.movies was being shown. He went downstairs tor a moment ana encountered a mugger, who clobbered him. Sir Laurence snouted. On television, however, he was doing a soliloquy, and his children just thought there was Daddy below, doing the speech along with the tube. When he told about being struck and shouting Olivier shouted. I spun from the window, startled and at the same time thrilled. Because there it was, the famous . Olivier 6tage cry, the sound that has mesmerized audiences for half a century. I stood still, frozen by the power. Even now, when he wanted to let it fly, it was there. DUSTIN HOFFMAN loves to Improvise, and he's an expert at it. He, Schlesinger and Olivier were sitting around a table, going over the penultimate sequence in the movie, where Hoffman has Olivier at gunpoint, and they begin a long walk. Hoffman said, "Let's improvise it for a while." Olivier said he'd rather not. Improvisation is not something he likes to do; it's not part of traditional English theatrical training. Hoffman jumped up. "Let's put it on its feet and Improvise." Olivier resisted again. . Schlesinger said he thought that since we were there to rehearse, why not try it. Olivier got up slowly. - He was, of course, recovering from a crippling disease, and his hands were still bandaged, perhaps to hide the sight of swelling. - ' This was covered up brilliantly In the movie. At only one moment can you tell how frail he was. It's at the end of the sequence in the diamond i district, when he was to run for Ji ; nearby cab, perhaps two paces-tT- away. If you watch closely, yodan. see his struggle to get to the cafig- Even two steps were almost too-..- Present. $49.95 Gold Tone . Quartz Leather Strap . Strap Tone $69.95 Bl-Metalllc Quartz j . k'.v.WN mull, BUT NOW, as he stood, we wera months before the snooting of the diamond scene. Hoffman mimed gun and said, "Okay, get going,""" and they started to walk around, the rehearsal hall. Olivier tried ad-libbing, said agahvj and again that be wasn't skilled at iC could someone give him his lines? J and Hoffman said, "You're doings great, Just say anything, come w, we're getting somewhere." So they walked and kept on walking. I dotvt know why all this was v. allowed to happen. Improvising is a part of Hoffman's vast technique, and perhaps that was the reason.; , But OUvier, in spite of himself; scares the - out of other actor- IF know of one giant star who insisted.' on Olivier's being in a movie with ' him. This man was and is a friend ot Olivier. The movie was well int-: shooting when Olivier's role begbh, and the night before his first appear-, . ance, the star who cared for hira&nC1 insisted on casting him was awake ; ' the entire night in, quite simply. Z' panic. He was nursed through that ; ' night by his producer, who told me it was so sad, seeing this star all but J helpless because he was going to -' have to act with Olivier the next; ; day. AND I THINK part of this was . - because of Hoffman's need to put . -' himself on at least equal footing with . this sick old man. But I don't know why Schlesinger didn't stop it. Perhaps, as he indicated, to see what might come out of that might neip tne sequence.. . I also have to think that . Schlesinger knew that Olivier wouldn't give him any trouble: Hottman was tne star, uouman naa the vehicle role, if anyone was going to Dring mm to gnet, Hotiman was that man, and to go directly against his star's wishes so early on might; not. oe a move ui reai wisuom. - -In any case, Inside of a few minutes, Olivier's ankles were beginning to swell. But on they walked and, , improvised, noiiman was lerruio, and Olivier did his best. Schlesinger watched it all. -r. . Olivier would not sit down, wookr not give in. He couia nave stoppea, ne couia have asked for a break. But he ' walked. And now his ankles were bulging. No one can say how much pain. - ; anyone is capable of enduring. But-watching it all take place, seeing the old man grow increasingly paie, was something I knew then I'd remem- rjer; torever. , , TRULY SKILLED actors are rare. Of those, a few are blessed with . brilliance. And of those, fewer still. have even a shot at greatness.. Most blow it. -.-r.; Every century or so, we are - . ; blessed with a tiny handful, ai&as- impossible as their task may oe, staying great is that much harder. . watching him as that awful improvisatory afternoon came to an end, 1 think l glimpsed wny uiivier nas . been able to endure in that incredi-;' ble rarefied atmosphere for so many decades. He was great for mehat dayand he'll be great on the day he dies.. A T . S .11 It.i Assuming ne tuiows uiav w :. pen. . CopyrlgM 1963 William OoWmia Emsrplad horn "Advamura fn trw screen irao. ny winiam uoonan (Wamar Boota). DMributad by Special FMurettSyndt-catlonSalea. -, ,t Thursday in Tempo: "A Bridge Too Tar." .
