Eastwood revisits WWII with two films

Speak softly and carry a big camera
Eastwood often gets what he needs in just one or two takes, his “Flags of Our Fathers” cast said. Co-stars Pepper and Bradford said Eastwood wants actors to trust their instincts and that when they press for more direction than he’s willing to give, he responds: “We’ve come this far. Let’s not ruin it by thinking.”

When Eastwood does speak, he’s soft-spoken and to the point — and everyone listens, his actors said.

“When Clint would talk in that kind of wonderfully gravelly voice of his, all the noise on the set would just diminish,” Pepper said. “People would just listen to hear the next move because they knew they would be left in the dust if they didn’t. As soon as he was done — no bullhorns, never raised his voice — the noise on the set would go back up.”

Eastwood does not appear in “Flags of Our Fathers” or “Letters From Iwo Jima,” which stars Ken Watanabe as Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, who led the Japanese defense of the island. After “Mystic River,” in which he also does not appear, Eastwood began thinking he would prefer to remain behind the camera.

“Then all of a sudden, ‘Million Dollar Baby’ comes along, and there’s a great part in it there for a guy my age,” said Eastwood, nominated for best actor as a crusty boxing coach. “So I’ll never say never, because somebody maybe will come up with a good role someday, but I’m not out looking for it. I’m not out soliciting.”

One new role he could not resist was reprising Harry Callahan, providing the voice for an upcoming “Dirty Harry” video game.

“I get to be me as a young guy again,” Eastwood said. “Revisit my youth.”

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