Mickey Rourke (13 page)

S
O
M
ICKEY EMERGED FROM THE BOXING YEARS WITH A FREAKISH APPEARANCE FAR DIFFERENT FROM HIS PRETTY-BOY LOOKS OF THE PAST.
H
E HAD SUFFERED THE BIGGEST FACIAL COLLAPSE SINCE THOSE MELTING
N
AZIS AT THE END OF
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
.

H
E LOOKS BETTER NOW BUT THE LEGACY OF THOSE BOXING BATTERINGS WILL BE WITH HIM FOREVER.

T
HE NERVE DAMAGE IN HIS HANDS MEANS HE IS UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING INTRICATE WITH THEM AND THEY STILL SHAKE FROM TIME TO TIME.
B
OXING ALSO HAD AN EFFECT ON HIS WALKING, WHICH WAS NOTICED WHEN HE KEPT TRIPPING ON HIS WAY TO THE STAGE AT LATE-2008 AND EARLY-2009 AWARDS SHOWS.
H
E SOMETIMES LIKES TO GO SURFING BUT IS LOUSY AT IT BECAUSE HIS BALANCE IS SO BAD.

B
OXING HAD GIVEN
M
ICKEY A DISCIPLINE AND A ROUTINE THAT HIS ACTING CAREER HAD LACKED, AND HE KNEW HE COULD TAKE THOSE TOOLS WITH HIM INTO HIS FUTURE FILM WORK.
B
UT THE SPORT HAD ALSO MESSED UP HIS LOOKS AND RESUMING HIS MOVIE CAREER AT THE TOP LEVEL WOULD NOT BE AS EASY AS HE THOUGHT.

I
N FACT, TRYING TO MAKE HIS WAY BACK TO MOVIE STARDOM WOULD PROVE
M
ICKEY’S TOUGHEST FIGHT OF ALL.

4
A L
IFE ON
S
CREEN
– P
ART
II

“
W
HAT YOU NEED FOR THIS ROLE IS A
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE TYPE,” THE
H
OLLYWOOD STUDIO EXECUTIVE TOLD
F
RANCIS
F
ORD
C
OPPOLA.

T
HE LEGENDARY DIRECTOR WAS DISCUSSING THE CASTING OF A KEY CHARACTER IN HIS NEW MOVIE,
THE RAINMAKER
, WITH BOSSES FROM
P
ARAMOUNT, THE STUDIO FOR WHICH HE HAD MADE
THE GODFATHER
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS EARLIER.
A
LITTLE CONFUSED BY THE “
R
OURKE TYPE” COMMENT,
C
OPPOLA SAID, “
B
UT
M
ICKEY IS STILL OUT THERE, STILL WORKING…WHY NOT JUST GET HIM?”

T
HE ROOM FELL SILENT.
T
HE
P
ARAMOUNT PEOPLE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER UNCOMFORTABLY.
M
ICKEY WAS TROUBLE, WASN’T HE?
A
HELL-RAISING HEAD CASE.
W
AS HE REALLY STILL WORKING?
C
ERTAINLY HIS RECENT ROLES, RANGING FROM A GAY BANK ROBBER TO A FLAMBOYANT PSYCHIATRIST, WERE IN FILMS BARELY SEEN BY ANYONE.

W
HAT
M
ICKEY NEEDED WAS SOMEONE WITH AUTHORITY AND TALENT TO GIVE HIM ANOTHER SHOT AT THE BIG TIME – AND
C
OPPOLA, WHO HAD DIRECTED HIM IN
RUMBLE FISH
AND HAD LONG CHAMPIONED THE ACTOR, WAS PREPARED TO BE THAT PERSON.
I
GNORING THE SKEPTICS IN THE ROOM, HE INSISTED
M
ICKEY WAS THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE ROLE.
A
ND
M
ICKEY RESPONDED WITH A GREAT PERFORMANCE IN
THE RAINMAKER
.
T
HAT WAS THE FIRST STEP IN A LONG AND WINDING ROAD BACK TO THE TOP.

* * *

M
ICKEY DIDN’T ENTIRELY ABANDON ACTING DURING HIS BOXING YEARS.
H
E MADE THREE FILMS IN THAT PERIOD – ALL OF WHICH WERE SET AROUND BANK ROBBERIES.
T
HE FIRST WAS A
TV
MOVIE FOR CABLE CHANNEL
HBO
CALLED
THE LAST OUTLAW
(1993).
I
T WAS A WESTERN, SET IN 1880, SHOT IN
S
ANTA
F
E,
N
EW
M
EXICO, AND SAW
M
ICKEY RIDING A HORSE WHILE WEARING A TEN-GALLON HAT, CHAPS, AND SPURS, AND TOTING GUNS.

H
E PLAYED THE LEAD ROLE OF
G
RAFF, HEAD OF A RUTHLESS GANG OF FORMER
C
ONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO ROB BANKS AND KILL ANYONE WHO GETS IN THEIR WAY.
W
HEN THE GANG BETRAYS HIM,
G
RAFF SETS OUT TO HUNT DOWN EACH OF HIS TREACHEROUS ENEMIES AND VIOLENTLY KILLS THEM ONE BY ONE.
I
T WAS DIRECTED BY
G
EOFF
M
URPHY WHO HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN WESTERNS, HAVING BEEN BEHIND THE CAMERA ON
YOUNG GUNS 2
.
B
UT THIS ONE WAS LET DOWN BY ITS SLOW PACE AND NEVER CAME CLOSE TO THE SUPERIOR QUALITY OF OTHER PRODUCTIONS ON
HBO
, THE CHANNEL BEHIND
THE SOPRANOS
,
BAND OF BROTHERS
,
SEX AND THE CITY,
AND A STRING OF AWARD-WINNING
TV
MOVIES.
I
T WAS FUN, THOUGH, TO SEE
M
ICKEY PLAYING A NINETEENTH-CENTURY RENEGADE.

N
EXT CAME
F.T.W.
(1994) ALSO KNOWN AS
THE LAST RIDE
, A DOWNBEAT MOVIE, CO-WRITTEN BY
M
ICKEY UNDER HIS NOW GRANDER PEN NAME OF “
S
IR”
E
DDIE
C
OOK – WHO, IN AN INSIDE JOKE, HAD APPARENTLY BEEN KNIGHTED SINCE WRITING
HOMEBOY
.
I
N THE FILM HE PLAYS RODEO RIDER
F
RANK
T
.
W
ELLS – THE INITIALS OF THE TITLE, WHICH WAS ALSO SUPPOSED TO STAND FOR “
F
UCK
T
HE
W
ORLD” – WHO HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER SERVING A TERM FOR MANSLAUGHTER AND IS TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THE OLD ROUTINE WHEN HE MEETS AND FALLS FOR
S
CARLETT
S
TUART, PLAYED BY
L
ORI
S
INGER, AN EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED, BEAUTIFUL BANK ROBBER ON THE RUN WHO CHANGES HIS LIFE – BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE BETTER.
A
LTHOUGH
M
ICKEY WAS THRILLED TO SEE HIS SECOND SCRIPT PRODUCED, IT WAS A BLOW WHEN
F.T.W.
FAILED TO MAKE IT ONTO MOVIE SCREENS AND WENT STRAIGHT TO VIDEO.

FALL TIME
(1995) FOUND HIM PLAYING A GAY BANK ROBBER NAMED
F
LORENCE.
S
ERIOUSLY!
T
HIS SURREAL CRIME FILM, SET IN 1950S
A
MERICA, STARTS WITH
F
LORENCE DECLARING HIS LOVE FOR HIS PARTNER IN CRIME AND LIFE, PLAYED BY
S
TEPHEN
B
ALDWIN, AND BY THE END OF THE MOVIE BOTH CHARACTERS WILL BE DEAD.
T
HE GAY STORYLINE ISN’T REALLY DEVELOPED IN THE FORM OF ANY LOVE SCENES – THIS IS NO
BROKEBACK BANK JOB
– AS THE HOMOSEXUALITY TAKES SECOND PLACE TO THE HEIST.
I
N THE END, IT’S JUST A STRANGE LITTLE SHOOT-’EM-UP FEATURING SOME MORE OUTLAW POSTURING FROM
M
ICKEY.
I
T WAS NOT THE KIND OF FILM EVER LIKELY TO RETURN
M
ICKEY TO THE BIG TIME.

W
HEN HE HUNG UP HIS BOXING GLOVES,
M
ICKEY KNEW HE HAD THE TALENT TO BE AN ACTING CHAMPION AGAIN BUT JUST WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIS SKILLS ALONGSIDE THE BIG NAMES OF THE TIME.
H
E SAID BACK THEN, “
Y
OU PUT ME IN SOMETHING WITH
A
LEC
B
ALDWIN OR
D
ANIEL
D
AY-
L
EWIS OR
K
EVIN
C
OSTNER AND
I
’LL EAT THEIR ASSHOLES.”

I
NSTEAD OF THAT AWARD-WINNING TRIO OF ACTORS, HIS NEXT FEW CO-STARS INCLUDED
J
EAN-
C
LAUDE
V
AN
D
AMME,
T
UPAC
S
HAKUR AND, ONCE AGAIN,
C
ARRÉ
O
TIS.
EXIT IN RED
(1996) MARKED THE UNEAGERLY AWAITED RETEAMING OF
M
ICKEY AND
C
ARRÉ
O
TIS ON SCREEN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE
WILD ORCHID.
H
E PLAYS A PSYCHIATRIST AND SHE COSTARS AS THE LAWYER WHO LOVES HIM, BUT THERE ARE FEW SEXUAL SPARKS BETWEEN THEM THIS TIME, NOT LEAST BECAUSE
M
ICKEY’S CHARACTER IS MORE ATTRACTED TO A FEMME FATALE, PLAYED BY
B
-MOVIE ACTRESS
A
NNABEL
S
CHOFIELD, WHO ENDS UP FRAMING HIM FOR MURDER.
B
ECAUSE HE HAS A CHECKERED PAST HIMSELF, THE SHRINK STRUGGLES TO CONVINCE THE AUTHORITIES HE IS INNOCENT AND HAS TO TAKE MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS.
T
HE MOVIE IS SILLY THROUGHOUT, AND
M
ICKEY FAILS TO CONVINCE AS AN EXPERIENCED PSYCHIATRIST, SPORTING LONG BLOND HAIR, FOPPISH CLOTHES, AND SUNGLASSES, AND SMOKING THROUGH A LONG CIGARETTE HOLDER.

H
E HAD A MUCH HARDER LOOK IN HIS NEXT FILM, A GRITTY AND VIOLENT CRIME DRAMA SHOT AND SET ON THE MEAN STREETS OF
B
ROOKLYN, CALLED
BULLET
(1996).
I
T WAS CO-WRITTEN BY
M
ICKEY, AGAIN UNDER THE NAME OF
S
IR
E
DDIE
C
OOK, WITH
B
RUCE
R
UBENSTEIN, WHOSE FAMILY BACKGROUND INSPIRED THE STORY.
M
ICKEY ALSO SERVED AS MUSIC SUPERVISOR ON
BULLET
, OVERSEEING A VARIED SOUNDTRACK THAT VEERED FROM
V
IVALDI TO
R
IGHT
S
AID
F
RED, AND
B
ARRY
W
HITE TO HIP-HOP.
H
IS BOXING TRAINER,
F
REDDIE
R
OACH, WAS HIRED AS FIGHT COORDINATOR FOR THE FILM.

M
ICKEY TOOK THE LEAD ROLE OF SELF-DESTRUCTIVE HEROIN ADDICT
B
UTCH “
B
ULLET”
S
TEIN WHO GETS OUT OF PRISON AND STRAIGHT BACK INTO TROUBLE, ROBBING JUNKIES AND STABBING A DRUG DEALER IN THE EYE.
M
ICKEY’S FRIEND
J
OHN
E
ONS
III
PLAYS HIS BEST MATE IN THE MOVIE, AND FUTURE
O
SCAR WINNER
A
DRIEN
B
RODY IS THE SENSITIVE AND ARTISTIC LITTLE BROTHER WHOM
B
ULLET IS DESPERATE TO PROTECT AT ALL COSTS.

B
UT THE MOST NOTEWORTHY CO-STAR WAS RAPPER
T
UPAC
S
HAKUR, PLAYING FEARED LOCAL DRUG LORD
T
ANK, WHO FIGHTS A STREET WAR WITH
B
ULLET AND SHOOTS HIM DEAD AT THE END AFTER UTTERING THE COOL LINE, “
T
HE MUSIC’S OVER, MOTHERFUCKER.”

T
UPAC AND
M
ICKEY BONDED WELL DURING FILMING AND FOUND LOTS IN COMMON, BOTH OF THEM BEING PERCEIVED AS BAD BOYS BUT POSSESSING THE SOULS OF POETS.
H
OWEVER, THEIR FRIENDSHIP WAS NOT TO LAST LONG.
I
N
S
EPTEMBER 1996, AFTER SEEING A
M
IKE
T
YSON FIGHT in Las Vegas, Tupac was the victim of a drive-by shooting. He was struck in the chest, pelvis, right hand, and thigh, and died from his injuries several days later. The tragedy hit Mickey hard and the star still keeps a picture of his slain friend in his home.

A
LTHOUGH
BULLET
, RELEASED A MONTH AFTER
S
HAKUR’S DEATH, DIDN’T DO MUCH AT THE BOX OFFICE, IT HAD AN AUTHENTIC FEEL ABOUT IT AND
M
ICKEY COULD BE PROUD OF THE MOVIE.
I
T IS HARD TO SAY THE SAME ABOUT HIS NEXT EFFORT, THOUGH, THE ACTION FLICK
DOUBLE TEAM
(1997).

A
MIX OF MARTIAL ARTS MAYHEM, MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS, POOR PLOTTING, AND DISMAL DIALOGUE, THE MOVIE WAS A BIT OF A JOKE BUT, TO HIS CREDIT,
M
ICKEY TOOK IT SERIOUSLY AND UNDERWENT RIGOROUS MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING AND STRENUOUS BODYBUILDING TO PREPARE FOR THE FIGHT SCENES, MANY OF THEM SHIRTLESS, REQUIRED IN HIS ROLE AS INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST
S
TAVROS.
H
IS CO-STARS WERE THE “
M
USCLES FROM
B
RUSSELS” ACTION STAR
J
EAN-
C
LAUDE
V
AN
D
AMME, AS AN ANTITERRORIST AGENT, AND TATTOOED BASKETBALL BAD BOY TURNED REALITY
TV
STAR
D
ENNIS
R
ODMAN, PLAYING A FLAMBOYANT ARMS DEALER WHO INSERTS BASKETBALL JARGON INTO MOST OF HIS LAME LINES.
V
AN
D
AMME’S CHARACTER SPENDS MUCH OF THE MOVIE TRYING TO ELIMINATE
M
ICKEY’S AND THERE’S A FUN SHOWDOWN BETWEEN THEM AT THE END IN AN ANCIENT COLISEUM RIGGED WITH LAND MINES.
T
HE FLOP FILM’S CHEESIEST BUT MOST GLORIOUSLY ENTERTAINING MOMENT COMES WHEN
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE SENDS A MAN-EATING TIGER AGAINST
J
EAN-
C
LAUDE
V
AN
D
AMME AND THE POCKET DYNAMO FROM
B
RUSSELS DEFENDS HIMSELF BY KICKING THE CHARGING BEAST.

I
T MUST HAVE SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME TO MAKE
ANOTHER 9½ WEEKS
(1997).
M
ICKEY NEEDED A HIT, AND A SEQUEL TO HIS BIGGEST EVER BOX-OFFICE SUCCESS WOULD SEEM TO FIT THE BILL.
B
UT
K
IM
B
ASINGER WASN’T GOING TO RETURN.
S
HE HAD BIGGER FISH TO FRY, HAVING JUST FILMED HER
O
SCAR-WINNING ROLE IN
LA CONFIDENTIAL
.
S
O THE ABSENCE OF HER CHARACTER,
E
LIZABETH, WOULD HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH IN THE SCRIPT.
S
ET TEN YEARS AFTER THE ORIGINAL, THE SEQUEL SEES
M
ICKEY’S CHARACTER,
J
OHN
G
RAY, PINING FOR HIS LOST LOVE AND FOLLOWING HER TRAIL TO
P
ARIS, ONLY TO FIND
E
LIZABETH HAS DIED.
B
UT HE GETS OVER HIS DISAPPOINTMENT BY HAVING A FLING WITH HER BEST FRIEND, PLAYED BY MODEL
A
NGIE
E
VERHART, WHO HAS READ
E
LIZABETH’S DIARY AND IS READY AND WILLING FOR SOME OF THE SAME SEX PLAY WITH
J
OHN.
H
E IS SOON COVERING HER NAKED BODY IN ROSE PETALS, RED WINE, AND HONEY, BUT HIS HEART ISN’T IN IT THIS TIME.
T
HE QUALITY ISN’T THERE EITHER, AND THIS FOLLOW-UP FILM DOESN’T COME REMOTELY CLOSE TO THE EXCITEMENT, ATMOSPHERE, OR EROTICISM OF THE ORIGINAL.