Kelsey Grammer as “Haskel” in the war/action film “Murder Company,” a Maverick Film & Complex Corp. release. Photo courtesy of Maverick Film & Complex Corp.
The new World War II film “Murder Company” by Shane Dax Taylor (“The Best Man”) will be released in selected cinemas, on demand and digitally from July 5. The main roles are played by Kelsey Grammer (“X-Men: The Last Stand” and “Transformers: Age of Extinction”), William Moseley (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”), Joe Anderson (“The Grey”) and Pooch Hall (“Cherry”).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with legendary actor Kelsey Grammer about working on Murder Company, his initial reaction to the script, his role, working with the young cast, and collaborating on set with director Shane Dax Taylor. Grammer also talked about reprising his role as Beast in The Marvels, how the makeup process has changed since X-Men: The Last Stand, and whether he will appear in Deadpool & Wolverine.
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Kelsey Grammer as “Haskel” in the war/action film “Murder Company,” a Maverick Film & Complex Corp. release. Photo courtesy of Maverick Film & Complex Corp.
Moviefone: First, can you talk about your initial reaction to the script and why you wanted to be a part of this project and tell this particular story?
Kelsey Grammer: Well, when you join a company, you’re usually invited, so they invited me, and then I went through it and gave a cursory look at it initially. Then I thought, “Well, this seems kind of interesting,” so I went back and called my husband and said, “What the heck, let’s set this up.” The only thing I found in the text, and this is not to emphasize anything, was that my grandfather was a World War II veteran and never swore in his life. There were a lot of swear words in the original script that I thought, “Well, my husband isn’t going to say that,” and they basically agreed. I talked to the director, and he said his grandfather served with Patton. I said, “Do you remember him swearing a lot?” He said, “I don’t remember him ever doing that.” I said, “That’s the kind of guy that has to be.” Even though he might object to what he’s being asked to do, he doesn’t express himself that way. It’s a different generation. I think some of the soldiers still talk like that. But it was important to me to create a character who was still that kind of man.
MF: Going back to something you just said, how often does it happen that you read a script and want to be involved in the project, but a few things need to be changed to make it work for you?
KG: That happens a lot. That happens all the time. A lot of times, someone will send me something and I’ll read it and say, “Well, I liked that, but I don’t want to play that character. I want to play this other one.” Most of the time, they’ll say, “Oh, that’s a great idea. We haven’t thought of that.” That’s happened a few times, and I enjoy it more. I like to try to do things that aren’t a repeat of something I’ve done before. Granted, we stumble upon things that are similar. I mean, I always look like the person I’m playing, and I don’t do a lot of makeup for big characters, except for Beast, but I tend to choose things that aren’t consistent with what I’ve done in the past.
(Left to right) James Wiles as “Verrill” and Kelsey Grammer as “Haskel” in the war/action film “Murder Company,” a Maverick Film & Complex Corp. release. Photo courtesy of Maverick Film & Complex Corp.
MF: Can you talk about your approach to the role of General Haskel and his role in assigning this mission to the platoon?
KG: To me, that’s a little bit contrived. I mean, I know that, at least historically, that’s inspired by facts on the ground. I have a friend whose grandfather was part of one of those platoons that were eventually patched together from the first invasion force and did some things behind enemy lines. He told me about it. It was dramatic stuff and I think some of it is taken from those stories. The approach to the character was just to always keep it truthful. Stay true to what you think they are and who you think you are. This guy was, I think, a highly principled man who was asked to do some unprincipled things, but given the circumstances of the war and the circumstances of the enemy they were fighting, they knew they had to win and do some things that maybe you would only do in wartime.
MF: When you play an army general, does the costume play a big role for you?
KG: Yes. One of the best things you learn at the beginning, when you first do costume drama, is that the costume basically tells you who the character is. I learned it over time. When I started doing a lot of Shakespeare, I would go to the first fitting and see what I was going to look like and think, “Oh, there he is. There’s the character.” There’s a lot to it. Ultimately, it’s a game of dress-up.
(Left to right) Pooch Hall as “Coolidge” and William Moseley as “Southern” in the war/action film “Murder Company,” a Maverick Film & Complex Corp. release. Photo courtesy of Maverick Film & Complex Corp.
MF: What was it like working with the rest of the cast and are you enjoying working with the next generation of actors?
KG: Well, so far, so good. Listen, no generation is immune to bad acting, but thank God there are some good ones in every generation. I mean, you could argue it’s an art form. Some people take shortcuts and think they can do it because it looks easy. The good ones make it look easy, but an art form is rarely something that everyone can do. We may be overpopulated as a profession, but there are very few who do it well. If you’re lucky enough to act with someone who can do it well, it’s a real experience and a joy. Those guys were good.
MF: How was it working with director Shane Dax Taylor on set?
KG: Well, our first conversation was about our grandfathers, and it was simple. “Let’s not waste too much time.” That’s the way I like to work. Get in, get it over with, move on. Do a couple of takes if necessary. I mean, one of my favorite stories that I often repeat is John Huston’s. The first take in “Prizzi’s Honor,” when there’s a big wedding scene. They shoot it once and he calls out, “Cut, new deal.” Jack Nicholson turns to him and says, “Don’t you want one for the coverage?” He says, “I’m not in the insurance business.” I like that. I like to do it once and move on if I can.
(Left to right) Lashana Lynch and Kelsey Grammer in “The Marvels.” Photo: Marvel Studios.
MF: And finally, what was it like reprising your role as Dr. Henry McCoy (Beast) in The Marvels? Were you surprised by the call and what was it like joining the MCU?
KG: Well, it was fantastic. The first one I did, they had a bike stand welded to a support, and I stood there while they put my whole body in plaster. It took about four hours, and they said, “This is going to be a little difficult,” and it was, because after about an hour, I had no feeling at all in the lower quadrant of my body. I thought, “This is just weird.” When they took the stand off me, I couldn’t walk for a while. It was a very dramatic experience. The new one, I just walked in, and they had a geodesic circle with a hundred cameras on it, and they all went off at the same time, and they asked you not to blink. That’s almost impossible. It was funny to see this improved technology, because when we did the latex and stuff, that’s what it looked like. That was the process, but they put all the plaster on and then it all became latex molds, and then they made dozens of them for each day that I was shooting. There would be a lot between me and the camera, and now with technology, it’s like there’s a blue skin tone. It’s radiant and translucent, and it makes the character, my character, shining through him, a little more accessible. It’s exciting to see that. I saw the movie on the plane one day, and I was tired, so I was drifting back and forth, and toward the end I was just blown away. I heard Beast’s voice, and it’s interesting. It’s a little different timbre than I’m used to, and I thought, “Whoa, wait a minute. I know that guy.” Of course, I realized that was me. I caught a glimpse of it and thought, “Well, isn’t that something?” It just came about because they thought, “You know what? We’re going to go back in time and mess up the universe,” and I love that they have that creative take. The response was pretty overwhelming. People were like, “Wow, that’s Beast.” It’s fun. Who knows? Anyway, I hope we can try the role another time.
MF: I’m sure you can’t answer that question even if it’s true, but I have to try. Will you appear in Deadpool & Wolverine?
KG: No, I probably can’t tell you that… but no.
In the midst of the D-Day invasion, a group of US soldiers are ordered to smuggle a member of the French Resistance behind enemy lines to assassinate a high-ranking official… Read the plot
What is the plot of “Murder Company”?
During the D-Day invasion, a group of U.S. soldiers are ordered to smuggle a member of the French Resistance behind enemy lines to assassinate a key Nazi target.
Who is in the cast of “Murder Company”?
- Kelsey Grammer as General Haskel
- Joe Anderson as Smith
- William Moseley as a Southerner
- Pooch Hall as Coolidge
- Gilles Marini as Daquin
William Moseley as “Southern” in the war/action film “Murder Company,” a Maverick Film & Complex Corp. release. Photo courtesy of Maverick Film & Complex Corp.
