After returning from Canada, preparations for Knives Out were almost complete, and Gilbert took the crew to a countryside villa in Massachusetts for filming.
This villa had some history, built in 1890. It was a Gothic mansion full of nineteenth-century Victorian atmosphere.
Spacious interiors, intricate decorations, overall retro yet luxurious set design, full of theatricality and mystery.
Some of the artwork and window designs in the mansion incorporated skull or bone elements. With the owner's consent, the crew modified the house to meet filming needs.
Art director Serena also borrowed many items from museums in New York and Boston, placing them in the mansion to give it a stronger artistic vibe.
Additionally, the mansion contained a large number of books, with rare library collections on loan, including two volumes of the Yongle Encyclopedia.
These must have been brought from China by someone in the past, passing through several hands before arriving here.
Of course, these artworks were only to enhance the mansion's atmosphere; they would be returned after filming.
Casting choices were also interesting. After Tom Cruise confirmed his role as detective Blanc, Mark Wahlberg volunteered to play Ransom.
Although just a supporting role, Wahlberg said he wanted to work with Gilbert.
"Whether supporting or not doesn't matter. I've always been a fan of Gilbert. Having the chance to work with him and Tom, I'm excited," Wahlberg said in an interview.
Another key role, Marta, was played by Jessica Alba, strongly recommended by Liv Tyler.
This marked Jessica Alba's first collaboration with Gilbert. Like the actor who played the role in the previous version, she was also of Latin descent.
Clint Eastwood made a cameo as Harlan; Gilbert called the veteran, and he immediately agreed.
Gilbert invited Clint Eastwood because of a recommendation from Meryl Streep, who played Linda.
The remaining roles were filled by familiar Hollywood faces, several of whom had won Oscars.
Thus, the film brought together Oscar-winning actors and a golden supporting cast, yet the total investment was only $40 million.
By commercial standards, just the salaries for Gilbert and Tom Cruise would exceed $40 million.
However, Gilbert only took a symbolic $100,000, and Tom Cruise's lead actor fee was not high; the rest naturally did not earn much.
For Gilbert's team, accustomed to large projects, Knives Out was a relatively small project.
With years of cultivated tacit understanding, almost no adjustment was needed, and the crew immediately got into rhythm. The actors also settled in quickly, being highly skilled performers.
Only Jessica Alba had a bit of difficulty keeping up with the ensemble of Oscar winners and golden supporting actors.
"Cut!"
Gilbert called for a stop. Jessica Alba sheepishly raised her hand: "Sorry, my mistake."
Gilbert could not bear to scold her, sighing: "Marta, you need to observe and learn. You're surrounded by outstanding actors, ask questions when needed.
But it's not your fault; everyone else is just too remarkable."
Meryl Streep smiled: "Gilbert, I think she's doing quite well. For a young actor to reach this level isn't easy."
"That's true," Gilbert agreed. "Take a break, then let's continue."
In his previous life as an online movie director, Gilbert sometimes struggled with actors' lines, especially those who frequently missed or flubbed their lines—it was a complete mess.
Poor line delivery was easy to fix; a voice actor could always dub it.
It also provided work opportunities for voice actors, which wasn't easy to come by.
The worst were actors who spoke lines terribly but insisted on using the original audio—a real ordeal.
Lines spoken unclearly, reacting to situations only by yelling. Some couldn't even speak Mandarin properly, requiring a storyline to justify it.
For TV series, that was tolerable; you could fast-forward.
But in a cinema, facing actors' disastrous performances, audiences had no choice but to leave.
Over time, viewers unwilling to endure such performances naturally stopped going to theaters.
Even if they decided to go, it was after careful consideration, asking around repeatedly, only attending when the word-of-mouth was genuinely good and the film truly worthwhile.
Here, those "problem actors" naturally also referred to certain actresses. Everyone was in the same boat—no one should mock anyone else.
However, in Hollywood, this issue simply did not exist. Perhaps because English is simpler than Chinese, Hollywood actors' mastery of lines is considered fundamental.
Even without formal acting classes, the intense competition in the industry naturally hones these skills.
It makes sense—if you hope to be noticed by a major figure but can't even deliver your lines properly, how could they promote you?
In Knives Out, the Oscar-winning actors and golden supporting cast were all top-tier performers.
Every line, tone, cadence, and inflection was executed with precision.
Someone once described the performances of these veteran actors as pure enjoyment. Indeed, Gilbert was savoring the process of watching these excellent actors perform.
Tom Cruise, playing Blanc, initially had very few direct shots, merely sitting by the piano as part of the background.
As the number of questions increased, his direct shots gradually expanded until someone asked the line: "Who the fuck is he?"
"Mr. Blanc, I know who you are. I read your profile in The New Yorker, and I'm very impressed."
Meryl Streep, portraying Linda, began the scene with a line that was a pleasure to listen to:
"I just buried my 85-year-old father. He took his own life. What brings you here?"
Finally, when Tom Cruise, long relegated to the background, spoke his first line, a distinct Kentucky country accent came through:
"I am here on the request of a client."
"Who?"
"Sorry, I cannot disclose.
But I can assure you, I am here merely as an observer.
You will find me respectful, quiet, passive, a seeker of the truth."
Blanc used this same phrasing with the Harlan family.
"Is that so? Have you found the truth?"
This seated, conversational style of performance relies heavily on script arrangement and the actors' execution.
Fortunately, Gilbert assembled a truly impressive cast, one that could keep moviegoers engaged throughout.
...
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