Nigel Hawthorne Saves Marriage
Newsplanet, May 17, 1999
Also screening at Cannes (on May 13) was "The Clandestine Marriage," which it seems would never have made it to the theater without some special help from British actor Sir Nigel Hawthorne. A man unidentified for legal reasons had signed up to invest 6.5-million-pounds, but most of it never materialized, leaving the production broke four weeks into filming. Despite the willingness of crew members to work without compensation, there was a do-or-die need for fast cash, and Hawthorne provided it, borrowing 50,000-pounds from his bank to cover immediate expenses.
Hawthorne told the Press Association, "If you commit yourself to a project, then you commit yourself because you believe in it, you don't do it for the money." He inspired co-star Joan Collins to chip in 350,000-pounds and her agent another 150,000-pounds, allowing filming to be completed on the comedy of manners set in the 18th century. All three have been reimbursed for what were loans, not investments. Hawthorne also appears at Cannes in David Mamet's "The Winslow Boy."
