[ Q&A ]
From Jesus to
golf genius
The last time movie audiences saw Jim Caviezel, he was being whipped, beaten, spat on and crucified as Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." In "Bobby Jones -- Stroke of Genius," opening today in theaters, Caviezel goes from playing the messiah to being the messiah of golf. He plays the extraordinarily talented but temperamental amateur who took the professional golf tour by storm in the mid-1920s, eventually becoming the founder of the Augusta National Golf Club and its prestigious annual tournament The Masters. (Golf locations in the film include Augusta National itself, Southern California's Spanish Hills Golf Club, the Atlanta Country Club, as well as the Old Course at St. Andrews, where no other film crew had been allowed to shoot before.)
If it seems like an odd choice for the 35-year-old Caviezel, he's not your typical actor. And he wasn't a golfer before taking on the role.
Question: You did this film right after "Passion."
Answer: Yeah, and I didn't want to do just anything. At first I wasn't interested, but my manager said I had to read the script. They initially offered me the role of Walter Hagen (another major golfer of the same time period) and I thought that was interesting, but I was more interested in playing Bobby Jones.
Q: Because you're a golfer?
A: No, not at all. And I dropped a bomb on the producers when I told them I don't play. But I convinced them I could do it. I even hold the club with my left hand, but I taught myself to swing from the right. That's all me up there hitting balls. I never went out and played 18 holes, but stayed exclusively with all the shot setups, Bobby's grip, the way he walked on the course.
Jim Caviezel learned how to play golf for his role in "Bobby Jones."
Q: After doing a film about golf, what's your handicap?
A: I just started playing, but I think I can be scratch.
Q: Describe Bobby Jones' swing.
A: He had so many moving parts. His swing is very specific. It was easier for me to learn to fence for "Count of Monte Cristo."
Q: Describe a golfing scene that should have been in the film.
A: This wasn't funny at the time, but I made a 90-foot putt. The crowd went nuts. I turned to look at director Rowdy Herrington because I knew he would be ecstatic. But he had his face in his hands. "Jim," he said, "we missed it. The camera wasn't rolling."
Q: What did you know about Bobby Jones? Why did you take the role?
A: I knew very little, but I loved the story. After having just played Jesus, I couldn't think of a finer man of character and integrity to play. I read the script, saw how the other characters saw him, what he said, how he lived. That attracted me, not the golf aspect so much. I didn't want to do a golf film. I talked to a lot of people who knew him, including his son Bobby IV and his daughter.
The script by Rowdy Herrington was great and there were some fundamental truths in it about sportsmanship and integrity, someone who actually lived who is the antithesis of today's sports heroes. Remember, he called a penalty stroke against himself that cost himself the U.S. Open.
This isn't a film just for golfers. It transcends the game. It's about a human being with an extraordinary integrity and work ethic.
Q: But Jones had a dark side.
A: He had a temper. Remember, for a piece of coal to change to a diamond, there needs to be some serious heat and pressure. I kept thinking that this guy has three degrees. He was a lawyer, engineer, knew English literature and spoke six languages. It must have been very frustrating for him being an engineer and all, trying to hit a golf ball perfectly every time. I utilized that frustration to make it easier to throw a golf club.
Q: How hard was it to portray Jones as opposed to Jesus Christ?
A: With Jesus, people might not know quite the way he walked and there are no recordings of his voice. But when you play Bobby Jones, everybody in Georgia knew how he talked, walked, ate, drank. So that made it tough.
Q: How did you learn his swing?
A: I used to play college basketball so I just substituted what I knew about shooting and timing and balance for hitting a golf ball. The one thing all athletics have in common is balance. When I found my center and balance, it was much easier to learn. I wanted to make sure that any professional golfers who saw this film could slow the stroke down and believe I had it.
Q: Why do you think the film will appeal to a young audience?
A: It's a great example for young people trying to find their way. Sports stars and other celebrities today say they don't want to be a role model. That's their excuse to act however they want. That wasn't Bobby. He embraced the idea.
Q: Jones was the first child to compete against the pros. Is it healthy for someone like 14-year-old Michelle Wie to sacrifice a portion of her childhood to play golf on the pro circuit?
A: I don't think Michelle would be as good as she is if she didn't want to do what she's doing and enjoyed the game. Nobody made me want to be an actor. I had to love it enough to be able to handle the rejection. Anybody who wants to be a great athlete has to be willing to face defeat all the time. You can't force that on someone. They have to be willing to take it on because they love the game.
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