with Snow Cake and, of course, that Sweeney Todd. We look forward to seeing you in that. Thank you.

She: How did you get it -

Guy: Don't want any arguments over who wants this, so you can share.

She: Thank you. (everyone talking at once)

Guy: . . . can I take you through it? Hyacinths mean loveliness, ivy means fidelity, rosemary means remembrance, and tulips - how can I put it subtly - means you're a good lover.

He: It could have been a poem inside . . .

She: All of those applying and more, perhaps, to all of us this morning. Hope you enjoyed the show. Thank you very much for watching.