Warner Bros. UCLA professor Jean-Louis
Rodrigue helped Oscar winner Hilary Swank
prepare for the period film "The Affair of the Necklace."
By Willy Flockton
Daily Bruin Contributor
“The Affair of the Necklace” has such a major
connection to UCLA, it’s a surprise the eight-clap
wasn’t included in the movie.
Not only is the screenplay the award-winning work of UCLA
alumnus John Sweet, but theater professor Jean-Louis Rodrigue
coached the lead actors in traditional 18th century movement.
“The Affair Of the Necklace,”
directed by Charles Shyer, is the color-enriched journey of
political intrigue and skullduggery in the royal court of
18th-century France.
With the foreboding of the French Revolution weighing heavy on
the production, it covers events that would ultimately be the
impetus for the falling of guillotine blades.
Oscar-winner Hilary Swank, renowned for her androgynous role in
“Boys Don’t Cry,” plays Jeanne de la Motte
Valois, the traumatized young aristocrat who, stripped of her
family honor, must conspire to rob a necklace that will restore her
rightful place.
“I was really pleased when Hilary got into it,”
Sweet said. “She totally immersed herself in it. I really
admired that.”
Dressed in cowboy boots and hailing originally from the South,
John Sweet graduated from the UCLA Film, Theater and Television
masters program in screenwriting in 1997. Based on true events
nearly lost to history, Sweet researched the story for a whole
summer before writing. But he was fearful of it turning into
another period historical.
“I decided that I wanted to make it accessible and that
there was some connection with the character. What drew me to the
story was that it had a lot of contemporary themes. I did not want
it to be a museum piece,” Sweet said at a sneak preview of
the film at James Bridges Theatre on Monday.
Unusually, Sweet was also involved heavily during the production
process.
He changed the tragic script that was tinged with dry humor,
cutting childhood scenes he felt showed Jeanne’s true
motivation.
“I was so close to the story that I never wanted to let go
of it,” Sweet said. “Jeanne is a very clever woman and
a bit more mercenary than the way I portrayed her. However, I
stayed true to the character. Everything in the screenplay was how
I felt she’d say it in real life.”
There is nothing but praise for the film from Jean Louis
Rodrigue.
“This was a project of love,” Rodrigue said at the
sneak preview. “I enjoyed it immensely.”
Classically-trained actor and collaborating acting trainer on
many plays and films, Rodrigue coached the leads in period
movement.
He was first approached personally by Hilary Swank to aid in her
preparation for the film. They worked together several hours every
day for weeks in full costume.
“To help realistically portray a character, not only do
you do it from the outside but also the inside,” Rodrigue
said. “I taught her to move with ease as if from that period.
This was all part of the detail of the film.”
Shyer specially flew Rodrigue to Prague and France where filming
was taking place to specially work with all the leads, including
Jonathan Pryce, who had recently fallen from a horse.
“Hilary and I worked for weeks to find the
character’s natural impulses,” Rodrigue said. “I
was able to help her transform her posture and carriage and teach
her to move with elegance and poise.”
Rodrigue employs the century-old Alexander Technique, an
awareness of movement habits that can be applied across all arts,
including theater, music and film. He also has recently acquired
funding from Lucy Gonda’s Center for Integrative Health,
Medicine and Research for a new program to help musicians avoid
injury. He has already worked with such groups as the Los Angles
Philharmonic, and his latest work is with the actors of “The
Time Machine,” slated for release this winter.
“Swank was a sheer joy to work with,” Rodrigue said.
“She was such a hard worker. She is amazing.”
FILM: “The Affair of a Necklace”
opens in select theaters tomorrow and is rated R.