The Uncrowned King of New York

Sean McCarthy headed out to New York City to talk to veteran actor Victor Argo about his new film Lustre and about his career as a favourite of NYC's finest directors, from Martin Scorsese, to Abel Fererra, to Woody Allen. If there's an actor who can be identified specifically with the city over the past four decades, Victor's the one.

A bumpy flight to JFK International Airport, a lonesome stay in an anonymous hotel just off Wall Street, and a personal pilgrimage in the dead of night to a floodlit and desolate Ground Zero, lying in state in sight of my hotel. Those were the main activities that eventually brought me, on my final brisk sunny morning in Manhattan, to the apartment building now home to veteran actor Victor Argo. "Taxi Driver! Bring me down to the Mean Streets!"

I arrive in a leafy, secluded area of the West Village, and buzz Argo's bell. Nothing of the illusive actorÕs booming voice from the intercom, just a generously timed buzz in response, as the security doors unlatch. A clunking elevator up several flights to emerge on his floor. I find the actor's apartment door. It hangs discretely ajar. Suddenly I feel as if I've been unknowingly cast in a scene from one of the legendary actor's six Martin Scorsese movies. I peep inside, politely, before I knock. Shall I find Woody Allen sipping tea? Harvey Keitel lounging amidst one shadowy interior corner? Are those De Niro's footsteps mounting the staircase behind me, signalling an impromptu visit? Perhaps the confident gait of Madonna?

Victor Argo has worked with them all. The veteran actor now sits comfortably, more by the hard grind of a passionate actor's labour than by luck alone, in the ostentatious company of New York's legendary actors, whether he likes the seat or not. One of the most familiar faces in New York films for the past 30 years, with a career spanning over four decades, Argo, now in his late 60's, has appeared in Scorsese's Mean Streets and Taxi Driver - Abel Ferrara's classic King of New York with Christopher Walken; Woody Allen films, including Crimes & Misdemeanors and Shadows and Fog; Jim Jarmusch titles, including Ghost Dog. Most recently, Argo played the father of Jennifer Lopez in Angel Eyes and the no-nonsense coroner in NY thriller Don't Say a Word with Michael Douglas.

This extract is taken from the first part of Sean McCarthy's Victor Argo interview, printed in full in Film Ireland 93. The concluding part of the interview will be featured in Film Ireland 94.