Crowe's in the hood

Russell Crowe is a force of nature. He is gregarious, garrulous, imposing, witty, ironic, and utterly charming. A devoted father and husband, the Oscar-winning actor has found the perfect balance in life by making his home in Australia and leaving his sprawling ranch only so long as it takes to make a film and then do the necessary promotional work.

Earlier last month, he ventured out to LA to receive his official star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Yesterday, his new film, Robin Hood, opened the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
 

The remake of the English legend is directed by long-time Crowe friend and collaborator, Ridley Scott, whose film Gladiator earned Russell his Oscar. And unlike previous Robin Hood films — the 1938 Errol Flynn classic The Adventures of Robin Hood remains the standard to beat — Scott and Crowe have reunited to deliver a much grittier and epic exploration of the historical origins of Robin Hood.

"I was a huge fan of Robin Hood as a kid," Crowe explains. "I loved the Errol Flynn film and I enjoyed watching Richard Greene on TV. I also think that generations of people have identified with the principle of robbing from the rich to give to the poor and how Robin was this outlaw figure who was trying to bring some justice to his world. That makes for a very powerful legend.

"So we're revitalising every aspect of the story and putting some historical perspective to it. We're showing how Robin Hood came to be, and it's got plenty of action and entertainment. Our Robin Hood film also finally explains why the merry men were so merry — they liked to drink!"

The film marks the fifth collaboration between Crowe and Scott who, in addition to Gladiator, subsequently teamed up for A Good Year, American Gangster, and Body of Lies.

Known for having a volatile personality, Crowe is a much happier and mellower figure of late. By his own admission, fatherhood has had an enormous calming influence on him, and his greatest passions are his family, wife Danielle and their two sons, Charles, 6, and Tennyson, 4, and his beloved Souths, the fabled Australian rugby side he co-owns and for which he has been a devoted fan since his childhood days.

Crowe opens up about his adding the legend of Robin Hood to his own monumental film legacy and how he has adapted to fatherhood.

What is your take on your character, Robin Hood?

Robin Hood is in some ways the classic figure of the ordinary man who rises to greatness through force of circumstance. He's a man who has fought in the Crusades, he's fought in France, travelled in Italy, seen the control exercised by the Church, travelled in Greece where he saw that democracy functions, and has gained a deep awareness and understanding of the world.

He has been able to see how different Empires throughout the continent function, and he now realises that his own people are the poorest of all and that things must change.

Did you ever dream about playing him one day?

I don't covet roles — I don't have that "Oh, one day I'm going to do my Hamlet" kind of bulls*** — but now, cut to however many decades later, this feels bigger than Ben Hur... Robin Hood is a very important role and film to me and I am very glad that Ridley was on board to do it. I wouldn't have done this kind of film with anyone else.

Apparently the tights have been ditched for the sake of historical accuracy?

There are no tights in this film. They weren't invented until quite a few hundred years after when the story takes place. We start our story in 1199. Tights don't come into play until the 1600s. I do apologise to those who will be disappointed that there are no tights.

Were you surprised that the film was chosen to open Cannes?

In a sense, yes. Ridley and I were speaking on the phone and he was wondering whether they had actually seen the film before choosing it because we really don't treat the French that well in the movie. So we were wondering about that, but it's a great honour.

When I first went to Cannes, for a film called Proof, I had to borrow money for the plane fare and I remember that it was this glamorous event but it was kind of overwhelming. Then I came back again with LA Confidential and I kind of felt that unless you had a huge film and a lot of publicity behind you that you feel like you're on the outside looking in at this big party.

So I swore to myself that I wouldn't go back unless my film was opening the festival and so now I'm very pleased to be making my way to Cannes again.

Do you think the critics will try to compare the film to Gladiator?

People have been comparing all our other films to Gladiator. I can understand that some people will liken Robin Hood to Maximus. But the only thing which links them is perhaps there sense of justice needing to be done. Unlike Gladiator, which was very dark and mainly about vengeance and death, this is about the birth of a great hero and the beginnings of his legend.

What kind of a difference has fatherhood made in your life?

It's opened me up and made me worry less about irrelevant things. Being a father places everything in perspective and you learn to appreciate all the beautiful things in life. I don't get as wound up and aggravated about nonsense anymore. Life is much more pleasant now.

How do you feel about receiving your Hollywood star?

I'd been asked before if I would like one, but I turned it down a few times before because I didn't feel that I had amassed a body of work that justified a star. This time, though, I felt good about it. And I'm also very honoured to be right next to Anthony Hopkins and in front of the entrance to the Kodak theatre. So anyone who's nominated will have to walk over my star to get inside for the Oscars.

It's all about understanding what it is like to be that person in that situation in a particular context. It's about authenticity. And I prefer to work with directors like Ridley who have the same commitment and appreciate my ability to bring that level of understanding to my character to help them make the best possible film...

That's why I love my work and spending months at a time on a film set. When I'm not with my family, there is no other place I would rather be.