|
 Plummer's performance as U.S. oil billionaire J. Paul Getty also
subtly changed the tone of the movie about the sensational 1973
kidnapping of Getty's 16-year-old grandson.
"There is a coolness to Kevin. That's his style, even when he's
being emotional," Scott said in an interview.
"This man (Plummer) has enormous charm, and when you apply that
charm to such, sometimes really hard, words, it makes it much
more interesting," he said.
Part biography and part thriller, "All the Money in the World"
dramatizes the kidnapping in Italy of John Paul Getty III and
his grandfather's refusal to pay a $17 million ransom despite
being the richest man in the world.
In a rare move, Scott announced in November that he would
reshoot the finished film with Plummer after allegations of
sexual misconduct against Spacey, saying he feared negative
publicity would damage the film's prospects.
Spacey issued an apology for the first reported incident,
involving actor Anthony Rapp. He has since been accused of
misconduct by more than 30 men and dropped from the next season
of Netflix TV series "House of Cards."
Reuters has been unable to verify the allegations against
Spacey. The Oscar-winning actor is seeking unspecified
treatment, and a representative on Monday did not respond to a
request for comment.
The Sony Pictures, movie, now starring Plummer along with
original cast members Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg, will
be released in Europe later this week and in the United States
on Dec. 25.
Plummer, 88, sought to bring humanity to Getty, although he said
he "made no pretense at research" for the role ahead of a
nine-day reshoot in London and Rome in mid-November. He did not
see Spacey's original scenes.
[to top of second column] |
"I had to follow the writing, all in a very short space of time,"
Plummer said. "I saw him more vulnerable than the script suggested
... so he would have some dimension and some humanity."
Plummer, Scott and Williams were nominated last week for Golden
Globe awards.
Scott said he was initially drawn to the project not so much because
of the kidnapping by the 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia, who cut
off their victim's ear, but because of the elder Getty.
"He's an enigmatic character who isolated himself through wealth.
When somebody becomes that wealthy, all the friends start
evaporating, so he was an isolated individual," the British director
said. Getty died in 1976.
Scott said the $40 million reported budget for the film plus $10
million for reshoots was "a little high." The costs were borne by
production company Imperative Entertainment.
He said he hoped the publicity around the decision to reshoot six
weeks before its scheduled release would help rather than overshadow
the film.
"I think it may have people attracted to it out of curiosity who
normally wouldn't come and see this film."
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
