By DONALD PORTER
Standard-Examiner staff
Robert Altman is on the phone from his office in Los Angeles, laughing ruefully that many journalists are labeling "Vincent and Theo," his new film, a "'comeback."
"I wish I could make a comeback," he says. "At first, I resented that by saying, 'Jeez, I haven't been anywhere.' But now I have no work. I'd like to make a comeback, whatever that means."
The currently unemployed film director will be attending the Sundance Film Festival, running today through Jan. 27 in Park City, in conjunction with a six-film retrospective of his work, and to host the regional premiere of "Vincent and Theo" at 7 p.m. Thursday in Park City's Egyptian Theater. The new film is his look at the relationship between painter Vincent van Gogh and his brother, Theo, who supported the artist's nine-year career.
In 1987, I flew to San Francisco to interview the principals on "Nadine," which, given its pedigree, was expected to be a big hit. Writer-director Robert Benton had an amazing filmography writing screenplays for "Bonnie and Clyde," "What's Up, Doc?" and writing and directing "Bad Company," "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Places in the Heart," the last two of which earned lots of Oscar nominations and wins.
"Nadine" was a comedy starring Kim Basinger and Jeff Bridges, both of whom were there for interviews along with Benton. The director made more great ones afterward, including "Nobody's Fool" and "Twilight" (no, not the teen-vampire film).
"Nadine" didn't score much of a hit at the boxoffice, but the interviews turned out well, I thought.
Aug. 7, 1987
By DONALD PORTER
Standard-Examiner staff
SAN FRANCISCO - It's plain to see that Robert Benton is a nice guy. A really nice guy. He might have made a good priest, listening to people's problems and making them feel good about themselves.
A colleague suggested that Benton is probably too nice a guy to be working in the motion picture business, long known for its back-stabbing modus operandi. He may have been right, but thank heavens we have Benton to make movies for us -- religion has claimed enough of the good-hearted people in the world.
As filmmakers go, Benton is unique in his ability to tell basic truths about human relationships, and to do so without the gadgetry and pomposity other directors employ. He has written and directed -- among other films -- "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Places in the Heart" and his newest, "Nadine." Always, his characters are human, recognizable.
