FEATURE INTERVIEW

Song for a Raggy Boy

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And so we talked more about the film, what led him to get involved and what it was like to work with the extremely talented and beguiling cast of youngsters in Raggy Boy. “They were great, weren’t they? They were pretty wild on the set, though,” chuckled Quinn.

That made sense. The majority of the kids were recruited out of local Irish boxing clubs, so almost none of them had any formal training making it all the more amazing they handled the brutal and sexually vicious subject matter so well. “It was remarkable, actually,” said Walsh. (Oh yes – I’m interviewing her, too. I can’t believe I’m not asking her more questions. She’s the director after all. She probably thinks I’m an idiot). “They were able to turn it on and off so easily it seemed. I was very proud of how they did.”

“In fact, Chris [Newman] who plays the young rape victim Delaney had to convince his mother to let him take the part,” said Walsh. “She was very uncomfortable with the subject matter, but he was a true professional and told her that this was what he wanted to do.” It is a truly uncomfortable moment in Raggy Boy, the first time we realize that these boys are being sexually assaulted by at least one of the priests. It’s unsettling, and Walsh chooses to film the scene focusing solely on Delaney’s face, using the boy’s expressions to convey the pure horror in this moment of innocence lost.

“I gave most of the crew the day off, so it was just a few of us in the shower filming it,” said Walsh. (She’s sure jittery. I wonder how much coffee she has this morning? I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a little woman be so fluid with her arm movements. It’s a smart, talkative whirling dervish in the flesh. No wonder Aidan seems so subdued. Who wouldn’t around her?) “I think we only needed a few takes to get it. As we were filming it, I decided the best way to do it was to just have the camera sit there and look at it. I thought that would be much more powerful.”

It is, and it’s a tactic that Walsh employs many times to great effect. There are moments where the children are suffering their most intense brutality and the director just lets her camera linger silently upon their grief stricken faces. It’s unnerving, and for a director who had been cutting her teeth in British television, it wasn’t always easy to get her cinematographer to agree with her style. “They [cinematographers] tend to like to move the camera around a little so you notice they are there. In this film, I wanted the camera to be almost non-existent. I wanted to make the audience observers.”

Working with a group of inexperienced youngsters forced Quinn to take on the role of educator more than just when the camera was rolling. “Yeah, I had to instruct them on the craft quite a bit,” said the actor. (Gosh he’s cute. Do you think he finds me attractive? Maybe? Only a little bit? He probably just thinks I’m a big dork. That’s what I am - a big dork. I’m sure that’s what the director thinks with me sitting her salivating like a love-sick puppy.) “I tried to be their friend but, at the same time, stay pretty firm. They could get a little out of hand.”

In my opinion, all this extra work off the set only helped the actor when he was on it. In fact, I told him that Song for a Raggy Boy may just boast the actor’s best performance. “Thank you. I really appreciate that,” said Quinn. (I got a compliment from him! Cool! Wait – I hope he doesn’t think I was fishing for one. Oh hell, he thinks I was fishing for one. I’m so stupid. Stupid, stupid girl!) “I just love this period and I was caught up in Aisling’s script. It was a film I definitely wanted to do.” (Hmmm – he still seems friendly. Maybe he didn’t think I was fishing? Maybe I should just move on?)

But what about some of his earlier films? What was Quinn’s recollection about them?

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) – “I remember feeling surprised that it all turned out so well.”

The Mission (1986) – “Well, working with DeNiro. What else can I say?”

At Play In the Fields of the Lord (1991) – “A Great and difficult adventure.”

Legends of the Fall (1994) – “Fun. Brad [Pitt] is a good guy to be around and work with.”

This Is My Father (1998) – “Jimmy [James Caan] was great to work with.”

Practical Magic (1998) – “Working with Sandy [Sandra Bullock] and Nicole [Kidman]. They’re both interesting and beautiful women.”

In Dreams (1999) – “Should have been better. A difficult experience.”

Stolen Summer (2002) – “Unrealized potential.”

I never actually asked him about my favorite of his films, the 1987 Richard Dreyfuss/Emilio Estevez comedy/thriller Stakeout. For one thing, when I had admitted at the start of the interview how many times I’d seen the movie, Quinn’s only response was, “That’s nice.” (Oh-oh. He thinks I only like his silly, Hollywood movies. I better not bring it up again.) Secondly, it didn’t make much sense to talk about a movie I’d already admitted an undying fondness for. What if he didn’t look upon the experience of making the movie as warmly as I thought he should?

But after the magnetic sexiness he displayed in some of those early 80’s films like Stakeout it’s hard to look at the handsome actor and not wonder why mainstream box office success has seemed to elude him. (That’s so unfair! Look at this man – how could he not be a superstar? He’s a talented, gifted and undeniably sexy, Hollywood. Don’t you know that?) But then, the fact that it hasn’t doesn’t seem to bother him to much. “There were a few years there that I was finding myself getting more and more upset by what I was perceiving as actors far less talented than me getting some great roles that I know I could have done better,” said Quinn. “But, if you think like that, you’ll just drive yourself mad. You should learn to be happy with what you have. Besides, the fact that I’m not a huge star has allowed me to pick and choose the roles I want to do, not the ones some person sitting in a studio office thinks I should do.”

I quickly realized that was a great way to look at it all, especially with the way that Hollywood can build up and tear apart an actor almost at whim. (He’s so smart. Sexy and smart. What a combo! Can I just stare into his eyes for the rest of this interview? Do you think he’ll mind?) And, despite some of its flaws, there is no way a major studio would ever take the chance on making a film as brutal and hard to watch as Song for a Raggy Boy. In fact, it is films like this and This Is My Father that have really granted Quinn his best roles.

Honestly, Quinn is so good here it would be a real treat to see him nominated for an Academy Award come next winter. And while I know it probably won’t happen, it was nice to hear the actor’s pragmatism on the subject. “It would never happen. [The Oscars] are a popularity contest, and this film is too small and, as you mentioned, my performance is too low key and introspective to be noticed for such things. Anyhow, it’s doing good work that really matters.” (Well poo on you, Oscars. This is a great performance. He should be nominated, so there.)

What’s next for Quinn and Walsh? “I’m not sure,” said the director. “I went a year without work before when working in [British] television and it was rather nice. I’ll probably take time off before jumping into another project.”

“I might be going back to Spokane, actually,” said Quinn. “If the financing comes through, I could be filming out there next month. If not, I’ll just take my time and read some scripts.”

And seemingly as soon as we sat down and started, the SIFF publicist was back letting us know it was time to wrap things up as my two celebrities had to get ready to leave for another engagement. (NO! I want to talk to Aidan more. Please? Pretty please? Just ten more minutes and I know he’ll fall in love with me, won’t you Aidan?) As we all shook hands and said our goodbyes, I realized – something I probably already knew – that these filmmakers and actors are regular people just like me. They sweat and slave over their work, just like a journalist does over their writing, trying to make it the best experience possible just for the edification and enjoyment of an audience.

Still, it was sad to see them go. The time had flown by so fast and I still had so many questions. But that’s the way interviews are supposed to go, with subject as rich and fascinating as Quinn and Walsh. As Aidan said, it is doing good work that matters and all good work has to start somewhere. In this case, that somewhere began in the heart of a nervous film critic beating too fast at the thought of conversing with a celebrity and ended with the her realization that she was talented enough to get the job done.

Granted, even if this interview wasn’t the best it could have been, the experience I got from doing can only going to make me a better writer. Besides, he just might be filming in Spokane again in a month, so maybe I could try to corner him for another round of questions. I need to go visit my parents, anyhow. Why not fit in a few moments with a talented and sexy movie star? (That’s a great idea! You should definitely do that. I’m sure Aidan would love to see you again.)

If I do get a chance to sit with him or another movie star again, I know one thing for sure: I’m definitely leaving that pesky voice in the back of my head at home. She can be kind of annoying.

“Song for a Raggy Boy” is currently playing in various film festivals around the country. It will open in Ireland in October and is still seeking distribution in the United States.

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