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American Morning

Cannes Film Festival Includes Glimpse of Scorsese Film

Aired May 21, 2002 - 07:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: He won't be coming to a theater near you until Christmas, but Martin Scorsese's long-awaited and still unfinished epic, "Gangs of New York" made its debut yesterday at the Cannes Film Festival in France. The audience only caught a glimpse of the movie during a 20-minute screening. Still, the star-studded preview was one of the festival's main events.

And Sandy Kenyon is a contributing editor for "Parade" magazine. He joins us now from Cannes with more on the premiere of the gang epic -- good morning. How is the festival going?

SANDY KENYON, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "PARADE" MAGAZINE: It's doing great, Paula, and it's great to talk to you from the south of France. Of all of the attractions at the Cannes Film Festival, the preview for "Gangs of New York," a picture that as you mentioned isn't even finished yet, has caused perhaps the most excitement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KENYON (voice-over): It cost at least $100 million to go back in time to recreate Manhattan in the mid-1800s, when immigrant gangs fought a long, violent war for control of the streets. Director Martin Scorsese, who is a native New Yorker, says this film has been in his mind and his heart for a quarter of a century, and he brought along stars Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio for a preview of the film.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO, STAR, "GANGS OF NEW YORK": It's a really unique time in our history, and it was so affected by the Civil War and the hoards of immigrants coming in from the potato famine, and it was the birth of our country basically.

CAMERON DIAZ, STAR, "GANGS OF NEW YORK": You are working on a film that is completely -- you know, the scale of it, you can't even grasp why you are there. There is so much happening.

KENYON: There was talk this epic was too long and way too expensive. It was originally set for release the end of last year. Producer Harvey Weinstein defended Scorsese, and said reports of arguments between them were exaggerated.

HARVEY WEINSTEIN, CHAIRMAN, MIRAMAX: This was a labor of love. Hopefully, you know, there will be a movie that you love, you know, at the end of the day. But for us who made it, you know, and that's all of us, we love working on it. We love being a part of this process.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have had our disagreements, and we've also, after every one, I must say, we have come to terms. And I must say that ultimately the film that will be out there -- it's two hours and 40 some odd minutes -- is literally that is the picture.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KENYON: Now, I spoke with Leonardo DiCaprio last night at a private party for the cast and crew of "Gangs of New York." And he told me that when he saw the preview here at the Palais on the giant screen four stories tall, he told me one-on-one, chills went up his spine. Yes, he is an international film star. Yes, the folks love him. Yes, he makes $20 million a movie, but the chills went up his spine, Paula, when he saw that preview in front of some 4,000 people here at the Palais in Cannes.

ZAHN: I like the way you're on a first-name basis there with Leonardo. What else did he tell you about the making of this movie and all of the concerns about cost overruns and whether it's going to be a hit after all?

KENYON: Well, basically it is a tremendous risk, but they got a lot of money from abroad. It's 100 million plus, 60 million plus comes from foreign territories. So there are some limits there.

There were reports that no one is confirming that Leonardo DiCaprio actually agreed to forgo a fee here, a fee there, you know, kicked in a few million dollars to help finish the movie, but he wouldn't say anything about that. He did say it's a different world here, very crazy, and of course, a lot of people around the world wanting his attention, because this is his first epic since his "Titanic" success.

ZAHN: I don't know. Somehow I don't Americans have a great deal of empathy about his earning capacity. I think that's all but sealed, because his films have done so well. Tell us a little bit about Martin Scorsese and what's at stake for him. He really hasn't had a hit since "Cape Fear," right?

KENYON: Absolutely, and that was more than a decade ago, Paula. In actual fact, this is a story that he has nurtured. Martin Scorsese grew up in the lower east side of Manhattan. He heard tales from the 1800s, and he always wanted to tell this story of immigrant gangs. This is either a masterpiece or a bomb. You really can't tell from the preview.

You can tell that there is fantastic chemistry between the two leads, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. Daniel Day-Lewis, who is not here in Cannes, he doesn't do this sort of thing, a man who spent two years as a cobbler in Rome before resuming his acting career, he is terrific in it too.

It's going to be a big hit or a big miss. I know there is not that much to go on from that advice, but we have only seen 20 minutes. The chemistry between these two stars, amazing. We'll have to see around Christmas. It was delayed in part due to September 11, a lot of violence, very violent movie. And of course, in this picture back in the 1800s some corrupt policemen, some corrupt firemen. So the decision was made to show the film Christmas 2002. It got a really good response here though.

ZAHN: All right, Sandy, before we let you go, tell us about all of the babes on the beach behind you. You can't show us, because they are half naked, afternoon time in France.

KENYON: It's amazing. When I was here before with Clint Eastwood, it rained for nine straight days. So this is my first experience on the beach with folks going topless and going without pretense and without notoriety of any kind. The first couple of times you see it as an American, you do look twice. But as a married man and my dear Eileen (ph) waiting at home, I don't look more than twice, Paula.

ZAHN: Oh, yes, and you think we're going to buy that, Sandy Kenyon? We are not that naive.

KENYON: Believe it.

ZAHN: All right. We'll let your wife decide whether she will take that at face value or not. Hey, have good trip -- enjoy France. We are a little bit jealous that the weather is so great there -- thanks again.

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