Montauk Pioneer - October 31, 2008

The Hamptons International Film Festival had another successful year. Opening night was held at Gurney's Inn as it is every year. The following day I had the pleasure to sit in on "A Conversation With Jacqueline Bisset," interviewed by Stephen Gaines at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor.

The theatre was pretty packed and before her entrance, they showed a reel of various clips from movies that Jacqueline Bisset was in. "Two for the Road" and the 1967 James Bond movie "Casino Royale," along with her role in "Bullitt" opposite Steve McQueen were the openers. She was in the 1970 film "Airport" and shared a funny story with us of how a scene called for her to slap someone and she did it a little too hard. Her role in "The Deep" was one that was filmed primarily in the depths of the water and there were many potential dangers but none that came to fruition. "Murder on the Orient Express" and "The Greek Tycoon" are two more of her well known films. In the 1983 film "Class", she plays Rob Lowe's mother and has an affair with his roommate, Andrew McCarthy. When asked what she thinks about the older woman/younger man relationship, she replied,"Well love is love in whatever form" and went on to ask why is it okay for an older man to be with a much younger woman? Love shouldn't have an age attached to it. I agree. She also shared with us that when she saw the poster for "Class" she couldn't believe that they had put her head on someone else's body. She didn't know at the time who's body it was but she did find out and years later she met the woman who owned that body. Segway to how she feels on the subject of plastic surgery. She has never had any. She has had a thought here and there as many of us have at one time or another, but she has not actually gone ahead and had any work done. Having been named one of the most beautiful actresses of our time by Newsweek and still maintaining her natural beauty, I don't think she'll ever have a need to nip or tuck. Ironically on FX's "Nip/Tuck" she portrays a ruthless character, James LeBeau, a madame who not only has her clients seduced but also has their organs removed. She's such a great actress that you loathe her character, yet you adore who she is in person. "An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving" was the film she was in this year at HIFF. I believe she said this was her first time in the Hamptons, and she just loved it. She attends film festivals around the world and I know she is welcome back here anytime.