George Harrison Said His Production Company, HandMade Films, Was Good Because No One Became Big-Shots
George Harrison was humble about everything in his life, including his production company, HandMade Films. He liked that his small business didn’t become some big-shot American company that hired big-shot actors. Being a Beatle taught George he had to remain humble.
George Harrison started HandMade Films when he decided to produce Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’
In the late 1970s, Eric Idle told George that EMI had dropped out of producing Monty Python’s new film, Life of Brian. The company thought it was blasphemous. However, George loved the idea of the film and thought of funding the comedy.
“I asked Denis O’Brien, who had been my business manager since the end of ’73,” George told Film Comment. “After thinking about it for a week, he came back and suggested that we produce it. I let out a laugh because one of my favorite films is ‘The Producers,’ and here we were about to become Bialystock and Bloom.
“Neither of us had any previous thought of going into the movie business, though Denis had a taste of it managing Peter Sellers and negotiating some of the later Pink Panther films. It was a bit risky, I guess, totally stepping out of line for me, but, as a big fan of Monty Python, my main motive was to see the film get made.”
Life of Brian was George’s initial step into the film business, and, purely by accident, he never stepped out. However, if George was going to keep HandMade Films, he wanted it to remain a small British business.
George knew that HandMade Films had to make films that would do well in America. It was the only way to make a real profit. However, he didn’t want his company to become American.
“I personally would not like to see HandMade Films turn into an American company in New York or Los Angeles,” George said. “I like it being in a nice little office in England.”
If HandMade Films became an American company, it would become a big-shot company. They’d also have to hire big-shot actors.
George liked that HandMade Films wasn’t a big-shot company
Fortunately for George, HandMade Films didn’t become an American company. However, the former Beatle and his production company did make a massive mistake by signing one of America’s notorious couples onto a film.
George and the company green-lit Shanghai Surprise featuring then-husband and wife Sean Penn and Madonna because they thought the couple’s star power would push the film. However, it tanked, and George lost a lot of money.
After that, George didn’t want HandMade Films to think it was a big-shot company. He wanted it to remain humble.
“We have to keep tabs on our budgets and not get carried away thinking we’re big shots,” George touched on Shanghai Surprise. “Many companies, with some success behind them, move into big, posh air-conditioned offices that all interconnect with private bathrooms.
“You see them swarming around in these limousines. It’s ‘Sod’s Law’: Even if we made hundreds of millions of dollars, once we moved out of our tiny, overcrowded office in London and got into the Big Time, I’m sure the bottom would fall out. The answer is to be humble. That’s it. Be humble.
“It would be nice, I suppose, from a staff point of view, to have a bit more space—our own viewing theaters, cutting rooms, and sound studios. But for me, as an ex-Beatle, I’m not into that trip of being a big shot. I peaked early. I got all that out of my system in the Sixties.”
The former Beatle didn’t want big-shot actors either
George didn’t want HandMade Films to become a big-shot company. However, that also meant he didn’t want to work with big-name actors either. He was burned enough by working with Penn and Madonna on Shanghai Surprise. Still, the company did work with some big-name stars that were humble.
Film Comment asked, “Part of Disney’s current success is die to the stable of actors it has signed in what some see as a return to the old studio system. Are you making a conscious effort to do the same?”
George replied, “It’s not an out-and-out strategic move, though we have worked with the same people a number of times. Bob Hoskins, of course, is one of them. He was the main reason ‘Mona Lisa’ was so successful.
“We said, ‘He’s done good for us. We’ve all enjoyed him. Let’s let him direct his own film.’ We take a little chance here and there, calculated risks, not only because he’s good but because he’s a joy to be with. His charm is that no matter how famous and popular he is, he’s so straight and down to earth.
“He makes the Seans and Madonnas look ridiculous. We’ve also had the pleasure of working with Michael Caine, Sean Connery—’name people’ who go about doing their roles. They’re not as complicated. They’re very professional.”
George managed to keep HandMade Films the way he wanted; humble, like everything else in his life.
