Jagger back a man of wea
It’s been nearly
20 years since Mick Jagger last acted, but as the new film The Burnt Orange Heresy shows, his chops have gathered no moss. In the film, which Sony Pictures Classics released on Friday, Jagger co-stars alongside Claes Bang and Elizabeth Debicki as a devilish art collector who cunningly convinces an art journalist (Bang) to use a rare interview with a reclusive artist (Donald Sutherland) as an opportunity to steal one of his paintings. It’s Jagger’s first film since 2001’s The Man From Elysian Fields. And, he says, it might be his last.
“I wish I had done a lot more acting. I’ve just done bits and pieces here and there whenever I’ve been able to,” Jagger said. Then he chuckles. “You know, I have another job. I have several other jobs, really.”
When the 76-year-old hasn’t been performing with the Rolling Stones, Jagger has carved out a peripatetic but adventurous career in movies. He’s favoured more experimental filmmakers, working with Jean-luc Godard, Nicolas Roeg and Werner
Mick Jagger,
Herzog. Acting a little less than David Bowie but more than Bob Dylan, Jagger’s film career has been consistently intrepid. He’s a very good actor, even if his bigscreen performances will always be dwarfed by the gyrating spectacle of his kinetic stage persona.
“I always liked the idea of it,” Jagger says of acting. “I enjoy the change of pace and the change of focus of your performance. When I’m performing these days, it’s mostly in very large places in front of lots of people, whereas when you’re on a small set, you’re performing much more subtly and not such elaborate gestures. You have to really tone it down.”
Sometimes, fate (and tour scheduling) has intervened. Jagger’s performance in Herzog’s famously delirious Fitzcarraldo (1982) was cut because the original lead, Jason Robards, got sick. When shooting restarted in the Peruvian jungle, Jagger had a conflicting Stones tour. His part was cut and Klaus Kinski took over for Robards. Herzog has called Jagger’s departure “one of the biggest losses I’ve ever experienced as a director.” (Bits of Jagger’s performance can be seen in documentaries like Burden of Dreams and My Best Friend).
“It was a pity about that. That was a shame,” says Jagger. “So Klaus Kinski did the job on that and did it better than I. Nevertheless, it was an experience.”
Elegant Burnt Orange
But the timing and the script lined up for The Burnt Orange Heresy. It’s directed by Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Capotondi, whose twisty 2009 debut film The Double Hour proved his talent for conjuring a noirish atmosphere of intrigue and
I watched early Roman Polanski movies when I was a student and we used to think ourselves great intellectuals and just watch foreign films and New Wave. We were very into that.” Mick Jagger
I wish I had done a lot more acting. I’ve just done bits and pieces here and there whenever I’ve been able to. You know, I have another job. I have several other jobs, really.” Mick Jagger