From the original Miami Vice TV series through films like Thief, Heat and Collateral, director/writer/producer Michael Mann often explores the darker side of the street and highlights the lives and evil deeds of criminals. In his movies, the crooks are often just as symapthetic as the cops who try to catch them and the line between good and evil and right and wrong is, at best, blurred. Another film from the director that promises to explore the same territory is his upcoming John Dillinger biopic Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp as Dillinger.
Over at the San Francisco Chronicle website they’ve got a very interesting interview with Mann about his upcoming film. In the article, several bits of information are revealed including the fact that the film’s star Johnny Depp has wanted to play the role of John Dillinger for twenty years, that director Mann thinks the film’s stance against banks is very timely given today’s economy but insists it’s just a coincidence, that Mann encourages his actors to heavily research their roles and that the film may glorify criminals.
Mann also defends Depp’s co-star in Public Enemies, actor Christian Bale, for his outburst on the set of Terminator: Salvation, insisting that nothing of the kind happened during his shoot. According to Mann: ”Christian is a sweetheart to work with. This is a guy who doesn’t even travel with assistants. I can only surmise, if something like that happened, the provocation to Christian must have been extreme and going on for a long, long time.”
Mann also had glowing things to say about his star Johnny Depp and revealed that Depp has some close ties with the infamous character he plays in the film. “A lot of what goes on inside Johnny Depp could be used and revealed,” Mann said in the article. “I know there are dark currents within Johnny and also from his past life, and I know he has a lot of John Dillinger inside of him. He has a deep understanding of a troubled past and a troubled life, but is someone who is a very passionate man. He could understand those currents in unique ways.”
Be sure to check out the full article right here. Public Enemies hits theaters on July 1st.
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