StudioLA's Jim Ferguson interviews Sean Penn Director of The Pledge

An interview of Sean Penn by Jim Ferguson.

Jim: Sean Penn, so good to see you again, and let's begin with, congratulations. What a great job, and I really do mean this on "The Pledge". You know, growing up in Chicago, I used to walk down Madison Street and you'd see these derelicts, homeless guys in the corner stuttering to themselves. Behind each one of those guys is, and I love how you open the movie, a story. And you open your film much like that.

Sean: Yeah. Well I think probably its out of the same reaction that you had. Those people interest me. And, so that was the decision why to bookend the movie, the way that it's book ended. Ah, to make it more of a "how did he get here?" story.

Jim: Exactly. And the audience really doesn't know. They have to sit through the film. It probably doesn't surprise you at all, that after this film...we had a fun discussion. Reviewers were sitting around, having coffee, talking for hours about the "what if's." That has to make you feel good. Because I think it was what you were aiming for...to get the audience to think a little bit.

Sean: Yes. You know. I mean that's the sort of thing that I am looking for in a film. It used to be one of the original reasons why I got involved in movies. Because the movies that I saw in the seventies, the American movies in the seventies, were discussible. And less and less are they discussible. And more and more do they fall into; I think there's too much emphasis on comfort.

Jim: Where the audience doesn't have to work at all. Just let me throw out a quick example. And it's tough doing this without giving too much away. And I really don't want to do that. But there is a scene with Jack Nicholson and Robin, and the little girl, and they are picking out a dress. And when the red dress comes up, everyone is thinking that he going to say, "no no no." But he says, "Yes, this is perfect." And wow, it's those kinds of things and then you realize it's a bait thing.

Sean: Yeah, I think that it's a certain kind of thing that happens whenever somebody is single minded about something. And particularly when they are single mindedness is in part motivated by a kind of desperate response to their own loss of identity. Which is come up in retirement and all of that stuff. And there is a kind of intoxication that way. But when someone is single-minded, things tend to come their way. You know. This isn't something that he can drive to happen. He doesn't pick out the red dress for the girl. He accepts it.

Jim: Right. He accepts it. So many issues in this film. Many issues, and one that I can relate to personally is kind of forced retirement. And this character played by Jack Nicholson, lives through that and battles with it, and goes from there. It seems to me, when working with Jack, you two seem to have a mutual respect for one another. Would that be a correct phrase?

Sean: Certainly. Yes, I think so. He is as great as any actor in the history of world cinema. He occupies that kind of position. And he is also, an incredibly admirable person who's been very supportive of me, and he's a great creative partner.

Jim: There's a he throws, "Once I give my word, I mean it." And I feel that Jack Nicholson, I haven't met him, is that way.

Sean: That was an improvised line. That was Jack Nicholson.

Jim: Ha, ha, that is Jack Nicholson! What a tribute to you, Sean, as a young director. When you look at this cast. I mean I can't read them all, but; Benicio Del Toro, besides Jack and your wife Robin, Helen Mirren, one of my favorite British actresses, Vanessa Redgrave, Mickey Rourke which does a great scene.

Sean: Ah, he's wonderful, yeah.

Jim: Sam Shepard, Harry Dean Stanton, Aaron Eckhart, I mean that's only part of it. But that's a tribute to you, I think.

Sean: Well I think people were drawn to the roles. I think they were drawn to read the material. But Jack is quite a magnet for getting those people too. I said, "I know it's not a long scene, but it's with Jack." "I'll be there". You know, so that helps. I needed homerun hitters on this movie. I didn't have time to nurse performances. It was going to be a very difficult shoot; a lot of weather issues, a lot of location issues, things like that. And I had a tough story to tell. So I wanted to get actors who could handle themselves, that's why we went after those people.

Jim: Boy, they certainly do. And I'm out of time but, one other issue in the film, and I'm going to leave it with is this is, fate.

Sean: Yes.

Jim: And I hope the Gods are smiling on "The Pledge", because it was a wonderful film. Put it at the top of your list, and don't miss it. Thank you Sean.

Sean: Thank you.