I once heard James Stewart ‘complain’ about shooting ‘take after take’ for Alfred Hitchcock. For those lucky few who were in Stewart’s presence at the time, it was hard to hold back laughter. Why? Because Jimmy was describing a love scene with Kim Novak, for the classic film, Vertigo. Hitch had staged this tricky circular dolly move around the actors as they embraced and smooched, creating a dizzying screen effect. In truth, Stewart savored every ‘painstakingly’ difficult take, since it meant he would have to kiss Novak ‘over and over again’. His dry wit disguised as ‘complaining’ won us over. This wonderful candid encounter with one of Hollywood’s best actors took place in Stewart’s Beverly Hills living room. I was part of the crew interviewing Jimmy on camera to hype a new release of Hitchcock films coming out on video, including Vertigo. A good interviewer--in this case veteran Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne-- knows how to evoke and decipher amusing anecdotes. As an apprentice producer, I took notes.
What I’ve learned over time is that everyone has a story. Everyone responds differently. Plucking out the best bites takes a good ear, patience, and concentration. I listen for good soundbite and edit points in my head as the person speaks, knowing that if all works out right, I can piece together the best parts, without losing the integrity of the story. It also helps when you’ve got a subject like James Stewart, known for sharing juicy anecdotes of his career on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I felt very fortunate that day to be in his presence while he held court.
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