(2 of 2)
The films--which can be seen as metaphors of an aging man seeking a last acolyte, either as lover or victim--are extended conversations between experience and ingenuity. McKellen does most of the talking, in a gentle English accent or a brusque German one, but what makes him a great shot for film eminence is how suavely he listens. Listens with his eyes, attentive to nuances of lust or fear that may not even be there. Reacts with a prim wryness that hints at the Nazi's superiority, at Whale's indulgence. These lovely scenes give the audience a chance to study McKellen in wary repose. It's a face worth studying. A movie face, as Hollywood should soon understand.
On the set, he worked hard to ensure that his titled status would not cow his colleagues. "I mean, hell, going to work with a damn knight!" says Renfro, 16. "I didn't know what to expect. But he's a genuine guy, easygoing, totally cool." Fraser, 29, who calls McKellen "the best-kept secret in the film world," was surprised at Sir Ian's bounding vim. "He eats everything he wants and has the energy of a 20-year-old." McKellen was robust enough to endure eight hours as a corpse in a pool, wearing a rubber wetsuit under a heavy tweed outfit. "He was the most remarkable dead body I've ever seen," says Lynn Redgrave, his housekeeper in the film. "And I've worked with one or two in my time."
McKellen is alive and available in Hollywood--and, did we mention, as vigorous as a colt? "When you quote me in this story," he says with a conspiratorial smile, "perhaps you could use the phrase 'says a youthful-looking McKellen...'"
Done, done and done.
--Reported by Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles