Which is a good thing for moviegoers. In “Big Fish,” Finney is again spending a lot of screen time in bed, this time dying, not wooing–and stealing scenes from Billy Crudup, who plays his son, trying to make peace before it’s too late. Finney’s Edward, a Southerner who tells tall tales in a molasses drawl, is the latest richly etched supporting character he’s created in this chapter of his career, including Julia Roberts’s crusty boss in “Erin Brockovich” (his fifth Oscar nomination). Wasn’t it hard to work in “Big Fish,” confined to a bed? “It’s acting. I just do it,” he says. “And I could rest between takes!”
Finney’s laugh comes from so deep within his barrel chest, it’s almost soundless when it finally erupts. For most of his career, he’s done what he damn well pleased. Early on, he turned his back on Hollywood, refusing the title role of “Lawrence of Arabia,” and after “Tom Jones” he dropped out of sight: “I just traveled around the world by myself for 11 months.” Then he began playing an amazing range of characters, from the troubled husbands in “Two for the Road” (1967) and “Shoot the Moon” (1982) to the most virtuosic drunk in screen history in “Under the Volcano” (1984). He also acted in dozens of plays–and once thought he’d take on Falstaff and Lear as he aged. But he says, “Now I can’t be bothered.”
Twice married, Finney was a famous rake, but he’s “been committed for, uh, 15 years” to his current lady. He breeds horses in California and Ireland, not surprising for the son of a bookie. “It’s my only hobby, really,” he says, his voice resonant with the good life. Next up for him is likely to be the sequel to “The Gathering Storm,” his remarkable portrayal of Winston Churchill for TV. That role was intimidating. “It’s very difficult playing a historical figure because you might get bogged down in impersonations,” he says. “I was very loath to do it at first. But I suddenly thought, oh, bugger it, just play it!” Yes, just play it. And please, Mr. Finney, keep playing.
