Photo: PA / ©Sony Pictures
That is until a shattering medical diagnosis forces him to turn his otherwise dull life into something wonderful – one he can say has been lived to the full.
“I actually grew up with this film,” notes Ishiguro, 67.“When I was a little Japanese boy growing up in England, this was one of the very few Japanese films that was shown on television or in art cinemas, and it had a profound influence on me. So that’s partly why I wanted this film to be made, again, for a new generation,” he explains. “For me, the inspiring message is that you don’t have to turn yourself into a superstar or make huge achievements (in life) – rather you have to accept who you are and accept the limitations of your world.You can still live your life to the full, just by making a supreme effort within those limitations.” “It’s a story about an incremental change in one’s life; an incremental step that could unlock a real sense of value and satisfaction,” adds Hermanus, 39, who’s known for Moffie and The Endless River.“I think that’s what has appealed to anyone who’s ever seen the film.”
As for casting Nighy, Ishiguro says the actor “was integral to the whole thing” and the part had been written with him in mind.
“He has that English sense of humour, that ironic sense, a stoicism, and a kind of melancholy behind the surface.And he looked to me like all those men on the railway platforms. Bill Nighy is extraordinary,” says Hermanus.“It’s a privilege, a once-in-a-lifetime experience to work with an actor who understands the craft of acting in that way.”
Nighy was equally taken, saying:“It honoured the period very beautifully, apart from being powerfully put together in terms of the structure and the story.And it’s a great part!”
He describes his character as “a deeply conventional man who is institutionalised by grief”. In the two decades or more since his wife died, he has confined his life to narrow parameters to avoid further heartache.“He has never deviated from his schedule, ever,” says Nighy.“Until he is given a diagnosis by the doctor which shocks him out of his world.”
14 | mccarthyholden.co.uk
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