WE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE - Q&A with JOHN CURRAN
At what stage of the film's development were you brought in as director?
25 years after the script was finished. Larry [Gross] wrote it in the late seventies.
Did you know Andre Dubus' books "We Don't Live Here Anymore" and "Adultery" before reading the script?
No. I was aware of Andre but not the short stories. After reading the script I tracked down the stories - three in fact - each revisiting the affairs between two couples over one summer from a different perspective.
Andre Dubus' books were originally published in the 1970's. Did you have to make many changes to make it more relevant to the present day or are the basic themes as relevant today as they were then?
The script was obviously set in the 70's - but it struck me that not much has changed in terms of marriages in crisis - and though we updated certain aspects of the story (in the original everyone smoked and drank constantly, for example) I tried to maintain a sense of timelessness.
How closely were you involved in the casting and how did you manage to get such a great ensemble cast?
It was luck, timing, and a lot of shameless begging.
Where did filming take place and how long was the shoot? What was the atmosphere like on set?
It was shot in Vancouver over 28 days. There wasn't any rehearsal so the atmosphere was charged - plenty of nervous energy but a sense of freedom too.
Did you or any of the actors draw on personal experiences of family life to help your work or their performances in the film?
Most of us had partners and kids, so yeah; between us we had plenty of war stories.
How have American audiences reacted to the film and to its view of married life? Do you think British audiences will react differently?
I think the reaction will be pretty much the same: some will relate to it, others won't.
Is the ending purposefully ambiguous? What did you intend people to think happened to Edith and her children?
Yes. And I don't know.
Question & Answer Text Copyright Redbus Film Distribution
