In secrecy, from Rome, Martin Scorsese is filming Gangs of New York. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day-Lewis are the leading stars. Four good reasons to call for investigation!
- Story by Sophie Benamon
- Illustrations by Sébastien Jarnot
The craving was too strong and too big the temptation not to succomb to it. Scorsese, at two hours away from Paris, in Cinecittà, filming a movie for which he has been dreaming making for more than twenty years, and for the one he has reunited DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz. It was too exciting not considering to take a closer look.
Of course, the set of Gangs of New York is forbidden to journalists « blindato » as the Italians say. But it takes more to refrain us. Acting as paparazzi is definitely out of the question (not our style), but we’ll try to get the scent surrounding the shooting and letting it fill us with traces and signs, counting on chances and coincidences to lift a small corner of the veil…
This is how, on a nice day at the end of October, I ended up in Rome. In this year of 2000 where the pilgrims flow in by millions to celebrate the 20th Jubilee, the only room available I could find in the Italian capital was in … Cinecittà. I saw there a sign of destiny and tried to make the best out of it. As soon as I put my bags down, I rushed to the studio. And instead of walking straight inside, I decided first to stay outside and look around. Very quickly, I saw high frontages exceeding from the enclosed wall. False buildings made of bricks and wood where we could read in white painted letters NYC (New York City). I remember having seen them on paparazzi pictures; there were the settings created by Dante Ferreti for the Martin Scorsese movie.
Already, my heart got carried away. The Roman sun was keeping me company. In front of the Cinecittà studios’ main entrance, via Tuscolana, looked after as it should be by half-dozen of vigils, a score of girls were waiting, eyes fixed towards the inside. I ventured myself near them and in an approximative Italian : « Especta DiCaprio? » « No », they answered. In fact, they are fans of Il grande Fratello, a TV reality show that creates a sensation in Italy and is filmed in studio 1. I am all the more surprised that since August 30, the Italian popular press is filled with rumors connected with the Sorsese movie. The paparazzi indeed do not cease tracking DiCaprio, publishing photos of him - long hair, small beard - and hawking the most insane informations on his alleged nights out and their disastrous consequences on the filming.
For twenty seven years, Scorsese, mad about New York, has wished to do this project..
I stopped at the guardroom. Someone there asked me with whom I had an appointment. We don’t go in without authorization. I could have said that I had an appointment with Martin Scorsese at the Studio 5, the most famous of Cinecittà, because it was Fellini’s one, but I was not sure I’d convince them. Instead, I prefered going back. I had a strategic plan. The day after, I had a meeting arranged with Cinecittà’s director of communication. In the meantime, I decided to call the movie department from the Roman’s big national daily Il Messagero, to learn what was said , here and there in the « serious » press. One of the critics, Fabio Ferzetti, gave me an appointment for lunch.
On my way, I read over the notes I have accumulated for some time from the professional newspapers and also from my internet surfing ( but cautiously because I don’t trust either too much since one contradicts the other). It’s been twenty-seven years since Scorsese, impassioned by his city’s history thinks about this project on the 19th century’s New York mob world. From an historical and sociological account which provided him the idea on the hollows of New York, written by Herbert Asbury and for the one he kept the same title: Gangs of New York.
His movie begins in 1846 and ends in 1863 during the Draft Riots, the worst American’s history riots. And relates the bloody confrontation in one of the poorest districts of two rival gangs. Irish immigrants on one side (lead by Amsterdam Vallon played by DiCaprio) and on the other, « pure native » Americans (lead by Bill the Butcher, alias Daniel Day-Lewis).
During lunch, Ferzetti tells me that lots of Italian actors who were enthusiastic with the idea of being part of a Scorsese film were disappointed when they saw the casting announcement. Indeed, - and thanks to the Messagero archive files -, I found an explicit fax sent to all Roman agents by the Italian casting director Shaila Rubin : « the movie is set in the 19th Century in New York, and at the time there were very few Italian immigrants. Therefore, no actor with an italian accent will be taken in consideration. On the other hand, actors with very pronounced physical characteristics will be required, with frightening faces and large noses. Any physical oddness is welcome ».
Amazingly, an « italian » actress got Martin Scorsese’s attention: ex-starlet Barbara Bouchet. Of German origin, this 56 year-old, sexy icon from the sixties has started her career in the U.S. with Otto Preminger and Bob Fosse, before settling in Italy to pursue an erratic career till 1983. There, at 40 years old after playing opposite to Gregory Peck, she decided to end her career as an Italian sex symbol and - with great success - moved to the «shape» business. In Gangs of New York, Scorsese gave her the part of Cameron Diaz’ mother.
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