Another Highlight at the Zurich Film Festival: Michael Keaton presents his Directing Debut “The Merry Gentleman”
Michael Keaton made his international breakthrough with his embodiment of Batman/Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s comic adaptation and box office hit Batman (1989). The Golden Globe nominated US American actor will now come to Zurich in a new role, namely that of a director, to launch a European premiere on October 1, 2009. On this evening at 21:00, his directing debut The Merry Gentleman (2008) will be screened in the cinema corso 1 as part of the 5th Zurich Film Festival. Keaton also plays the protagonist Frank Logan in this drama, alongside Kelly Macdonald (No Country For Old Men, Finding Neverland) and newcomer Tom Bastounes.
In an exclusive Zurich Master Class at the Zunfthaus zur Saffran on Friday, October 2, 2009, Michael Keaton will discuss the topic of directing The Merry Gentleman with 20 selected participants. On Saturday, October 3, 2009, Michael Keaton will personally receive the Zurich Film Festival's first Career Achievement Award for his accomplishments as an actor and filmmaker. "Not only is Michael Keaton an unbelievably multifaceted actor, he can also celebrate a remarkable directing debut with The Merry Gentleman, which was received with great enthusiasm at the Sundance Film Festival by the press and audiences alike", said Karl Spoerri, co-director and artistic director of the Zurich Film Festival, when commenting on the allocation of this extraordinary accolade.
The US American actor Michael Keaton was born Michael John Douglas on September 5, 1951, the youngest of seven children, to an Irish-Scottish family in Corapolis, Pennsylvania. He studied two years of dramatics and linguistics at the Kent State University of Ohio before proving his comedic talents in Los Angeles with his parts in the Golden Globe winning TV comedy series Maude (1977) and the Emmy nominated TV comedy series The Mary Tyler Moore Hour (1979). As there was already a better-known member of the Screen Actors Guild with the name Michael Douglas at this time, he changed his surname and became henceforth Michael Keaton - a name inspired by Diane Keaton.
He first attracted attention in his role as Bill Blazejowski, playing beside Henry Winkler in the comedy film Night Shift (1982). Leading roles in the comedy hits Mr. Mom (1983), Johnny Dangerously (1984), Gung Ho (1986) and Tim Burton's horror-comedy Beetlejuice (1988) followed. Keaton made his international breakthrough in another film by Tim Burton with his leading performance as Batman/Bruce Wayne beside ‘Joker' Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989). In 1992, the celebrated actor donned the batsuit for a second time when he took the leading role in Tim Burton's Batman Returns - this time with Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. Keaton has demonstrated his acting versatility inter-Batman with his implementation of a psychopath in John Schlesinger's psycho thriller Pacific Heights (1990) and the nark and family man Artie Lewis in One Good Cop (1991). He performed in a broad spectrum of genres during the 90s: the film adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (1993) with Kate Beckinsale, Ron Howard's comedy The Paper (1994) with Robert Duvall and Glenn Close, at the side of Andy MacDowell in Multiplicity (1996) and as Ray Nicolette in Quentin Tarantino's cult film Jackie Brown (1997). His work in recent years has included roles in productions such as the award-winning TV film Live from Baghdad - he was awarded the Golden Globe for his performance as Robert Weiner - and Herbie Fully Loaded (2005). Michael Keaton has one son from his marriage (1984 until 1990) to the actress Caroline McWilliams. Keaton lives in Los Angeles.
The Merry Gentleman, USA, 2008
Running away from a troubled marriage, Kate Frazier hopes to find anonymity with a new home and a new job in Chicago. Despite friendly flirtation from co-workers and others, the shy and reserved Kate keeps her distance, avoiding questions about her sudden arrival and her recent past. When Kate meets Frank Logan, the two discover unexpected satisfaction in their mutual, shared silence. Haunted by the troubling choices he has made, Frank finds a kindred spirit in the younger Kate, and for a moment the two seem destined to redeem and remake each other. As the holidays and New Year pass against an urban landscape that seems both breathtakingly beautiful and starkly quiet, Kate and Frank's friendship becomes one of necessity and survival for these two lost spirits. But neither lonely soul can escape the lives they have left behind. As events unfold and the painful truth slowly emerges, Frank is forced to face the man he really is, while Kate struggles to be the stronger woman she needs to be.
A truly original Christmas story, The Merry Gentleman is a heady mix of suspense, gentle romance and quiet humor - a riveting, uniquely entertaining tale of forgiveness and redemption that blends a hopeful spirit with a surprisingly dark heart.
