In a detailed personal essay published by theguardian.com, filmmaker Jean-Jacques Annaud details the rigorous behind-the-scenes casting, historical research, and unexpected on-set hazards involved in bringing Umberto Eco’s medieval murder mystery, The Name of the Rose, to the screen. Annaud recounts how a chance encounter with the author led to a massive international production featuring Sean Connery, Christian Slater, and Ron Perlman.
Jean-Jacques Annaud Meets Umberto Eco in France
Jean-Jacques Annaud’s journey began in Italy after reading reviews of a novel about monks fighting over a missing part of Aristotle’s Poetics. Upon learning that author Umberto Eco was visiting France for a single night, Annaud arranged a meeting at his hotel and drove him to Charles de Gaulle airport, theguardian.com reported. Annaud noticed Eco’s shadow on the staircase resembled the silhouette of Sherlock Holmes, noting that Eco wore a deerstalker hat and smoked a pipe. During the car ride, Annaud asked precise questions about Franciscan shoes, monk beards, and pig colors, to which Eco replied, “I don’t know, I didn’t have to write any of that.” To ensure authenticity, Annaud hired medievalist Jacques Le Goff and seven colleagues to supervise costumes, architecture, and liturgy.
Sean Connery and Christian Slater Secure Lead Roles
Annaud sought an unknown actor to play the investigating friar William of Baskerville, traveling globally to watch actors in their 50s. Meanwhile, agent Mike Ovitz repeatedly called to pitch Sean Connery for the role. Eventually, Connery knocked on Annaud’s door with the screenplay under his arm, read a passage aloud, and gave the director goosebumps. For the young novice Adso, Christian Slater auditioned after arriving intoxicated and admitting he had not learned his lines, theguardian.com reported. Although casting director Mary Jo tried to send him away, Annaud cast Slater—who was 16 but looked 14—after discovering he was Mary Jo’s son. Slater promptly fell in love with Valentina Vargas during screen tests, securing her the role of the nameless village girl.
On-Set Hazards and Producer Surprises
Production took place on a vast hilltop set built near Rome. During the filming of the library tower fire, Sean Connery’s cowl briefly caught fire, and a heavy piece of timber struck 80-year-old actor Feodor Chaliapin Jr., who played the blind monk. Knocked to the ground, Chaliapin remarked, “I’m 80 years old, I don’t mind dying. Was the take good?” He was hospitalized, forcing schedule changes due to his resulting facial scar. After four months filming in Rome, Annaud returned to his Munich production office only to find producer Bernd Eichinger sitting with his feet on a table in an empty cellar, having sold the building to help finance the film.
Ron Perlman’s Transformation Into Salvatore
Actor Ron Perlman, who previously starred as a caveman in Annaud’s debut film Quest for Fire, actively sought the role of Salvatore, an intellectually challenged hunchback speaking a jumble of seven languages. Annaud granted Perlman complete creative freedom over his dialogue. Perlman obtained copies of Eco’s novel in the seven languages Salvatore references, compiled words using a randomized method akin to “eenie, meenie, miny, moe,” and worked with a dialect coach who was also a period historian, theguardian.com reported. For the scene where Salvatore is burned at the stake, the historian suggested a lullaby reflecting a childlike wonder, capturing a character too detached from reality to realize his impending execution. Perlman spent over 13 hours in the makeup chair for his prosthetic hump and shaved, mange-like hair before filming his torture scene with F. Murray Abraham.
Spitting Scenes With Sean Connery
Working alongside Sean Connery provided Perlman with an unforgettable masterclass in acting. When scripted to spit in Connery’s eye, Perlman hesitated. Connery pulled him aside and stated, “Ron, if you don’t actually spit in my face, we’ll be here all fucking day.” Due to multiple camera setups including profiles, medium shots, closeups, and over-the-shoulder angles, Perlman recalled spitting in Connery’s face 16 times during the shoot.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Name of the Rose Production
Who wrote the original novel adapted by Jean-Jacques Annaud?
The film is based on the medieval murder mystery novel by author Umberto Eco, which centers on a fictional missing part of Aristotle’s Poetics.
Who played the main characters in the film adaptation?
Sean Connery starred as the friar William of Baskerville, Christian Slater played the young novice Adso, Ron Perlman portrayed the hunchback Salvatore, and F. Murray Abraham appeared as the inquisitor Bernardo Gui.
What physical mishaps occurred during the filming of the movie?
During the library fire sequence, Sean Connery’s cowl briefly caught fire, and an 80-year-old actor Feodor Chaliapin Jr. was struck by a falling timber and knocked to the ground before being taken to the hospital.
How did Ron Perlman create Salvatore’s unique multi-language dialogue?
Perlman gathered copies of the novel in the seven languages referenced by Salvatore, selected words across different vocabularies, and collaborated with a dialect coach and historian to build the character’s speech patterns.
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