Ian Ogilvy is a veteran British actor best known for starring as Simon Templar in the television series Return of the Saint and for a career spanning more than five decades in film and television. In Knightfall he plays Charles Knight, a legendary former spy catcher who is forced back into action to protect his estranged daughter and stop a terrorist plot involving a stolen biological weapon.
Ian stopped by to chat with us about Knightfall.
Hi there Ian, how are you?
I’m good, thanks. Pleasure to meet you.
You too! So, today we’re going to be talking about your new film Knightfall. What was it that immediately attracted you to it and how did you approach playing a man like Charles Knight who’s got such a formidable reputation?
Well, Jonathan Sothcott, the producer, this is I think my fourth movie with him. So, I knew what the score was, I knew what to expect. So I mean, I pretty much automatically say yes these days to anybody to give me a job because at my age the work is rare these days, which is understandable and quite normal in our business. But so, Jonathan is one of those lovely producers who actually doesn’t mind using old farts like me. So that was it. And approaching it, well, I’m a bit like Olivia Colman, the actress who famously is somebody who does not do any research at all; just does what’s on the page. I mean, it’s fairly obvious what I’m doing. It’s a personality job; just be oneself and say the lines and turn up on time really, you know, it’s not Hamlet and it’s not King Lear (laughs). It’s a good, solid adventure story and it doesn’t require a huge amount of preparation. And also, I’m very lazy. There you go (laughs).
There’s some heart to Knightfall, which is the strained relationship between Charles and his daughter, Ros played by Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott. How important was the father-daughter dynamic to your interpretation of the character and working with Jeanine in creating that?
Well, again, it’s all in the script. I mean, he’s initially quite cold and unfriendly and impatient and it’s all there in the script. So again, it’s not really a question of sitting down and working out backstories or anything like that. It’s all there. An awful lot of actors talk an awful lot of crap about acting and I’m not one of them. You turn up, you say the lines, you don’t bump into the furniture. So in terms of preparation, none really. I mean, it’s all in the script. If the lines in the script show clearly what your relationship is, that’s all you really need as far as I’m concerned.
How was working with director Ben Fortune?
He’s lovely. He’s very good. Jonathan Sothcott movies are not, as we all know, they’re not big budget movies. So, there’s an awful lot of work to be done in a very short period of time. And what you would need desperately as a producer is a director who works fast and knows exactly what he’s doing. And every single director I’ve worked with on the Sothcott movies have all been like that. They’ve been fast and efficient and they get on with it. The moment they realize that they don’t need to direct you. I mean, I’m one of those actors who don’t really want to be directed. I don’t want to be told how to say, this or that; I don’t want to do that. So, there’s no time for that. He was great and very efficient and a nice guy. We got on very well.
I’ve been supporting Jonathan’s movies for years as well, because he and Shogun Films have been creating British action thrillers, which we don’t really see that much of enough these days. What do you think would be the answer to creating these British blockbusters, which we really want to see more of?
Yeah. I mean, I think he likes the genre, and it’s a good genre. Here’s the thing. It’s a genre that requires little or no special effects, little or no set pieces, no enormously expensive tidal waves or war scenes, period scenes. So, it’s a sensible genre for him to tackle. So, he’s a fan of it. The Guy Ritchie type of movies is, I think, what he enjoys most, really and that’s why he does them, I think.
So, Charles Knight belongs to an old school world of espionage, whereas Roz represents sort of a much more modern approach to security and warfare. Was it fun exploring that generational clash?
Yes, it was rather. I mean, I’ve known Jenine for a long time, and it never occurred to me that she could possibly be my daughter (laughs). So, that came as a bit of a shock, but a nice shock, let me say. It was lovely. But in terms of the whole espionage and that kind of thing, what I like about those scripts is that sometimes the most unlikely things happen. All of a sudden, I’m seizing a crossbow from under my bed, I’m using a crossbow against my enemy, and it’s hard to explain why I’m doing that. But that’s about it.
It’s movie logic.
Yeah. And I love the idea that he knows exactly what to do at any given moment, even in the moment of extreme peril. He knows exactly what to do. I’ve played a lot of those characters, those who bizarrely know exactly what to do with seconds to spare.
Do you see him as someone who’s been waiting for an excuse to return to that world? He just seems to be always ready, like you were saying.
You know, I think you’re right. I think initially he’s, oh Christ, why can’t you leave me alone? He gets back into the swing of things, and I think he enjoys himself. I think he rather has fun doing it all of a sudden. This is why, as the movie progresses, his lines become more ironic, more witty, and less unfriendly. So yes, I agree with you. I think he does enjoy getting back into the swing of things. He’s missed it. We all do. You know, we miss it.
How would you like the film to resonate with audiences?
I just hope they enjoy it. I mean, I’ve not seen it, so I have no idea what it’s like. I hope they enjoy it. I hope they go, “gosh, nice to see the old boy back in the saddle again”. That would be nice. I don’t want them to say horrible things about the movie, and I don’t want them to be bored by it. That’s the worst thing of all. And I don’t think with Jonathan Sothcott movies, anybody’s ever bored. I mean, they may not like the movie, or they may not think it’s as good as it ought to be, or they may not, whatever. But they’re never bored by them, because they move. They’re action movies. All of them are action movies. They’re not thoughtful pieces in that sense, which is fine. They are what they are. They’re great fun to make, and I think they’re great fun to watch. So with any luck, that’ll be the same with Knightfall.
Well, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me, and all the best with the movie.
Thank you very much, Eoin. It’s nice to meet you.