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One
of Britain's most versatile performers, Stephen Fry has tried his
hand at everything from television sketch shows (A Little Bit
of Fry and Laurie) to stage acting, writing novels, and big
screen turns in Gosford Park and Wilde.
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His
first film as a director, however, is a tale of drug-taking, clubbing,
gossip and ruined reputations. In other words, London in the 1920s.
"This
was the age that invented modern youth," insists Stephen
Fry, "We think it was the 50s when the teenager was born,
but actually it was the 20s. You know, no sense of responsibility,
damn your parents, to hell with the future...if it could be sniffed
or snorted, then do it!"
pull
favours
Today's
high society was out in force for this week's London premiere of
Bright Young Things, with Prince Charles greeting Emily Mortimer,
Dan Aykroyd, Jim Broadbent and other cast members.
One
of the things Fry had always banked on was that he would be able
to pull favours to get such big names to play the 'grown ups'.
But
did Fry the humble actor find himself becoming a tyrant when he
climbed into the director's chair?
"There
are moments when actors are a bit slow to get on to the set and
you think 'bloody actors'!" he told us. "But generally
speaking and having been one, I think I retained my sympathy for
the profession".
impecunious
 And
working with Peter O'Toole, who has clearly been around the block
a few times?
"Look
at me darling, he said to me," chuckles Fry, "Then
he said 'You'll do!'...and he was right because so much of film
acting is about how you look, and whatever it is about the camera,
you can see the difference".
Bright
Young Things is based on Evelyn Waugh's novel of gilded but impecunious
youth Vile Bodies. What would the author have made of the
film?
"God,
I wouldn't like to guess. He was a pretty curmudgeonly old sod and
he would no doubt have grumbled about it. He hated anything modern,
so God knows".
Bright
Young Things is now on release in London cinemas
Web:
Bright
Young Things: official site
(The
BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites)
Find
a screening near you here
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