ANNIVERSAY ISSUE 0717

the iconic fashion designer Bill Blass not only
knew Gary Cooper—he considered the actor
to have been one of the most powerful fashion
influences in the twentieth century. Upon
further research, Mulholland was surprised to
also learn that fashion also mattered to
Hemingway. Although Hemingway lived in
Cuba for the last twenty years of his life, he
still had shorts crafted from the finest stores
in New York. While some of these details
were cut from the 2013 final film, fortunately,
the upcoming Blu-ray holds them all.
W
hen
asked how he felt as a director
working on this film, Mulholland’s
response is emphatic: “Anybody
who makes documentaries and tells you that
they’re a director is full of themselves.” He
expounds, “Making a documentary entire
relies upon the people you got on camera.”
Fortunately for Mulholland, he got many
great people to appear. He wanted Joan
Didion to be part of the documentary, and
while she was unavailable, she was happy to
be quoted in it. Charlton Heston was instrumental,
showing Mulholland first editions of
Hemingway in dozens of languages, and
being interviewed on camera. Sam Waterson,
of “Law & Order” fame, narrates the film.
Actor Chris Pratt has seen the documentary
and loved it, for Gary Cooper is whom he
studies when he is about to take on a role.
Finally, Mulholland is also thrilled to have
worked with premiere documentarian Craig
Gilbert, who was integral to the production of
the documentary. “He helped me pick out
where I wasn’t being objective,” Mulholland
smiles. “He made sure I didn’t make a film
that forced the viewer to see things in a certain
way.”
Mulholland is excited for the Blu-ray
release of “Cooper & Hemingway: The True
Gen,” particularly since it holds so many
extra features. He is also mid-way through
production on his next film, which focuses on
the American writer Elmore Leonard (who,
incidentally, was mentored by Ernest
Hemingway). Mulholland is particularly
excited to do a film about Leonard, >>>
IN ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE 15