All Life Is a Boat, And Tom's Cruisin'

Ever thought about what it is like to have a conversation with somebody for the first time after you've seen him play air guitar in his Jockeys on the big screen? Oddly enough, that's the scene that came to mind when I talked to Tom Cruise last week.

At age 31, Thomas Cruise Mapother (yes, the pedestrian last name had to go when our boy got to Hollywood) has reached film superstardom, playing Ivy Leaguers in several movies and reaching what the Hasty Pudding has proclaimed the "epitome of manhood." (Might the third accomplishment be related to the second? In any case, coming from the cross-dressing center of campus, this is quite a feat.) Tom Cruise, teenage heartthrob/film icon humbly started his acting career at a public high school in Glen Ridge, N.J. with a part in "Godspell."

Ah, I thought, the man himself will give me insight into the burning question; just how did he rise up to the top of his profession? Cruise said he got "lucky." In the early eighties, he landed a slew of roles that our generation remembers from adolescence. These include "Endless Love," "The Outsiders" (sexy slicked-back hair and denim), "All the Right Moves' (football hunk), and "Risky Business" (Princeton-bound entrepreneur). Speaking of which, his mother and sister, who also came to celebrate the Pudding Event, said that while growing up, Tom was very much like the scheming, clever, but naive character, Joel, whom he played in "Risky Business." They had nice things to say about him, too, commenting on his early display of affinity for interacting with people, entertaining them, and making them laugh with his energetic performances during his acting experiences in high school.

I found myself still eagerly grasping for a sense of what Cruise was like as a kid. What was that guy in the Jockeys all about anyway? He had no comment about his family's view on his devilish craftiness. Instead, he cited "Legend" as one of the more profound of his early acting experiences. (No, I had never heard of that movie, either.) He especially enjoyed the element of escapism and liked the idea of being able to create a character in a fantastic situation beyond the everyday life of teenagerdom.

The next phase of his career came with another fantastic, extraordinary scenario in the critically acclaimed "Rainman," in which he played the socially aloof, materially-obsessed Lamborghini dealer, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers the existence of an autistic, institutionalized brother, Ray (Dustin Hoffman). Cruise said he worked for two years with Dustin Hoffman on the creation of the Academy Award-winning film, Describing the production of "Rainman' as an "intensely personal experience," Cruise talked about his awe for Hoffman's ability to create and, after his Method training, to become Ray Babbitt. Aha, I thought, perhaps Charlie, the guy sporting the black shades and the nifty car, is the real Tom Cruise--cool but anxious, relaxed but burning with anger, confident but clueless.

I am still not convinced, though--Cruise spoke about each of his roles so fondly but did not articulate what was especially "personal" about the "Rainman" experience. Perhaps he found a continuation of the profound, fantastic escapism of "Legend." In any case, he clearly feels that "Rainman" greatly impacted his growth as an actor.

"Born on the Fourth of July" was Cruise's next major accomplishment and earned him a nomination for Best Actor. The movie illustrated his ability to go beyond the portrayal of the bad boy, hyperactive, cocky character. He was also awakened by the exposure to a real life story, very different from the utterly fictitious "Legend" and "Rainman'" he said. No air guitar, no happy-go-lucky guy, no lucky streak, no love story. His experience as Ron Kovic in the powerful Vietnam epic influenced Cruise to adopt one of many lifelong political causes, support for Vietnam veterans.

Cruise maintained that he is a forward-looking actor and has no intentions of resting on his laurels. He has never regretted a screenplay he turned down and said he will "constantly set new sights for himself." I wanted to know what type of movies he is eyeing. He soon corrected my agenda-oriented bias. He said that he has no favorite genre of movie he likes to watch, and in his professional life, he hopes to be remembered in the future for experimenting with a wide range of characters. I was starting to get use to his noncommital responses. Either he was not really sure, or he did not want to be held to his word.

His latest experiment does attest to his willingness to diversify his roles. His current project is the role of Lestat, the vampire in Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire." His casting has generated much controversy among Rice's readers, and Cruise has found himself on the defensive in the press, The author herself has said that Cruise's pretty-boy persona is not what she had in mind for her image of Lestat.

Cruise, whose hair is to be dyed blonde for the role, is very enthusiastic about the project. He liked reading Rice novels in high school and enjoyed the thrill of getting scared at vampire movies as a kid. I even started to feel sorry for him when he explained how he feels that the flack he has received from critics about "Interview" has been the most negative experience of his acting career.

I thought I had ferreted some angst from the champion of devil-may-care. Finding myself groping for more insight into Cruise's personality, I asked him if he identifies personally with any particular characters he has created. Cruise said he identifies with all of his characters. (Was I not asking the questions pointedly enough?) He said his favorite role is the one he has just finished playing at any given time. "You find things in yourself to Bring to the screen," he explained.

It seems probable that his roles also shape Tom Cruise as a person. He explained that acting is like being a lawyer or a businessperson; actors have to bring their work home with them. Although he claimed he does not stay in character off the set, he says he constantly thinks about his characters after work. He said he becomes his characters, because "you can't fake emotion." (I started to wonder how much practice went into creating that superb air guitarist.) Lest I misinterpret his commitment to his characters, Cruise clarified, "That's not to say I go home and bite Nic's neck." (I felt like he was slowly letting me into his shell--first angst, now wit! Persistence was gradually paying off.)

Contrary to Roger Ebert's perception of the recurring Cruise character (earnest, cocky young man who gets the girl), Cruise said he feels that all of the characters he has played are very different; he stressed the extra preparation he has given to creating them. He learned how to drive a race car for "Days of Thunder," (his first film with his wife, Nicole Kidman), learned to flip bottles for his role as a cheeky bartender in "Cocktail," was coached on his Irish brogue for "Far and Away," (his second film with Kidman) and studied trial law (not at Harvard) for "A Few Good Men." He did all this so he could "become" his characters (and presumably avoid faking emotion). I started to wonder if he learned how to fly fighter planes, too.

He does not have any solid expectations for future collaborations with previous costars other his certainty that he will work with Kidman again. Working with Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson may have been unbelievable professional experiences, but Cruise stressed that they pale in comparison to the opportunity to work with Kidman.

Cruise may not have definite plans for the type of movie he would like to act in, but he does have a vision. He has considered dabbling in theater but is especially keen on directing and producing. He has recently started his own production company, which he wants to become "a haven for young, aspiring screenwriters." He explained that he is very eager about the new venture to develop and produce scripts in order to give something back to the industry that has made him a star. Cruise is also strongly committed to helping the upcoming generation of filmmakers. Finally, I had found wit, angst, vision and a penchant for social activism! Tom Cruise clearly has a focus.

For now, however, Cruise was full of praise for the Hasty Pudding and enjoyed the royal treatment he got from Harvard for the day. He had dinner at Locke-Ober with the top Pudding officers and spent time talking to students involved in the production. Dean of the Law School Robert Clark gave him a tour of the campus and a certificate in honor of "outstanding contributions to the reputation of Harvard Law School." As Cruise himself so deftly put it, "It is a relief that my lasting contribution to the world of entertainment has nothing to do with the fact that I was not a Harvard graduate."

So how does Cruise create such an indelible impression? How does one capture in words Cruise's performances, movies, screen chemistry and sensibility? When asked what makes him so popular, Cruise looked thoughtful and sincere, saying, "Honestly, I have no idea."

The students who awarded Cruise "Man of the Year" must think they have a definite idea, but the actor himself seemed genuinely puzzled. In any case, the Hasty Pudding only has the latest word on the Tom Cruise phenomenon.

Don't count on their word being the last, though: them moving pictures is risky business.