I Was Interrupted: Nicholas Ray on Making Movies

by Nicholas Ray, Susan Ray (Editor)

One of the most original, rebellious, and idiosyncratic directors in the American cinema, Nicholas Ray lived and worked with an intensity equal to that of his films. Best known for his direction of James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), he is also well regarded for his cult western Johnny Guitar (1954), and such prestigious noir classics as On Dangerous Ground (1951). I Was Interrupted offers a provocative selection of the filmmaker's writings, lectures, interviews, and more.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 11, 1993

Reviews

[V. Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And when the time comes
Once more, and when the time comes,
And once again,
when men will say this is the way and that is not
In the exaltation or the youthful knowledge of immortality,
By a flicker of film and a flash of hope,
And only once again
I’d find the question in my heart forever living and dying
But only one more time.”

While its lecture transcripts can turn a bit tedious, so much great advice on how to view actors and communicate with them, even beyond the sublime personal revelation.

Ray’s writing on his cancer battle is some of the more harrowing material I’ve encountered in awhile, and a conversation with Wim Wenders in the final stretch on how to fuse image and ideology alone makes it an essential text.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not so much a tips and tricks manual (although there is some amazing writing on directing actors) as a look inside the head of one of the most fascinating yet underrated filmmakers of the mid-20th century. He flew with Howard Hughes.

[Tom Newth · Rating 3 out of 5]

odd mix of autobiog notes and class video transcriptions. enough interesting stuff to make one wish it were more coherent/longer. but that's ray, isn't it?

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly transcriptions of classes Ray led in the 70s when his drug use was at its zenith (and it shows), interspersed with some interesting insight on his movie making. There's no chronological or thematic through lines here, just whatever could be collected from and jotted down by Ray in his waning years. The McGilligan biography provided much more insight into Ray and his work than he himself provides here.

[Santiago Ramírez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro que aborda la dirección de actores con lecciones que invitan al cuestionamiento. En medio de ellas, Nicholas Ray permite conocer su vida y su cine, el cual, precisamente, trata sobre los cuestionamientos y la toma de decisiones entre los personajes. Como dice Susan Ray: "Cada película era su historia".

[Jean Poole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars