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Nicolas Cage at the premiere of "The Life of David Gale" held at Universal CityWalk Cinemas in Universal City, Calif. on February 18, 2003.
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Walt Disney Pictures’ action-packed sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets reunites the stars of the blockbuster 2004 film -- Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger and Justin Bartha -- for this second adventure, which is much more global in scope.
For Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage), history isn’t just a dry record of what’s occurred in a distant and forgotten past. It is alive, vital and even offers the possibility of finding extraordinary treasures. After his astonishing discovery of the riches of the Templar Knights, Ben has become the world’s most famous treasure hunter. This time around, he and his father, university professor Patrick Gates (Jon Voight), are shaken by the discovery of one of the long-lost pages from the diary of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth, in which their ancestor, Thomas Gates, is implicated as a co-conspirator in the assassination of the President.
In order to prove the assumption about his ancestor false, Ben must work with his now ex-girlfriend, American history archivist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), and his tech-wiz partner Riley Poole (Justin Bartha), in a globe-trotting adventure that takes them to the inner sanctums of Washington, D.C., Paris, London and the American heartland. As they unravel clues that threaten to turn history, and their lives, completely upside-down, they soon realize that they are on a deadly collision course with others who are desperate to uncover the secrets that lie beneath the half-burnt diary page from America’s past.
Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage spoke with MediaBlvd Magazine about making his first sequel.
MediaBlvd Magazine> What was the criteria for you to sign onto this project? And, what do you think sets this sequel apart from the original film?
Nicolas Cage> I’ve not done a sequel before, the reason being that, generally speaking, I never like to repeat myself. In this case, I do believe that, if you’re going to do a sequel, it has to promise to be better than the original, or at least as good. Largely, the fear with sequels is that people get lazy. They realize they have a winner, and then they just throw money at it and they don’t care. Fortunately, working with John Turteltaub, in particular, he really cares about the story. I wanted to make sure that we could go in a direction that would raise the stakes, and also hopefully be more interesting. When they first presented the idea of Civil War, Confederate gold, John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln assassination, right off the bat, I thought that was more interesting, historically. I was excited by that. Then, they said, “We have to rachet it up from stealing the Declaration of Independence, so we thought you should kidnap the President of the United States.” And then, I said, “How is Ben Gates going to kidnap the President of the United States?” And, I got nervous. Then, I started thinking about it, and I started laughing, and I realized that that was the joy of it -- the fact that it was funny and absurd. When they cast Bruce Greenwood as the President, I realized that there would be a level of believability because he looks Kennedy-esque. At the same time, he has a terrific gift for comedy, and he would be able to embrace that Commedia dell’arte. So, to me, Book of Secrets is like a movie unto itself. When you change the treasure, you change the whole story. You get new clues that are historically accurate, and you get new locations. Just the actors and the characters stay the same. So, having been a fan of Basil Rathbone and Sherlock Holmes, I thought, “Why not bring Ben Gates back as a modern version, if you will.” He’s an archeological version of a detective, looking for a way to unlock the mysteries of these treasures. It seemed wonderfully positive. If John Turteltaub has a genius, it’s that he’s made movies without a gun that are entertaining, and you can take the whole family. There’s worse things to do than to inspire, especially the youngsters, to look in their history books, so I thought, “Let’s do it,” and I’m happy I did.
MediaBlvd> Did you want to do something new with the character, since this is the first time you’ve played the same character a second time?
Nicolas> The first thing I said to Jerry Bruckheimer was, “It’s been three years. I’m not the same guy. How am I going to go back and do Ben Gates?” And, he said, “That’s it. The character has changed.” And, the response I got at Disney was that I seem lighter, I’m smiling more and I’m happier. I think the weight has been taken off of the character. He’s been accepted, academically. He’s not considered a wacko anymore, like he was in the first movie, and so, he feels happier.
MediaBlvd> Are you more prepared now, for doing a sequel to Ghost Rider?
Nicolas> All they have to do is call, and I would love to see that happen. That would be fun.
MediaBlvd> So, you’re more prone to sequels now?
Nicolas> If I think there’s room to grow with the character, and if you can make it better than the original, absolutely.
MediaBlvd> With that being said, would you mind doing a third National Treasure, if all of the elements are right?
Nicolas> With National Treasure, I believe that it should become more International Treasure. I was very happy to see that we went to London, England and Paris, France, but I’d like to see the movie go wider still. I’d like to go into Africa, Egypt and Asia, and keep going. My hope is that Ben is recruited and he gets a dossier from these other countries about their history, and has to learn it, and then try to go on these hunts on their behalf. That would be a lot of fun for me.
MediaBlvd> How are you like Benjamin Gates?
Nicolas> One of the things that comes to mind is ancestors. In a lot of so-called primitive cultures, there is tremendous respect for our ancestors that we don’t see as much, for whatever the reason, in modern American culture. With Ben, I wanted to make it clear that, probably because his grandfather knighted him at such an early age, he took it to heart and really believes, in a chivalrous way, that everything he is, is on account of his ancestors. They’re not dead to him. They’re still there with him and he’s honoring them. I like that about him. I try to embrace that in my own life. And, also, because of playing Ben Gates, I really appreciate history now. I enjoy being in places where I feel the weight of past events. I like old architecture and old buildings. And, if you use a little imagination, you can time travel.
MediaBlvd> In what ways have you changed since the first film?
Nicolas> I think the main changes are that my priorities have improved. I started acting at a very young age, and I had interests which I won’t say are wrong, but I’m maturing. Motorcycles, and things like that, aren’t as important to me as they once were. And, I like a good book. I also like being in nature or on the water, and being with my family. Those are just the real treasures.
MediaBlvd> Were there any conversations, at the time you were filming, to make sure you kept the film from veering into current political events?
Nicolas> That scene with the President was always the concern, from day one, even before principal photography. I kept going over it, in my room, up late at night. I would look at it, rewrite it and tinker with it. I would send the pages back to the Powers-That-Be at Bruckheimer Films, and then, they would fact check it, or go through it with their writers. We kept tweaking it. I realized the importance of that scene, not lapsing into something overtly political, sentimental or maudlin, but tried to get to the root and simplicity of it. It became clear to me that it was an overture to the President to step up. Whatever there is about politics, and we all know that lying is endemic to politics, we used what is good and what was meant to be and what we want to believe to be the overture.
MediaBlvd> Is there any place specific you’d like to take Ben Gates in another film? Do you get input into where the next film would take place?
Nicolas> Personally, my interests are in ancient history and ancient civilizations. In my own life, I’d like to go to a place like Easter Island. It would be fascinating to see Ben go there as well.
MediaBlvd> What has been your experience with having young fans, as a result of the first National Treasure?
Nicolas> Children, to me, are of the utmost importance. They’re really the future, aren’t they? So, I want to treat that carefully. I’m one of those people that believes that the power of film is intense, and you have to really think about it, responsibly. In this case, you want them to enjoy themselves with mom and dad, or the whole family, and also get them to look in their history books in a way that isn’t, “Oh, you must read, and you must learn.” It helps them to enjoy the ride even more because there’s a level of believability to it. You wonder, “Wow, why are there missing pages in the Booth diary?” Then, you go see the movie and you can use a little imagination, and it makes the ride more enjoyable. I’m always thinking about the kids, if I make that sort of movie. Even with Ghost Rider, I was thinking about the kids. Walt Disney is a magnificent hero because he was probably the most influential artist of our time. He was such an influence that we sometimes don’t even think of him as a human being, but he did this amazing stuff. He took these great classic stories, like Pinocchio and Snow White and made them accessible to children. With Ghost Rider, I was trying to do the one story he never did, probably for obvious reasons. I wanted to make something where kids could go, “Well, yeah, this is really just a myth.” We’re all going to get in trouble, so how do you get past that? I was thinking about them there too.
MediaBlvd> Can you relate to Ben’s connection to his ancestors, as far as with your acting career?
Nicolas> I do relate to that. I feel that it began with Carmine Coppola. We didn’t come from money. He came here because he could play the flute and he joined Toscanini’s Orchestra, and was the first chair flautist. About two years ago, I was sleeping, the TV was on and it was playing the arts channel. I heard this flute and woke up. It was my grandfather playing the flute, and it was the Dance of the Blessed Spirits. I’m getting chills thinking about it. It was like he was talking to me. It was amazing. He was the beginning of our history in the arts. And then, he married a Pennino. My grandmother’s family wrote songs, and she was a composer. From there, it just kept going.
MediaBlvd> What is it like, having Jon Voight play your father?
Nicolas> I always said, “If you’re going to cast someone to play my father, cast the greatest actor in the world.” When they said, “Well, how about Jon Voight?,” I said, “That’ll work for me.” So, I’m very happy about that.
MediaBlvd> Can you talk about working with Helen Mirren and Ed Harris, who are both new additions to the cast?
Nicolas> Helen Mirren is someone that I have really admired ever since I saw her in Excalibur. The first thing I said to her was, “I loved you as Morgan Le Fay.” One of my most powerful crushes was Helen Mirren as Morgan Le Fay. She’s really down-to-earth. I have to tip my hat to her for winning the Oscar for The Queen, and then, in the grand spirit of Douglas Fairbanks or Errol Flynn, going and making an adventure film, like this. It shows a lot of spirit and a great zest for life, that she’s willing to do jump around and wear the wire, and all that. I love her for that. And, she’s funny. Within two minutes, she puts you at ease. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and she makes you relaxed. We had a lot of great laughs together. I would love to work with her on every movie. I had the pleasure of working with Ed Harris on The Rock but we didn’t have too many scenes together. He’s one of those actors that’s brutally real on film, and you can’t help but be blown away by his talent because of that. You look at his performance, as Pollack or with the film he just did recently with David Cronenberg (A History of Violence). He’s always got this gravitas and weight to him that is compelling. So, when they said he was in the movie, I knew we had the possibility of making something very exciting.
MediaBlvd> What is working with Jerry Bruckheimer like?
Nicolas> He gets actors together whom he trusts, and keeps you in a high wire state. You never really know what the dialogue’s going to be, until the last minute. That’s enormously frustrating, but at the same time, it gives you a spontaneity and a buzz where everyone’s charging and electric, and he captures it. I think the thought process is, if it doesn’t work, he’ll get more writers and keep doing it until he gets it to work. But, what is captured is a spontaneity or an energy, which is a lot of fun to watch. That’s why we keep working together. I know he’ll give me great actors to work with, like Helen Mirren and Ed Harris, and he cares about the product.
MediaBlvd> Have you finished working on the Pang brothers film Bangkok Dangerous?
Nicolas> Yeah, the Pang Brothers film is finished, but it’s looking for a release. I like that movie, but I don’t think it’s the sort of movie that’s necessarily comfortable for studios, or even American audiences, for that matter. It’s an edgy film. It deals with an interracial relationship and it has difficult subject matter, but the Pang Brothers are gifted. The people that I consider my friends, whose opinions I trust, I’ve shown the picture to, and they think it’s one of the best things I’ve done since The Weather Man. They really like it. But, who knows what’s going to happen with that movie. It’s the weirdest movie I’ve ever made, and I like that.
MediaBlvd> Now that your uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, is making movies again, will you work together on something?
Nicolas> Last time I worked with Uncle Francis was on Peggy Sue Got Married, and I was really happy with that. It’s been a long time. If he called, I would certainly like to work with him. And, I’m happy to see that he’s behind the camera again. I wrote him an email recently, saying “The world needs more of your movies.” So, I’m excited to see what he does.
MediaBlvd> How has being a parent invigorated your passion to do programming for kids? And, how did new fatherhood change your perspective on your work?
Nicolas> Children, especially from one to six, are so impressionable. The main priority is just to make sure they’re happy, as much as possible. That’s the job because, as they get older, things start happening. There’s pressures and there are hormones, and all of that. So, in the beginning, you want it to be about how happy you can keep them, for that wonderful, magical period of time. My son loves Yellow Submarine, and he likes the Beatles and the Wiggles, and all that. There’s plenty of time to discover the other stuff, and I’m sure he will, if he’s like all the rest of us in my family. But, in terms of choices, I try to make movies that will hopefully do some good for the whole family.
MediaBlvd> What are the Cage family Christmas traditions?
Nicolas> This year, I’m going to do something new. I’m going to have a Dickens Christmas. I’m taking everyone to England. I’ve never done that. I’m going to just walk around Bath and see how they celebrate the holidays because I’ve always fantasized about that.
MediaBlvd> Why Bath?
Nicolas> Because when I’m in Bath, I feel like I’m walking around a snow globe. I’m in this contained, beautiful, historic universe. Everybody’s really nice and I don’t need to use a car. The architecture is magnificent. And, I feel that I’m in touch with the past and world events and history. With a little imagination, I feel like I’m time traveling. I’m going to these other places and I’m learning something that’s helping me grow.
MediaBlvd> Will you have a Christmas goose?
Nicolas> I’m going to try to have a Christmas goose, absolutely.
MediaBlvd> What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
Nicolas> Hands down, the best Christmas present I ever got was something that was a tool to stimulate my imagination. My father was in Italy on sabbatical, and I had a little toy car that was being driven by Pinocchio. For whatever the reason, Pinocchio’s head fell off the day before Christmas. I played with it a little too roughly. My father picked up the head and he went into the garden and planted it. I thought, “Why are you doing that?” The next morning, there was this enormous thing that had grown in the garden. I ripped it open and it was a giant wooden Pinocchio. I was scratching my head, trying to figure out how that grew. And then, I started planting everything. I planted all my Hot Wheels. I had a little G.I. Joe slipper. I thought if I planted that, it would grow really big and I could put my sleeping bag in it. So he really got me thinking in an imaginative way, at a young age.
