He’s won three Academy Awards. And this week he received another special award, right here in Maine. Filmmaker Robert Benton received the Maine International Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award, introduced by author and former Waterville resident Richard Russo as “my teacher, my collaborator, my uninvited co-conspirator, my dear friend.”
The award was presented after a screening of Benton’s 1994 adaptation of Russo’s novel “Nobody’s Fool” Sunday night at the Waterville Opera House.
“The gift of this movie … is the collaboration between Richard and me,” said Benton, who at 83 is as sharp and witty as they come. “The most wonderful part of this movie is Richard — and the actors. They are spectacular, but Richard gave them a safety net to allow them to do whatever they wanted to do.”
“Nobody’s Fool” stars Paul Newman as the weathered, straight-shooting Sully, who, despite his own flaws, mistakes and misfortunes, remains optimistic and, one might even say, hopeful about life. Though he puts up a somewhat surly front, Sully is not only likable, he is the glue that keeps the residents of Bath, New York, from falling apart. The film, which marks the first time Benton and Russo worked together, brought out the best in both writers, igniting a literary sparring match that ultimately benefited the film, and its audiences. During filming, when Benton would return to his office after watching the dailies, he’d be greeted by rewrites of his script from Russo.
“I’m very competitive,” Benton noted. “So I would rewrite what Richard did. And the great thing about Richard, is he’s just as competitive as I am, and he would [immediately send] a rewrite back to me. And in four or five days, we had scenes that I believe are far and away the best scenes in the movie.”
About a third of the way through making “Nobody’s Fool,” Benton realized he had a good film on his hands, but even better, he had found a great collaborator.
“Unfortunately for me,” Benton added, “he’s ruthlessly honest.”
Since working on “Nobody’s Fool,” Benton and Russo have come together for several projects, and in Russo’s words, Benton has brought an “infectious, unguarded enthusiasm that I hadn’t experienced since graduate school.”
“I guess what I’m trying to say is that in middle age, Robert Benton made a young man of me again by offering me a different kind of friendship than I had ever experienced before,” Russo said. “One that I didn’t know I wanted, or needed.”
In addition to “Nobody’s Fool,” MIFF also screened Benton’s films “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “The Late Show.” The Maine International Film Festival continues throughout the week, with its final night on Sunday, July 17. For more information, visit miff.org.
For information on the Maine International Film Festival, visit www.miff.org. For 140-character reviews of films screening at MIFF and other updates on the festival, follow Joel on Twitter: @JoelCrabtree.