Ambitious stars ‘graduate’ to film direction

It’s instructive to note that, this season, more than the usual number of movie stars are opting to put on an alternative hat—and take on the huge challenge of going into film direction (some say, for a masochistic change).

Indeed, why would a popular movie star, who makes millions worrying about doing justice to just one character, want to “punish” himself or herself by directing a movie—which means worrying about everything involved in a feature film production?

The answer, of course, is that the star who opts to also become a director needs to expand his artistic horizons and see his cinematic vision up on the movie screen.

So, if that means working himself ragged for months and eating problems for breakfast—bring it on!

These thoughts come presently to mind, because more stars have opted to step up to the directorial plate than ever before.

To focus on just the tip of the iceberg, they include Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie, John Krasinski, Angelica Huston, Jon Favreau, Billy Bob Thornton, Robert De Niro and Tom Hanks.

The additional task they’ve set for themselves may be enormously challenging and exhausting, but they’re emboldened by the fact that they have very good company. Through the years and decades, some of the best actors have become directors or “total film artists”:

NATALIE Portman

The pioneering example of the star-director was no less than comedy film great, Charlie Chaplin, whose acknowledged screen masterpieces include “Modern Times,” “The Gold Rush” and “The Great Dictator.”

For his part, Orson Welles “exploded” onto the film scene as the precociously gifted actor-writer-director-producer-plus who bowled both viewers and the industry by way of his visionary, signature works like “Citizen Kane,” “Touch of Evil” and “The Magnificent Ambersons.”

Warren Beatty may have been much more famous as a movie star, but his entire screen career is “crowned” by “Reds,” the award-winning film he megged in 1981.

ANGELINA Jolie

Other excellent films directed by stars include “Do the Right Thing” by Spike Lee, which was hailed in 1989 as “an exciting, disturbing, provocative urban drama.”

Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Unforgiven” and other masterworks, including this season’s “Sully,” starring Tom Hanks.

“Henry V,” directed by Kenneth Branagh, the star’s gritty visceral take on Shakespeare’s tumultuous play, which earned him nominations for directing and acting.

“Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,” George Clooney’s directorial debut, made waves with its perceptive adaptation of game show host, Chuck Barnes’ “weird” memoirs.

Clooney kept improving until he clinched an Oscar nomination for directing the critically-acclaimed “Good Night, and Good Luck.”