“The Effort Lies in the Screenwriting”: John Sayles Discusses Resourceful Filmmaking, James Cameron, and His TIFF Retrospective

      Filmmaker John Sayles is a unique figure in cinema, having ventured into numerous aspects of filmmaking. If you're a fan of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist, you should know that Sayles wrote the unproduced screenplay Night Skies, which contributed to the foundation of both classics. As for The Big Chill, Sayles’ poignant Return of the Secaucus 7 (which he both wrote and directed) explored the disillusionment faced by baby boomers in America long before Lawrence Kasdan tackled the topic. Sayles’ influence can be seen in the development of nearly every American film genre over the years.

      Before the TIFF Cinematheque retrospective titled Declarations of Independence: The Cinema of John Sayles (curated by Adam Nayman and starting this Thursday), we had a conversation with Sayles about the series and the selections for screening. We also discussed his upcoming film I Passed This Way, his collaboration with James Cameron, and his recent viewing of classic noir films.

      You can watch or read below, or listen on The B-Side here.

      The Film Stage: A couple of years ago, we talked about how we are always catching up on old films from the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. Have you watched any classics recently that stood out?

      John Sayles: I've seen a lot of pre-code films from the ‘30s lately—titles I may or may not have known. I hadn’t seen them before because, once the Code was implemented, they hardly aired on TV. Growing up, I only saw older films with commercials, and these were often overlooked because they were considered banned or altered. I’ve discovered plenty of those. There are some actors I hadn’t recognized who thrived during that time. One such actor was Lee Tracy, known for his fast-talking, cynical reporter roles. He starred in several excellent films, though he somewhat sabotaged his own career after an incident with Wallace Beery on Viva Villa! where he got intoxicated and urinated off a balcony near military personnel. Despite that, he delivered great performances.

      I also watched a lovely French film titled Any Number Can Win featuring Jean Gabin and Alain Delon—it's a good psychological heist story. There’s Frank Capra’s early film American Madness with Walter Huston, and a prison-escape movie called Black Tuesday with Edward G. Robinson and Peter Graves. I explored various post-war Japanese films, starting with Branded to Kill, highlighting actor Joe Shishido, who had bizarre plastic surgery to make his face appear fuller. These films are intriguing. I came across several about the "Sun Tribe," depicting a wealthy youth culture in Japan influenced by Western rock and roll. These juvenile delinquency films often featured a lot of water skiing—activities this affluent youth indulged in.

      I've also enjoyed movies like Criss Cross with Burt Lancaster and Dodsworth, which also stars Walter Huston, a truly great film. Scarlet Street, directed by Fritz Lang, and a fine film titled Silver Dollar with Edward G. Robinson and Aline MacMahon, who was a remarkable character actress and one of the very few from the original Actors Studio to achieve a successful film career. She stands out in films, contrasting with her contemporaries.

      There’s a solid film called The Sniper set in San Francisco about a man who despises women and is shooting them from a window. The Half-Naked Truth, featuring Lee Tracy and Lupe Vélez, is another snappy film—it's quick at just 77 minutes. Jewel Robbery with William Powell and Kay Francis is delightful. Heat Lightning also features Aline MacMahon as a reformed wild woman running a garage. There's also Merrily We Go to Hell, a tough film directed by Dorothy Arzner with Sylvia Sidney, and The Narrow Margin, which stars Charles McGraw in a B or C-movie. The remake with Gene Hackman is good as well.

      Yes, that remake is indeed quite good. Another film I watched recently is the original Nightmare Alley starring Tyrone Power, which is quite wild. I just saw Piccadilly, a silent movie featuring Anna May Wong and Charles Laughton, set in London’s cabarets—Anna May Wong's performance is stunning. Finally, I stumbled upon a lesser-known ‘50s film called The Lineup, starring Eli Wallach as a hitman in San Francisco, which is excellent. I believe it may have been Don Siegel's first film. I've been watching many films lately, though I’ve had to start keeping a list because the titles can all blend together—films like Roadblock, Crossroads, and Back Street have become hard to distinguish.

      How was your experience collaborating with Adam Nayman on this series?

      It was interesting because they asked us about the films we’d like to show. We soon found out that not all our films