Few, if any, actors have skilled related profession arcs as turbulent as Robert Downey Jr. From his rise as a wunderkind and the collapse of his private life because of substance abuse and authorized points to his extraordinary revival because the face of Hollywood blockbusters as Tony Stark/Iron Man within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey’s profession is considered one of legends. Even when he is climbed to the mountain high, Downey finds new methods to endure a comeback tour, as his Oscar-winning turn in Oppenheimer reminded the world that he was not only a superstar icon or a person in a superhero costume, however a preternaturally gifted actor as nicely. Regardless of his troubled previous with medication and the regulation, the closest Downey ever got here to dealing with dying was on the set of a forgotten tv miniseries, Mussolini: The Untold Story, the place an intensely dedicated RDJ was in shut contact with a propeller blade.
Robert Downey Jr. Starred Alongside George C. Scott in ‘Mussolini: The Untold Story’
The son of iconoclastic underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., Downey Jr. was infectiously charming and an unmistakable film star from the get-go in comedies like Bizarre Science, Again to College, and The Pick-Up Artist. In considered one of his earliest roles, earlier than remodeling into Charlie Chaplin within the eponymous 1992 biopic, he performed the son of a infamous political chief portrayed by a Twentieth-century display screen legend. On this 1985 miniseries, George C. Scott performs Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator who impressed a fascist motion in the course of the nation’s alliance with the Axis powers in World Struggle II, and Downey is his son, Bruno Mussolini. The Untold Story, additionally starring Lee Grant, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Virginia Madsen (you’ll be able to inform it is the ’80s by the variety of Individuals taking part in Italians), focuses on the Nationwide Fascist Occasion chief’s political profession and private life.
Not like nearly everything in Downey’s filmography, Mussolini has left little to no impression on tradition, and most can be shocked to study {that a} Downey-George C. Scott collaboration even exists. Whereas elegantly crafted and staged as a historic drama, the collection was criticized for its sympathetic depiction of the nefarious dictator in his private life. With heavy make-up and prosthetics, the collection carries an uncanny visible high quality. Regardless, the prospect to work with an actor of Scott’s stature was memorable, if not at all times nice, as Downey recalled in an interview in 1989. On set, the Patton star proved to be an distinctive chess participant, with Downey remembering that he “kicked all people’s ass,” irrespective of the competitors.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Good Profession Nearly Did not Occur Due to a Close to-Deadly Incident
Whereas Scott could have had enjoyable taking part in chess, capturing Mussolini: The Untold Story was a “horrible” expertise, based on Downey in 1989. With manufacturing in Yugoslavia, he claimed your entire solid was sad and that the circumstances got to the better of Scott, an actor infamous for prickly and temperamental conduct. “I’m not saying that he actually even appreciated me, however he didn’t dislike me,” he stated of their awkward relationship. Capturing the collection had all of the makings of a nightmare, as Downey recalled that the director, William A. Graham, who he doesn’t identify, was preoccupied with studying a fishing journal somewhat than directing.
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Throughout at some point of capturing, Downey was tragically near by no means experiencing the various highs and lows of his career. In a single scene, a shot known as for Downey to run towards the neighborhood of a aircraft’s spinning propeller concurrently with the filming of George C. Scott’s close-up. A minimum of, we expect that is what Downey was alleged to do, as he by no means explains why he did so within the interview. “I nearly ran proper into this f–king propeller,” the actor recalled. He credit his co-star, Gabriel Byrne, for pushing him out of the propeller’s attain and saving his life within the course of. After escaping dying, Downey thought, “It made sense to me to run by means of that. It appeared like my mark was on the opposite facet of it.” Scott, irritated that his close-up was ruined, barked at Downey, “You silly prick! All the time look the place you’re going!”
You possibly can criticize Robert Downey Jr. for a lot of issues, however there is no such thing as a questioning his dedication to the craft. His timeless drive is definitely liable for his skill to adapt to the instances and evolve in his profession, from his primal days as Hollywood’s boy marvel to Iron Man. Together with his devil-may-care way of living and performing, Downey pushed it to the restrict, even when he was simply attempting to hit his marks in a forgotten TV miniseries.
Mussolini: The Untold Story is accessible to buy on Amazon.
- Launch Date
- November 24, 1985
- Solid
- George C. Scott , Raúl Juliá , Virginia Madsen , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Gabriel Byrne , Lee Grant , Gunnar Möller , Gina Bellman
- Seasons
- 1
