Elia Kazan on Patricia Neal
"I would find it difficult to find a larger heart on this planet than the one that beats in Pat Neal's body."
Andy Griffith was another performer who developed, I think, into a fine actor. Andy was a remarkably sweet and decent fellow, and he came to me so open and eager that I knew I could throw anything at him and it would find a willing recipient. Andy had none of Burl's [Burl Ives] ego about his so-called instrument or particular talent. Andy was a good singer and had made a name for himself as a comedian and monologist: He was not trained in acting. You could tell him anything, lead him anywhere, but a good director does not walk an actor every step of the way--you merely have a puppet at that point, and nothing will be genuine. I personally like to see hesitation and faltering steps in a performance: it makes it terribly real, and the audience develops a protective feeling for the actor and the performer. There is some of that in Andy's performance in [A] Face in the Crowd. Andy's great ally was Pat Neal, who, along with Deborah Kerr, remains for me one of the kindest and most giving of acting partners. I would find it difficult to find a larger heart on this planet than the one that beats in Pat Neal's body: She warmly and laughingly gave everything to the part, to Andy, to me, to everyone on the set. There's a big person, and her seduction of and ultimate betrayal by Lonesome (Griffith's character) is shatteringly good. Am I responsible? Only for being wise enough to cast Pat Neal and steer her toward Andy with the direction to be fulsome.
© 2012 James Grissom