Within 30 seconds, the director set me completely at ease and – rare for such a Hollywood heavyweight – beamed with pride when I asked about his golden streak
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ob Reiner’s face took up the whole screen. That’s my immediate memory – the video link connecting and suddenly, boom, there he was in the room. Kind eyes, jolly cheekbones, a big white beard. It was May when we met but it felt like my own personal visit from Santa.
He had a personality to match, the very definition of avuncular. “So what are you up to tonight?” he asked. “Having a nice dinner out in London?” I was completely at ease within 30 seconds.
One of the trickier tasks in this job can be grilling someone whose golden period is behind them. Reiner started working in the 60s – first as a jobbing TV actor, then becoming a household name sitcom star in the 70s before stepping behind the camera to direct and produce movies right until last year’s Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. But there is no questioning when his peak was – between 1984 and 1992 he went on a directing streak that few could match: Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men. It’s not just the quality that stands out but the diversity – horror, romantic comedy, courtroom drama, fantasy, coming of age, mockumentary.
