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INTERVIEW WITH BUDD SCHULBERG
(29 / 08 / 2005)
VARIETY MAGAZINE

Lit lion offers his latest biz musings
By LISA NESSELSON

This year's recipient of Deauville's Literary Prize, Budd Schulberg typed his way to fame at 27 with the publication of "What Makes Sammy Run?" The classic 1941 novel of raw Hollywood ambition gave the world Sammy Glick, the copyboy who quickly rose through the studio ranks by never encountering a back he couldn't stab or an idea he couldn't appropriate.
Schulberg's Oscar-winning screenplay for "On the Waterfront" (1954) is another milestone in a career characterized by involvement with the Writers Guild of America from its earliest stirrings; a lifelong admiration for boxing; and a talent for direct, evocative prose. He also arrested Leni Riefenstahl and delivered her to Nuremburg.
With three of his literary properties en route to the screen in three different countries, and with a boxing script collaboration with Spike Lee, the indefatigable Schulberg, who turned 91 in March, will be feted at Deauville Festival of American Film for 1971 novel "Sanctuary V," recently translated into French.
The prospect of publishing correspondence from a literary giant was irrestistible to Variety, and writer Lisa Nesselson's email exchanges with Schulberg offer up some provocative musings.

Variety: It's been decades since you wrote "Sanctuary V," the portrait of a revolutionary-turned-dissident in the aftermath of regime change he helped instigate.
Budd Schulberg: Every book has a life of its own that you can't predict when you write it. "Sammy" is a good example. My publisher, Bennett Cerf, told me that though he liked it, I should not expect much of a sale. "People who read books have no interest in Hollywood. And people interested in Hollywood don't read books." He was as amazed as I was when it took off, and kept on running. All an author can do is write his novel as well as he can and hope for the best.
Q: You started out as a novelist at a time in American history when being a novelist was a very big deal. It's said that TV can reach so many more people with relative ease.
A: I think television and the novel are horses of two different colors. I think writing novels is still important. At the same time, I think television should be used as much as possible for positive, artistic work. Although that ain't easy.
Q: "Sammy," published in 1941, is full of names of real people who are still familiar to adult readers (Walter Winchell, Irving Thalberg, Dorothy Parker). Do you think a mention of Oprah Winfrey or Tom Cruise in a book written today will still ring a bell 60-plus years from now?
A: A very tough question. I need my crystal ball. I doubt that Oprah or Tom Cruise will mean very much 60 years from now. Maybe some major rock groups. The Rolling Stones seem to keep rolling on. I think perhaps Brando will resonate. We don't seem to have right now a Joe Louis or a Dorothy Parker. Maybe Tiger Woods. Michael Jordan?
Q: So, when will we see "Sammy" onscreen and will Ben Stiller play the lead?
A: When Ben Stiller got interested in Sammy seven or eight years ago he seemed ideal to play the role. Now, even he thinks he may have outlived it. But he says he still wants to direct it.
Q: You've been collaborating with Spike Lee.
A: People are constantly expressing their surprise about how well Spike and I work together. I tell them that we have three things in common: We are both interested in making independent films in the East with a social theme, we are both sports nuts and interested in boxing, and we are both pro-black. We get along great and think we have an excellent screenplay in our proposed Joe Louis-Max Schmeling film.
Q: Here in France, first-time feature filmmaker Pierre Filmon has adapted a short story of yours for the screen. Have you experienced other overtures from foreign filmmakers or is this a first?
A: My nephew K.C. and I have been working with Pierre on my short story "The Dare." The only other foreign experience I've had is working on films in Mexico. Early next year, the young African-American director Charles Randolph Wright is planning to direct "Sanctuary V" in Brazil.
Q: Deauville is doing a sidebar of great boxing movies. What do you tell folks who fail to see what's so noble about two guys smacking each other as hard as they can?
A: All my life I've defended boxing as a fascinating sport, which really involves much more mind over matter than its critics realize. It's not just two people "smacking each other as hard as they can." It's as strategic as fencing, or even chess. I'm thinking of titling my next boxing collection "The Chess Game With Blood: Boxing."

INTERVIEW WITH BUDD SCHULBERG
(29 / 08 / 2005)
VARIETY MAGAZINE

Lit lion offers his latest biz musings
By LISA NESSELSON

This year's recipient of Deauville's Literary Prize, Budd Schulberg typed his way to fame at 27 with the publication of "What Makes Sammy Run?" The classic 1941 novel of raw Hollywood ambition gave the world Sammy Glick, the copyboy who quickly rose through the studio ranks by never encountering a back he couldn't stab or an idea he couldn't appropriate.
Schulberg's Oscar-winning screenplay for "On the Waterfront" (1954) is another milestone in a career characterized by involvement with the Writers Guild of America from its earliest stirrings; a lifelong admiration for boxing; and a talent for direct, evocative prose. He also arrested Leni Riefenstahl and delivered her to Nuremburg.
With three of his literary properties en route to the screen in three different countries, and with a boxing script collaboration with Spike Lee, the indefatigable Schulberg, who turned 91 in March, will be feted at Deauville Festival of American Film for 1971 novel "Sanctuary V," recently translated into French.
The prospect of publishing correspondence from a literary giant was irrestistible to Variety, and writer Lisa Nesselson's email exchanges with Schulberg offer up some provocative musings.

Variety: It's been decades since you wrote "Sanctuary V," the portrait of a revolutionary-turned-dissident in the aftermath of regime change he helped instigate.
Budd Schulberg: Every book has a life of its own that you can't predict when you write it. "Sammy" is a good example. My publisher, Bennett Cerf, told me that though he liked it, I should not expect much of a sale. "People who read books have no interest in Hollywood. And people interested in Hollywood don't read books." He was as amazed as I was when it took off, and kept on running. All an author can do is write his novel as well as he can and hope for the best.
Q: You started out as a novelist at a time in American history when being a novelist was a very big deal. It's said that TV can reach so many more people with relative ease.
A: I think television and the novel are horses of two different colors. I think writing novels is still important. At the same time, I think television should be used as much as possible for positive, artistic work. Although that ain't easy.
Q: "Sammy," published in 1941, is full of names of real people who are still familiar to adult readers (Walter Winchell, Irving Thalberg, Dorothy Parker). Do you think a mention of Oprah Winfrey or Tom Cruise in a book written today will still ring a bell 60-plus years from now?
A: A very tough question. I need my crystal ball. I doubt that Oprah or Tom Cruise will mean very much 60 years from now. Maybe some major rock groups. The Rolling Stones seem to keep rolling on. I think perhaps Brando will resonate. We don't seem to have right now a Joe Louis or a Dorothy Parker. Maybe Tiger Woods. Michael Jordan?
Q: So, when will we see "Sammy" onscreen and will Ben Stiller play the lead?
A: When Ben Stiller got interested in Sammy seven or eight years ago he seemed ideal to play the role. Now, even he thinks he may have outlived it. But he says he still wants to direct it.
Q: You've been collaborating with Spike Lee.
A: People are constantly expressing their surprise about how well Spike and I work together. I tell them that we have three things in common: We are both interested in making independent films in the East with a social theme, we are both sports nuts and interested in boxing, and we are both pro-black. We get along great and think we have an excellent screenplay in our proposed Joe Louis-Max Schmeling film.
Q: Here in France, first-time feature filmmaker Pierre Filmon has adapted a short story of yours for the screen. Have you experienced other overtures from foreign filmmakers or is this a first?
A: My nephew K.C. and I have been working with Pierre on my short story "The Dare." The only other foreign experience I've had is working on films in Mexico. Early next year, the young African-American director Charles Randolph Wright is planning to direct "Sanctuary V" in Brazil.
Q: Deauville is doing a sidebar of great boxing movies. What do you tell folks who fail to see what's so noble about two guys smacking each other as hard as they can?
A: All my life I've defended boxing as a fascinating sport, which really involves much more mind over matter than its critics realize. It's not just two people "smacking each other as hard as they can." It's as strategic as fencing, or even chess. I'm thinking of titling my next boxing collection "The Chess Game With Blood: Boxing."