Clint Eastwood

PT: It has been said about artists, that even if consciously they didn't have an idea, subconsciously they had a kind of shadow government there - the subconscious mind working and being creative.

CE: Yeah, yeah. I think there is a shadow government there. It's sort of part of the soul. But it's probably a combination of what you are. The shadow government is something running inside you and you don't tap into it consciously. If you do, you're afraid it might shrink.

PT: That's a fear that a lot of artists have. It's really true.

CE: I think so. I think a lot of people feel and I must say I felt that same way, too - that if I start fooling with it maybe it will go away or maybe I won't look at it properly.

PT: Have you ever been asked to speak out on a social or political issue?

CE: I've only spoken out in forums or interviews. I've never gone out and stumped for a certain issue, campaigned for a certain issue. Except for my experience in the Carmel government.

PT: Why?

CE: Because I either didn't feel that strong about a topic or there were feelings about it that I wanted to wrap up in my brain before I did something like that. Id have to be pretty well sold on the subject. Maybe that's a chicken-shit way to be.

PT. I understand. I would imagine that there are some artists who have said "I am in favor of this issue, that candidate, but I can't afford to do it. I can't afford to come out in support of him or her."

CE: Because they might say, "Gee, I'd hate to alienate all those people who are pro-life who line up to buy my records or see my movie" or whatever?

PT: Right.

CE: Yeah. There probably are people who feel that way, but then some other people feel strong enough that they don't give a damn.

PT: What about you?

CE: Well, I don't give a damn about that particular issue. I think there is a lot of misinformation on and a lot of passion on both sides. By the same token I don't stand around with signs and say I am pro-choice or pro-life or what have you.

PT: Cause that's not part of your personality?

CE: It's just not part of my personality. Also, those things usually magnify. You do one of those things and pretty soon everybody wants you to do something else. And pretty soon they want you to be on another thing. I've done this before. I said openly I support so and so....

PT: ...you have?

CE: And pretty soon somebody will say okay, come on over here. You can do a benefit here and a benefit there. You're just opening up a Pandora's box. So you might still support the person or the cause but you don't want to get out there. I'd have to be pretty well sold on an issue.

PT: What do you think about censorship?

CE: I've never liked censorship, particularly so because of having grown up when censorship of the movies involved the Hays Office and the Code.

PT: What about the relationship between Hollywood and Washington then?

CE: I hope we never go back to that nightmarish era. There are people who don't remember what it was like when people went to Tijuana to get abortions or when they were done by anyone who wanted to make a buck. How many lives were ruined, emotionally or otherwise? To go back to that era would be frightening. But you see signs of it all the time. Whenever a congressman wants a little publicity, he goes on a tirade about the movies.

PT: Hypothetical question: Suppose it is the 1950s and you are asked to testify at the McCarthy hearings, to name names. What would you do?

CE: I'd like to think I'd fight against it. I'd run against McCarthy! I'd run for his seat in the Senate!

PHOTOS (6): Clint Eastwood

PHOTO: Eastwood's back In the Line of Fire, with director Wolgang Petersen.

PHOTO: FISCHOFF AND EASTWOOD SQUARED OFF DURING THE FILMING OF IN THE LINE OF FIRE. (PATRICE MEIGNEUX)