Thoroughly Modern Millie--Part Two--Question about James Fox

[joeybee12]

For those of you who've seen it, what ever happened to him? Can't find any info.--I don't think he's the same James Fox--the British actor who shows up in things these days.

[elperromagico]

1. James Fox was later in the David Lean film "A Passage To India"

I believe he retired from show business in the late 60's and became a Christian. I don't think he acts much anymore. A Passage To India was his first mainstream film after retirement, IIRC.

Here is a paragraph from Kevin Brownlow's book, David Lean:
"The brother of Edward Fox, he had been a child actor for Ealing Studios under his real name, William Fox. Changing his name to James, he starred in Joseph Losey's THE SERVANT in 1963 and six years later - after starring with Mick Jagger in Nic Roeg's controversial directorial debut PERFORMANCE - he abandoned acting for religion."

If you've seen Gandhi, you'll recognize James' brother Edward as the British soldier who ordered his troops to fire on a peaceful meeting of thousands of Indians.

[joeybee12]

3. Thanks--he seemed very talented in the musical variety sense...

...and I suspected he was gay from watching him, and my gaydar is usually pretty good. Well, it's better than Liza's is these days!

[elperromagico]

7. I seem to recall his American accent was very good

in Thoroughly Modern Millie, but then again, I haven't seen it in quite a while.

[joeybee12]

8. Yeah, you wouldn't think that he's anything but American in this...

...that's what I originally thought--maybe some New York stage actor who got the role.

[KAMouflage]

2. "Performance" and Mick Jagger

James Fox went through a pretty stressful time while working with Donald Cammel and Mick Jagger on "Performance" in 1970. When the film was finished, so was Fox. That's why he retired and turned to Christianity.

A good documentary on the subject of Donald Cammel and the making of the film explores some of this. The title escapes me, however. Plays in IFC sometimes.

[joeybee12]

4. Thanks--I wonder if the movie is on video these days--I'll have to check.

[nostamj]

5. Donald Cammell: The Ultimate Performance

Heightening the impact is Cammell’s close direction of his actors, which, in Performance, allowed the pitched psychodrama to spill over behind the scenes. The notorious life on the film’s set is documented in Donald Cammell: The Ultimate Performance, a vivid exploration of the director and his work, including the thrillers Demon Seed, White of the Eye, and The Wild Side.

[joeybee12]

6. Thanks!

"to spill over behind the scenes" Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm