Arthur Penn on Franchot Tone

Franchot in Mickey One, 1965.

Discussing his directorial experiences, Arthur Penn talked about working with Franchot in 1965.

Franchot Tone is an absolutely fascinating actor. Before he went to Hollywood, Tone was the leader of young actors in the Group Theater with Strasberg, much earlier than John Garfield. He was remarkably well trained. I didn't know him before I made Mickey One, and he was very ill during filming. I directed him the same way I would have done with Newman, Brando or Jimmy Dean. It was quite remarkable that the language I used with actors from the old generation was also suitable for the next one.  I was very impressed by the skill he showed even while suffering from cancer. Every time we finished shooting, he would collapse into a chair, out of breath as if he just won a race. For me watching this man at work was unforgettable.

I wrote about Mickey One in 2015. You can read that post here.
Source:
Penn, Arthur. Arthur Penn: Interviews. University Press of Mississippi, 2008. p71-72.

Mickey One (1965)

In 1965, Franchot played a secondary character in a Warren Beatty vehicle called Mickey One. Before I get started, I want to admit that Mickey One is not my favorite film. I found the shots and mood of the film interesting, but the actual story didn't do much for me. However, it is directed by Arthur Penn (who would direct Beatty again in the brilliant Bonnie and Clyde just two years later), and has achieved a cult status among modern viewers.

Warren Beatty is a successful stand-up comedian. His character performs at all the popular nightclubs and always has a beautiful woman on his arm. He appears to have everything in the opening scenes, but we soon learn that the mob has hold of him. Not sure of how he's incurred the wrath of the mafia, Beatty aims to pay his debts and move on with his life. He quickly learns that it isn't that easy. Paranoia follows him as he runs away from the life he knows and takes on the identity of Mickey One. Mickey is eager to experience and seeks out the fame of his comedy career again, all while being terrified that the  mafia will catch up to him and murder him.

How does Franchot factor in all of this? Well, he portrays Ruby Lapp, a club manager and sort of middle man for the mobsters. Mickey One never meets with the mafia itself, but always directly to Ruby, who advises him to play it safe. Ruby hints that Mickey is in trouble because he shared too much information in a Turkish bath. When the comedian runs away, Ruby warns him that he'll never be able to escape, that his debts will follow him for life. Franchot only has a few brief, quiet scenes in the film and his character, like most of the film's characters, is vague and a bit kooky.

Speaking of the film's kookiness, here's an odd little piece of trivia I uncovered while reading the original reviews of the film. (By the way, I felt better when I read that most reviewers were as confused about the plot as me.) In his first scene, there are close-ups of Franchot. I noticed what I thought was a dark scratch, stitch, or scar on the right side of his head (left side to viewer). As you are aware, I am a bit preoccupied with Franchot, so I wondered what was up with that. I found my answer in Dorothy Kilgallen's "The Voice of Broadway" column dated March 19, 1964:

"Franchot Tone will be a little late reporting to Chicago for his role with Warren Beatty in Mickey One. He tripped over his cat, got a black eye and had to have 10 stitches taken in his head."

(I've heard rumors that Franchot didn't have a cat and that the injury was caused by inebriation, but Franchot actually referred to having a cat in another context in another article around the same time.)

 

 

My favorite scene is shown in the screen captures below. This is when Franchot gives his big speech, telling Warren Beatty that the mob will control his entire life and that there is no escape or fix for it.

Watch Mickey One for its unique cinematic shots, combination of noir and new wave, and cult status. Don't watch it for a straightforward, cohesive plot.

Mickey One is available on DVD on Amazon.