Writer and director Guy Ritchie presents the extraordinary crime comedy Gentlemen with an all-star cast. The plot follows the American expatriate Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey), who has created an incredibly lucrative drug empire in London. There are rumors that Pearson is ready to retire by selling his business. Immediately there are many who want to get hold of Mickey's business. Learn all the secrets of the movie "Gentlemen" (2020): idea and shooting, as well as interesting facts about the actors and characters.
IMDb rating - 8.1.
Details about the film
Idea and plot of Gentlemen
A talented Oxford graduate, using his unique mind and unprecedented audacity, he came up with an illegal enrichment scheme using the estates of the impoverished English aristocracy. However, when he decides to sell his business to an influential clan of US billionaires, no less charming but tough gentlemen stand in his way. An exchange of pleasantries is planned, which certainly will not do without shootings and a couple of accidents ...
Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant also starred in Gentlemen. Guy Ritchie returns to genre cinema with amazing characters who have created a unique atmosphere in films such as Sherlock Holmes, Big Jackpot and Lock, Stock, Two Barrels.
“Guy's films are a kaleidoscope of poignant dialogue, fighting, humor, juggling, enthusiasm and traps,” says Matthew McConaughey. - Each character in his films is individual and has a vivid character. It's interesting in the company of such guys. "
“No one manages to convey the charm of the criminal world like Guy,” adds producer Ivan Atkinson, who also co-wrote the script with Richie and Marn Davis. “It’s impossible to forget the movie characters he has created, and he also knows how to harmoniously combine action and comedy.”
“With this project, Guy decided to return to his roots with an impressive cast,” says producer Bill Block. "I believe he decided to pay tribute to his past by bringing up certain themes and reviving characters that have changed a lot over the past two decades."
Richie got the idea for the film almost ten years ago. He and Atkinson planned to make a television series, but in the end, Richie returned to the original idea of making a large-scale full-length film. The film's working title "Toff Guys" is a reference to British slang describing aristocrats reveling in their greatness. Ritchie explains how the original idea for Gentlemen came about:
“It all started when I became interested in the existing fundamental differences between the American and British class systems. The characters have reached the age when a certain magnetic force attracts them to beauty, when they want to ennoble their lives, built on a not noble occupation. They went through a lot, climbing an incredibly steep social ladder. Now they find themselves at the crossroads of two roads, one of which leads to fabulous wealth. And what they like now goes against the world in which they used to make money. "
The title of the film "Gentlemen" speaks of the lifestyle that the characters aspire to. However, according to Richie himself, "there are not so many gentlemen in the film in the literal sense of the word."
Characters
The selection of actors, of course, is one of the most important phases of the preparatory period. “After finishing work on a film, I usually move on to the next one, but after watching the trailer for Gentlemen, I remembered what wonderful actors were in it,” says the director. “It seemed to me that it was only thanks to a happy coincidence that we managed to bring all of them on one set.”
It is impossible not to pay attention to the fact that the actors play roles that differ from their usual roles. “You might be thinking:
"Well, of course, this actor plays such and such a character," and most likely you will be mistaken, Blok notes with a smile. - The film turned out to be unusual, with many unexpected twists. Guy's created characters embody the environment they represent. In a world where criminals rule the show, you need to be smart and flexible, to be able to stand up for yourself. "
The film's protagonist, Mickey, strives for a different life and is looking for a way to get out of the business that has enriched him - the marijuana trade. Initially, it was planned to give this role to a British actor, but eventually the character became American, and this allowed the character to develop in an unusual way. “This is a unique British crime comedy about an American living in London trying to sell his business to another American (played by Jeremy Strong),” explains Atkinson.
Matthew McConaughey only had to read the script once to agree to the role. Moreover, he had some interesting ideas for his character. “Mickey is an American who sells England to the British,” says the Oscar-winning actor. “We know that sometimes we need a romanticized character to show the value of what surrounds us. And Mickey did an excellent job with this task. He moved to London 20 years ago, graduated from Oxford and was able to break into the aristocracy - the class of the so-called "rich". Mickey began to master the marijuana business. His clever plan was to rent thousands of estates in the UK, say, for a million pounds a year, and set up secret drug farms on their territory. The property owners didn't have to do anything - they just needed their land, and they didn't even know what was really going on. Mickey's business grew by leaps and bounds, and soon turned into a real empire. "
“Indeed, sometimes the nuances of British culture are not obvious even to the British themselves,” Atkinson said. "The American looks at what is happening with an unclouded gaze, and this becomes his advantage."
"Mickey is ready to sell his business for $ 400 million," McConaughey says. - He wants to quit the game for many reasons, but mainly because he deserves this right. Mickey wants to have kids with his wife and see the country. He asks for an honest price for his business, but parting with it is not so easy. "
The marijuana trade has always captured Richie's imagination. “You could say this is a new gold rush,” says the director. "Marijuana is perceived by many as a relatively harmless drug that is not too harmful to health."
According to Atkinson, the very idea that two Americans (Mickey, played by McConaughey and Matthew, played by Strong) are running a large-scale business of growing and marketing cannabis is based on the ambiguous attitude towards this plant in the United States. “In some states, the drug is legal, but on a federal scale, it is illegal,” explains the producer. - Having moved to the UK, the heroes of the film did not have to worry about the morality of their actions or the fact that they could be pressed by large pharmaceutical companies. They knew exactly what they were doing and could afford to be honest about their foul play. "
In Mickey's plans, an important role is played by his faithful and experienced assistant Ray, played by Charlie Hunnam. Previously, Hunnam dated Richie on the set of the fantasy adventure King Arthur's Sword. “If we draw an analogy between the hero Matthew and Batman, then Ray resembles Alfred,” the actor notes with a smile. - Only in our case, Alfred turned out to be a little nervous and periodically suffers from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Ray is an atypical gangster. He is very scrupulous and willing to do anything for the prosperity of Mickey and the growth of his empire. It is difficult for Ray to come to terms with the need to give up everything on which they spent so much time and effort. But at the same time, Ray respects the hierarchy, so the boss's word is law. "
Hunnam talks about the unusual qualities of his character:
“Guy and I decided that Ray should turn out extraordinary, perhaps with some deviation, and ready to break at any moment. He is very sensitive to organization and order. "
Ray's discipline becomes his obvious advantage when dealing with Fletcher, an unscrupulous private detective. He is hired by the editor of the news tabloid Big Dave (Eddie Marsan) to dig up dirt on Mickey. He had the imprudence to treat Big Dave with disdain. Fletcher thinks that he has received information that is highly discrediting Mickey. And he tells Ray about this, confidently believing that Ray and Mickey are now in his hands. “The confrontation between Ray and Fletcher continues throughout the film, Guy skillfully used it to achieve the best effect,” notes Hunnam. "He integrated our dialogue into the plot to make it seem like everything happens in real time."
Hugh Grant played the role of a private detective.
“My hero is ready to work for anyone,” says the actor. “According to the plot of the film, the boss of a scandalous tabloid becomes his employer. Fletcher must find dirt on a prosperous drug lord Mickey. At the same time, the detective does not shun any means, is ready to play dirty and capable of any deceit. "
“I must say, Fletcher is very good at what he does,” Grant continues. - He digs through the trash, watches Mickey and collects an impressive dossier on him. Then Fletcher realizes that he can earn twice as much if he offers the collected information to those for whom its disclosure is highly undesirable. Namely, the drug lords themselves - in exchange for a tidy sum. Unfortunately for Fletcher, he tried to put pressure on those who are not so easy to blackmail ...
Less polished, but much more colorful is Coach - a boxing instructor who works with guys with an ambiguous background. “This is a tough guy who is tired of the hustle and bustle of city life, so now he helps those who grew up in the same unfavorable conditions as himself,” says Richie. "The coach understands their drive to overcome the gravity of the real world."
“The Coach's goal is to help the kids in the neighborhood find purpose in life and become more disciplined,” adds Colin Farrell, who played the role.
However, they are difficult to change. Coach's men get into serious trouble when they break into one of Mickey's drug farms. They filmed the robbery on camera and posted the video on the Internet. “They really have nothing to do with this lucrative business,” explains Farrell. “It was a big stupidity of them to put this video on the net”.
The coach decides to take the hit. He goes to Ray and offers his services. The coach will be indebted to Ray and Mickey until the damage caused by the guys is compensated. “He will do anything to settle accounts with Ray,” says Farrell.
Although even the Coach, as it turns out, has boundaries. “After completing Ray’s assignment, Coach declares that he’s not one to use forever and for free,” says Farrell. - There comes a moment when he makes it clear: a little good.
“It’s not so easy for Ray to explain it, because if the criminal took you by the gills, it’s extremely difficult to escape,” adds Atkinson.
The role of the unscrupulous Asian crime boss known as Dry Eye was played by Henry Golding.
“A young and very aggressive gang leader is trying to assert himself by squeezing Mickey's business, - says the actor about his character. - Given his youth and inexperience, Dry Eye is unpredictable and makes rash decisions. He has outbursts of aggression, he breaks down on subordinates, among whom he feels like a big boss. However, finding himself in the major criminal league, Dry Eye understands that he is losing to his rivals and wants to somehow compensate for this. "
One of the brightest representatives of this "major crime league" is the American crime boss Matthew, played by Jeremy Strong. Matthew wants to buy out Mickey's business, and they almost manage to come to an agreement, but suddenly it turns out that Matthew is not playing fair, and the deal is threatened.
“Matthew is an erudite billionaire with a good schooling behind him, so he makes a worthy opponent for Mickey,” says Strong. - It was very difficult for me to create a character that would harmoniously fit into Guy Ritchie's film and take his place in the gallery of heroes invented by him. Mickey and Matthew compete, although the latter positions himself as a friend of the former. Matthew is unwilling to pay the amount Mickey announced, so he comes up with a scheme that should force Mickey to lower the price. And he is trying to find allies who will help him implement this scheme ”.
These machinations overnight launch a chain of events that no one could have predicted. “Neither Matthew nor any of his assistants anticipate this turn of events, but each of them will get what they deserve,” Atkinson notes.
Richie and Atkinson knew Strong would do a great job.
“We saw Jeremy in the Roughing Game and were truly amazed at the self-confidence and bravado of his character,” recalls the producer. "We decided that these qualities would be appropriate for Matthew."
Strong is considered a master of reincarnation. The actor did not leave the character during almost the entire filming period. “For four weeks in a row, Jeremy was Matthew all the time, without interruption. And only once did he go out of character. We could not believe our eyes, because we hardly recognized him! " - Atkinson recalls.
“Although the main characters in Gentlemen are crime bosses and gangsters, it is essentially a film about love,” says Richie. - Rosalind, Mickey's wife, played by Michelle Dockery, is the true matriarch of the enterprise headed by her husband. And in our case it is not yet known which of them is more important. If Mickey is a kind of cowboy Caesar, then Rosalind is, without a doubt, British Cleopatra. She has a pronounced self-preservation instinct, she is very attractive. For Mickey, Rosalind is an invaluable advisor and assistant. Perhaps thanks to her efforts, Mickey's business continues to flourish. "
“When you reread the script, you involuntarily notice that Rosalind is as cool as men, she is in no way inferior to them,” says Atkinson. “There is a feeling that it is she who runs the entire business, she is a key player.”
Despite the fact that the heroine participates in many important dynamic scenes, two weeks before the start of filming, the performer of the role was not yet confirmed. Richie is a big fan of the Downton Abbey television series. The director thought that Dockery, who played Lady Mary in The Abbey, would be perfect for the role of Rosalind. However, Atkinson feared that Dockery was too sophisticated for the role of the cool heroine of The Gentlemen. “Guy met Michelle a few days before our Rosalind was due to appear on screen for the first time,” the producer recalls. - We immediately realized that there is not a shadow of that false gloss in it. Michelle was exactly what we wanted Rosalind to be. "
Dockery agrees with Richie that the film is based on a love story: “Rosalind is not the status wife of a rich criminal. They have an amazing relationship with Mickey. In general, this is not typical for this kind of films. Rosalind is behind many of Mickey's machinations and often gives him valuable advice. We can say that she is his support and support ”.
“That being said, their relationship is far from normal,” Dockery continues. - This is a love story, but not the one that the audience is used to. The relationship of this couple is developing dynamically. "
Unsurprisingly, Rosalind is quite independent. She has her own business - a garage where cool cars are repaired. “She grew up in a wealthy family, but her parents achieved everything with their work,” explains Dockery. “Already in her early youth, Rosalind knew what well-being and beautiful clothes were, she did not hesitate to stand out.”
McConaughey says Rosalind is as valuable to Mickey as Ray. “She sees the whole picture as a whole and all the obstacles that can get in the way, - explains the actor. - Rosalind started from scratch and now runs her own business, so our heroes have a very interesting relationship. She is the first and last person Mickey consults with. "
Dockery admits that she gladly accepted the offer to play a role so different from those that she played before. “This role is very close to me, - says the actress. - I often play polished, but non-verbal heroines, like Lady Mary. So for me the role of Rosalind is a real gift. "
Guy Ritchie's world
The Gentlemen actors say that when they agreed to the role, they looked forward to the opportunity to work in the unique style of Guy Ritchie, enjoy the play of his imagination, poetics of dialogues and dynamic scenes.
Jeremy Strong recalls the collaborative atmosphere at the venue:
“Guy has a special narrative language, he feels the melody and some kind of sensuality inherent in theatrical performances. It feels like you are playing in a play based on a play by Oscar Wilde or Noel Coward. It's in the air. As soon as we managed to catch this hovering mood, work became easy and fun. It took an hour or two every day to rewrite the script - another feature of working with Guy. He didn't mind when I suggested some theatrical solutions and encouraged improvisation. It was truly a creative process. "
“Guy is an author in every sense of the word,” notes Hunnam. - Everything that happens on the set seems to pass through a special filter of his vision. And Guy sees everything very accurately, but at the same time original. It remains only to obey him. "
Farrell adds:
"There are improvisations in the film, like in jazz, when each of us picked up the key set by the other, but each part sounds harmonious."
“There are a lot of lines in the picture, I personally spent several months learning all of Fletcher's lines,” Grant recalls. - I went with my children on a ski weekend, but in the end I didn't manage to ski, because all this time I was studying the script. It is worth giving credit to Guy, his dialogues are very informative and very lively. The difficulty was to make them my own, but this work was to my liking. "
Richie constantly made adjustments to the script, sometimes rewriting the scene right on the day of shooting. And this happens in all of his films. McConaughey was impressed by the persistence with which the director tried to shoot everything correctly, and by the very process of implementing the tasks.
“Guy and I talked more on the set than with any other director,” the actor recalls. - He really brought the script to life, making his own edits. It was an extremely unusual experience that I had not experienced before. "
“You seem to come to the set prepared, but everything can suddenly change beyond recognition,” echoes Dockery's colleague. - It takes some getting used to, but the effort is worth it. The process is truly creative and collaborative. Guy listens to all the wishes and advice and always finds humor in everything. Each film by Guy has its own intensity, its own sarcasm, its own poetry. There is a rhythm in what he writes, and the text is perceived as music. "
Richie's attention to detail was also evident in his work with costume designer Michael Wilkinson, whom the director had previously met on the set of Aladdin. “Wardrobe is an important part of my immersion process, and Guy and Michael are well aware of this,” says Strong. - We can learn a lot about my character Matthew from his costumes - very elegant and colorful. I wanted my character to give the impression of a shocking dandy. " The most important accessories for Strong's character were a hat from a London-based designer and custom-made glasses. “These items helped me better understand my character,” the actor says.
Hunnam recalls going to a London clothing store with Richie:
“We spent three or four hours there trying on different costumes. In fact, we put together Ray's entire wardrobe in this one store. Guy dresses very elegantly and has a very clear idea of what all the characters in his films should wear. "
Golding agrees, adding, “Guy has a very peculiar concept of characters. But his sense of taste is impeccable. Matthew McConaughey appeared as Mickey in a chic tweed suit, and Charlie Hunnam's Ray looked like he had just stepped out of the pages of GQ. "
Dockery echoes colleagues:
“The costumes were amazing. All we did was look at each other's labels on clothes. Many costumes were chosen by Guy himself. He has an impeccable sense of style. I am a fashionista myself, so the fittings were a joy to me. "
Richie's style of work also included unique readings of the script, which he calls "black box". Usually, during readings, all the actors gather at a round table and say lines. But Richie and his group filmed the actors on an amateur camera over a 12-hour shift. “We were getting a complete picture of what the movie was about to fit the next three months of filming into one day,” Atkinson explains. "In fact, we got the film before we even started shooting."
“It's like a final run-through in a theater,” McConaughey says. - Guy gets a lot of important information by filming the reading on tape. He sees what the dynamics should be in this or that scene. "
The Black Box was only the first step on the long journey of Gentlemen to the big screens. “I hope viewers enjoy our film,” Atkinson admits. - I would like the audience to have an idea: "Wow, I have not seen this before." It was this thought that flashed through my head after watching the movie BIG KUSH. In addition, I would like to start discussing the picture immediately after viewing. In Gentlemen, Guy raises a lot more burning issues than ever before. "
“We knew from the beginning that Guy would make a unique crime comedy with a clever plot, that the film would turn out to be unusual,” says Block. - We have many examples of this. We all can't wait to show the picture to the world. "
Gentlemen provided Guy Ritchie with an opportunity to explore the cultural differences between the UK and the US. In this he was helped by wonderful actors, his unique style of work, as well as some tricks and tricks. “I think the audience will be interested - an unusual attraction awaits them,” says the director. - It was interesting for me to explore different areas of cultures and subcultures, upper and lower strata of society. I hope the audience shares this interest with me. " Release date of the film "Gentlemen" in Russia - February 13, 2020; Learn fun facts about shooting and making Guy Ritchie's brilliant cast.
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