USA: Post World War II drama "The Good German" starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett premieres in Los Angeles

George Clooney premiered the post-World War II Berlin drama "The Good German" in Los Angeles, California on Monday (December 4). The Oscar winner plays an an American Army war correspondent who is lured into a murder mystery in the espionage thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. "It's always good working with Steven (Soderbergh) because first of all he is a good friend and second of all I think he is one of the best film makers of his generation and for me the idea was that you wanted to have a really good screenplay first and this was an interesting story, and romantic murder mystery wrapped inside the Potsdam conference -- which I thought was, we are still obsessed with World War Two and the moral ambiguity of the Cold War and I think it was a great world and a great place to start from," said Colony on the red carpet. Cate Blanchett, who shined on the arrival line in her cream Versace dress, co-stars with Tobey Maguire in the film which was shot it in black-and-white using only equipment available to Hollywood directors in the 1940s. "She (Cate Blanchett) I think is one of the most versatile actress of this generation, you know, just extraordinary actress. I've been admiring her from a far for a long time, her work, I just think she is amazing and the perfect casting choice for this. Because she can really fully embrace a different style you know wonderful with actors. I feel she is the Meryl Streep of this generation," said Robin Weigert, who portrays Hannelore in the film, of her co-star Blanchett. All shots were filmed with no zoom using a fixed lenses and no wireless mikes only a boom mikes hanging over the actors' heads. "It was a great experience. George and Steve had worked so often together and really had it down like a well oiled machine. I played a military governor of Berlin after the fall of the German empire and George is a military journalist who comes in and stirs things up and everything," said Beau Bridges, who portrays Colonel Muller in the film. Clooney, who also worked with Soderbergh in the "Ocean's Eleven" trilogy and "Good Night, and Good Luck", joked about Blanchett's talent. "Cate is amazing and listen the chance of working with Cate is the greatest thing in the world and she has got no talent you know its all smoking mirrors but she is good," said Clooney who portrays Jake Geismer in the film. Though the drama where Clooney's lover, played by Blanchett who puts a price on her body and her conscience to get out of Berlin called for some intense scenes, there were tons of laughs as soon as the camera stopped rolling. "I would work George or Tobey everyday for the rest of my life - seriously. Very exciting actors to work with so much talent, so much ingenuity, so much spontaneity, but at the same time so much professionalism in terms of respect of what needs to happen and in between the takes its even better, " said Ravil Issyanov, who portrays General Sikorsky in the film. When all jokes were set aside Clooney, this year's "Sexiest Man Alive" according to People magazine, said he was saddened by the passing of his 19 year-old pet pig Max. "Yes it is sad its too bad," Clooney said before going into the screening.

ITN Source | December 7, 2006

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