Early in the politically charged new drama Norman (which bears the subtitle The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer), Richard Gere’s title character practically forces an Israeli cabinet minister to accept a gift of Lanvin shoes. And while it feels almost wrong to watch the consummate leading man, now a pulchritudinous 67, shove a bureaucrat’s feet into brogues, the subservient act is second nature for Norman, who will eventually stoop much lower in Israeli director Joseph Cedar’s smart, exciting English-language debut about the fickle nature of power.
Here, Gere discusses the film, which opens April 14.
A lot of people avoid discussing the politics of the Middle East, and here you are starring in a movie about it. What’s the draw?
I spent quite a bit of time in the Middle East but got burned out. I do think it’s the center of our universe, and if we can solve problems there we can solve almost anything. I said to the director, “If you want to do anything involved with the Middle East, committed to what’s going on there—and I’m not saying it has to be political—let’s talk about it.”
Norman’s a guy desperate to belong, to somehow make an impact. How did you relate?
It helps that I moved to New York when I was 20. Everyone goes there as a hustler, on some level. You’re inventing yourself, reinventing yourself, you have some idea of the life you want to live—and you make choices. So his mind-set was something I didn’t have to work hard to bring up from the deep recesses in me. I understand that very well.
He also never accepts defeat.
We see Norman bounce back from incredible insults. People treat him very badly, but he doesn’t hold a grudge. If I was treated that way I’d be destroyed. But there is something extraordinary in him that keeps him in motion.
Your transformation into Norman was in part physical. An early review said, “Gere has seldom looked less like himself. ”
This isn’t An Officer and a Gentleman. This is not a matinee idol role in any way. Joseph became obsessed with changing my face. He said, “You’re too good-looking to be Norman.” We had this wonderful makeup artist who came up with a little device that would stick my ears out. It changed my look enough that it just clicked for the character.
Norman is practically the personification of the undrained political swamp, but he’s not impossible to root for. Why is that?
It’s not easy to look in the mirror and see the Norman in us, but I think we all have a bit—and some of us act on that more than others. We all want to belong. There are very few among us who are totally self-contained.
Watch the preview for Norman:
Adam Rathe is Town & Country's Deputy Features Director, covering arts and culture and a range of other subjects.
