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michael_gothard_archiveIn an interview that appeared in ‘X’-Films Vol.3 No 1 in 1973, Michael discussed ‘The Machine Stops’ and his relationship with the Director, Philip Saville.
I was walking down the King’s Road on a Saturday morning with some friends, something I very rarely do. We went somewhere for a coffee. I was with a young lady actress who was doing very well at the time. I was sitting at this table and suddenly a young guy came up to me and said, “That gentleman over there wants to talk to you. He’s Philip Saville.” I didn’t know who Philip Saville was, but it turned out he was a television director.
We went for a walk down the King’s Road, chatting away all the while and he told me about a film he was making. Apparently he wasn’t looking for actors and didn’t even know I was one, but said he was looking for a young guy to play a part in a short film he was making for TV. When he realised I was an actor, we arranged an appointment for the following day.
His office was somewhere in Shepherd’s Bush. After being out of work for two years I was very edgy and easily offendable – in as much as I was quick to take insult. Somehow we got into one of those strange interviews. He was really trying to audition me via an interview, asking me very personal questions. I got progressively more annoyed and pissed-off. I thought, ‘Here we go, another little power trip. He’s enjoying himself at the expense of another out-of-work actor.’ I’d been through that scene so many times1 I was really ready for battle and, well, we ended up having a flaming row – and that was that! I didn’t see him again for quite a long time and I didn’t – needless to say – get the part in that film.2 Then a few months later I got a phone call. It was Philip Saville.
He said he could use me for something on television with Yvonne Mitchell – a superb actress – and we ended up doing a show called ‘The Machine Stops’, which went on to win a prize in the International Festivals, and that’s more or less how I got in, how I started work again.
I remember Saville with affection, because it was through him I got into this work again (I was absolutely flat broke). When I completed that show I didn’t have a penny. Normally it takes quite a few weeks before you get paid. Anyway, the night we finished recording I went into my dressing room and there was an envelope with money in it. He knew I was broke and without saying anything he arranged for me to be paid that night – as soon as I was finished. But he was a fiery bastard to work with. He shouts, screams and curses, but he’s great – tremendous energy and enthusiasm. I haven’t worked with him for many years, but I remember him as I said, with great affection. It was my big break.
1 Presumably, the "extensive improvised auditions" Michael was put through by Don Levy in 1964, to test whether he was the "particularly malleable and intense type of player" Don required for the part in 'Herostratus' were a prime cause of Michael's heightened sensitivities.
2 The two productions which Phillip Saville directed during early 1966, according to IMDB, are a film musical about a circus troupe: "Stop the World: I Want to Get Off", which eventually starred Tony Tanner, and a TV play, "Exit 19", involving a Maserati driver, played by Dudley Moore.
Complete 'X'-Films Interview
I was walking down the King’s Road on a Saturday morning with some friends, something I very rarely do. We went somewhere for a coffee. I was with a young lady actress who was doing very well at the time. I was sitting at this table and suddenly a young guy came up to me and said, “That gentleman over there wants to talk to you. He’s Philip Saville.” I didn’t know who Philip Saville was, but it turned out he was a television director.
We went for a walk down the King’s Road, chatting away all the while and he told me about a film he was making. Apparently he wasn’t looking for actors and didn’t even know I was one, but said he was looking for a young guy to play a part in a short film he was making for TV. When he realised I was an actor, we arranged an appointment for the following day.
His office was somewhere in Shepherd’s Bush. After being out of work for two years I was very edgy and easily offendable – in as much as I was quick to take insult. Somehow we got into one of those strange interviews. He was really trying to audition me via an interview, asking me very personal questions. I got progressively more annoyed and pissed-off. I thought, ‘Here we go, another little power trip. He’s enjoying himself at the expense of another out-of-work actor.’ I’d been through that scene so many times1 I was really ready for battle and, well, we ended up having a flaming row – and that was that! I didn’t see him again for quite a long time and I didn’t – needless to say – get the part in that film.2 Then a few months later I got a phone call. It was Philip Saville.
He said he could use me for something on television with Yvonne Mitchell – a superb actress – and we ended up doing a show called ‘The Machine Stops’, which went on to win a prize in the International Festivals, and that’s more or less how I got in, how I started work again.
I remember Saville with affection, because it was through him I got into this work again (I was absolutely flat broke). When I completed that show I didn’t have a penny. Normally it takes quite a few weeks before you get paid. Anyway, the night we finished recording I went into my dressing room and there was an envelope with money in it. He knew I was broke and without saying anything he arranged for me to be paid that night – as soon as I was finished. But he was a fiery bastard to work with. He shouts, screams and curses, but he’s great – tremendous energy and enthusiasm. I haven’t worked with him for many years, but I remember him as I said, with great affection. It was my big break.
1 Presumably, the "extensive improvised auditions" Michael was put through by Don Levy in 1964, to test whether he was the "particularly malleable and intense type of player" Don required for the part in 'Herostratus' were a prime cause of Michael's heightened sensitivities.
2 The two productions which Phillip Saville directed during early 1966, according to IMDB, are a film musical about a circus troupe: "Stop the World: I Want to Get Off", which eventually starred Tony Tanner, and a TV play, "Exit 19", involving a Maserati driver, played by Dudley Moore.
Complete 'X'-Films Interview
