“A not possible melon”: this Oscar -winning actor left a very bad memory to the director of the name of the rose

In May 2024, on the occasion of the release in Blu-ray and UHD of his film The name of the Rose, the director Jean-Jacques Annaud confided at length in the columns of the Laser Years. A river interview-almost 8 hours of discussion-during which he returned with passion to his career, but also on the sometimes stormy behind the scenes of the filming of this cult feature film.

One of the most striking memories he talks about is his difficult collaboration with F. Murray Abraham, the Oscar -winning actor for his role in Amadeus, who played here the relentless inquisitor Bernardo Gui.

A bitter experience

While Jean-Jacques Annaud has had an excellent memory of his work with Sean Connery, which he described as an ideal partner despite his initial apprehensions,-the latter played Guillaume de Baskerville, former inquisitor and Franciscan monk investigating on the series of murders who touch the abbey in the film-, he did not chew his words by talking about F. Murray Abraham.

“” “Everyone warned me that Sean Connery was an impossible and extremely difficult character. It was actually an absolute dream and I got along wonderfully with him“He said during a masterclass held in Lyon in 2023.

Constantine Film

But in terms of F. Murray Abrahamit was a completely different speech, as he said in the laser years: “I retain from this film the appalling, fundamentally nasty and haughty character, by F. Murray Abraham, who had taken a melon not possible since his Oscar for Amadeus.»

He even went so far as to make a comparison with the attack on the Grizzly, which occurred during the shooting of the bear, which almost cost him his life: “I still preferred this Grizzly Kodiak to F. Murray Abraham.”A parallel that says a lot about the tension that reigned on the tray.

Constantine Film

Conflicts and serial delays

In his anecdote revealing 2023, Jean-Jacques Annaud had also explained that the relations between Abraham and Connery were so tense that the two actors refused to cross.

“” “My only bad memory of an actor throughout my career, and I directed, I think, thousands of actors, was on the contrary F. Murray Abraham, who played the inquisitor. He was terrible, not so much with me, but rather with Sean. He said: 'I have an Oscar and he is an old idiot.' They both late because Sean didn't want to wait for F. Murray, and he didn't want to wait for Sean … It was like the school's playground.»

Constantine Film

He also mentioned an episode where Abraham, expected on the set at 7 a.m., finally arrived at noon after shopping: “Abraham arrived late for his last day of planned shooting, after having gone shopping. We called him to remind him of his contractual obligations, but he refused to come. He had to be there at 7 a.m. and he arrived at noon.»

Faced with his refusal to respect his commitments, Annaud told him that he should pay for her additional costs related to his delay …

“” “He came to find me and I told him that his scene had been shifted at the end of the shooting and that he had to stay here and pay the costs of his pocket. He then looked at me and said to me, 'Touched!' So he paid the costs, and we shot his last scene on the last day of filming.»

A striking role despite everything

Despite this difficult atmosphere, Jean-Jacques Annaud recognized the quality of the interpretation delivered by F. Murray Abraham In the role of Bernardo Gui, a real historical figure. If the film depicts him as a man with a tragic fate, the novel by Umberto Eco, from which he is adapted, offers a conclusion more faithful to reality, the inquisitor leaving the abbey to return to Avignon with his prisoners.

At any rate, The name of the rose There remains a striking work of cinema, carried by a unique atmosphere, a rigorous staging and powerful interpretations – despite the backstage tensions.

The name of the rose is available in VOD.