“I’m not interested in change—I’m interested in what is unchanging,” declares writer-director Whit Stillman.
Appropriately Stillman, who during a 25-year moviemaking career has become renowned as cinematic’s foremost chronicler of stylish preppy behavior, tells Heat Street this in the lobby of Manhattan’s Angelika Film Center where his breakthrough film Metropolitan played over 25 years ago and where his fifth film, Love & Friendship, has just opened.
Love & Friendship, which has got Stillman the best reviews of his career since his second film Barcelona, is based on Jane Austen’s unfinished 1794 novella Lady Susan. Love & Friendship charts the romantic exploits of Lady Susan Vernon, a manipulative fortune hunter played by Kate Beckinsale, but in true idiosyncratic Stillman style has a PG rating.
We spoke to Stillman about Austen, Beckinsale, Lena Dunham and the U.S. Presidential election.
Don’t you think Lady Susan Vernon is a very modern woman who would fit well in today’s society?
Whit Stillman: I prefer to say the opposite, that many things from the 18th century are the same: human nature, aspirations, gold digging. Gold is still dug and people still add insult to injury. That’s my bête noire. Take what you want but don’t make up stories. I think Lady Susan acquits herself reasonably well about that. People say, ‘it’s only interesting if we say can she’s like us.’ But I don’t like the whole modern thing! She’s not modern and a lot of 18th century things haven’t changed. I’m a defender of the 18th century and it’s importance.
Do you wish you were living in the 18th century?
Well, I like living in the present because I’m used to it. My friends are alive now but I greatly admire the late 18th century. In numerous important areas, it was far superior to today. In terms of art, architecture, perhaps morals, definitely religion, all sorts of cultural activity. The movies, TV and Internet streaming were worse, I’ll admit that. I wouldn’t binge on shows if I was in the 18th century. But I would binge on Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson.
There have been several recent Jane Austen’s adaptations. What do you think accounts for her enduring appeal?
Characters that are funny in the 18th century are funny now. Jane Austen is expert at creating things that will always be interesting. Maybe in three centuries they’ll seem be distant but it still seems current. One of the things I liked about the source material was that it seemed Jane Austen was channeling Oscar Wilde. Our film has ended up being a very guy-friendly film, appealing to men, which is partly because of the comedy. I hate this idea that everything has to be niche—it’s the millennials, it’s a woman’s film, it’s an adolescent film. We’ve got to get back to trying to make films for everyone.
You’ve been mixing it up recently when it comes to the settings of your projects. The locations have included American campuses, Paris and now 18th century England. Yet the sensibility of your work remains constant.
It’s understandable that people say they are romantic comedies. That’s true. But men and women both want to end up with someone. I remember [late director] Sydney Pollack saying the engine of your film is either going to be violence and guns or love and romance. I’m in the area where it’s normally about romance although I’d like to get into a little bit of action and other things too.
How does Love and Friendship differ from your first four films?
It’s funny. The others are amusing. This is funny.
What’s the difference between being funny and being amusing?
Laughter volume. Whether there are three-level or five-level laughs.
How do you think the writings of Lena Dunham compare with Jane Austen?
I do not comment on Lena Dunham. I am a Lena Dunham-free zone.
Is it true that Sienna Miller was originally up for the role played by Kate Beckinsale?
She was announced and was mentioned at one point, that’s true. But I always thought that Kate Beckinsale was best for the part. There are a lot of factors in this [casting]. There’s an agency for instance that doesn’t like independent film-makers and so if an actress is behind the wall of that agency, normally I’m not going to hear about her or there’s not going to be a deal or I get no response at all. There are also financiers who have crazy ideas of who is good and who is not good to have in the film. You hear what they think and it just makes you despair!
I always thought that Kate was best for the part and then at a certain point, all the conditions that had caused problems disappeared so we were able to have her. Kate’s a big star and if you want a big star in a small production—although we wanted to make this seem like a big film—it’s a challenge. But her agent wanted to make it happen.
What keeps you young?
Bad knees. When Love & Friendship was in post-production, I would walk an hour and fifteen minutes each way to the edit room. That was a bad thing to do!
What are your thoughts on the U.S. election?
I was vociferous on Twitter about one person I really despise but I don’t want to get into that right now. I don’t comment on matters of public controversy.
Well, Heat Street is a broadly libertarian site. Nothing controversial here.
Broadly libertarian? I favor libertarian broads!