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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 14 december 2018

In ‘The Mule,’ Clint reflects on a life on the road

By JAKE COYLE of his “Sully” resented the
Associated Press spotlight).
Both tender apologia and But the director has found
vigorous justification, Clint his most peculiar metaphor
Eastwood’s “The Mule” is a for his own fame in a horti-
deeply, fascinatingly per- culturalist who wins at the
sonal meditation from the daylily equivalent of the
88-year-old director who, Oscars.
like his aged drug mule But Stone’s lily farm runs into
protagonist, has spent a hard times. Dolling out cash
long time on the road. to his Hispanic workers, he
“The Mule” is the indefati- mutters, “Damned internet.
gable Eastwood’s second It ruins everything.”
film just this year, following Like “Gran Torino” (also
“The 15:17 to Paris,” a dis- penned by Schenk) there
tinctly undramatic dramati- are plenty of such old-man
zation of the thwarted 2015 lines in “The Mule,” some
train attack, starring the delightful, some less so.
real-life heroes. Eastwood We learn that Stone has
isn’t playing himself in “The long been estranged from
Mule” — far from it — but his bitter ex-wife Mary (Di-
it’s hard not to appreci- anne Wiest) and his equally
ate, and be moved by, the furious daughter Iris (Ali-
film’s many echoes for the This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Clint Eastwood in a scene from “The Mule.” son Eastwood, the direc-
filmmaker, acting for the Associated Press tor’s daughter), though
first time in one of his own Sharp was arrested at age was recounted by The New wood’s own mythology his granddaughter Ginny
since 2008’s similarly self- 87 with 104 kilos of cocaine York Times’ Sam Dolnick, an in intriguing, if sometimes (Taissa Farmiga) has kept
reflective “Gran Torino.” in the back of his pickup article that’s been adapt- painfully awkward ways. the faith.
That he finds such intimate while en route to Detroit. ed here. Eastwood’s Stone is a To help pay for Ginny’s
dimensions in the story of Little in the World War II vet- “The Mule” takes plenty of celebrated horticultural- wedding, Stone follows a
Leo Sharp is a testament eran’s appearance sug- liberties with Sharp’s story ist whose specialty is the tip that leads him to a non-
to both Eastwood’s knack gested his secret identity. — Eastwood’s smuggler is daylily, a fragile flower that descript auto shop. Car-
for pared-down elegy and Sharp, it was discovered, named Earl Stone, and is a blooms for 24 hours a year. tel members put a bag of
to the lean script by Nick was among the most pro- Korean War vet — just as it In the film’s early scenes, drugs in his beat-up Ford
Schenk that envisions larg- lific regional smugglers for has found curious parallels we see him, dressed in a pickup, hand him a phone
er American themes within the Sinoloa cartel. for its star. Some of them seersucker suit, dishing out and tell him to respond to
its geriatric drug courier. The hard-to-believe tale are silly. jokes while being fawned any call or text.
Some are profound. But over by fans. “Text?” he replies. After
rarely does “The Mule” Eastwood has made celeb- reaching his destination,
— for better and worse — rity a regular subject, (the Stone finds a wad of cash in
not reverberate with East- Capt. Chesley Sullenberger the glove compartment.q

Kathie Lee Gifford to leave NBC’s

‘Today’ show in April

By MARK KENNEDY
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Kathie Lee Gifford will
put aside her morning glass of wine and
step away from NBC’s “Today” show in
April.
NBC News chief Noah Oppenheim told
staffers Tuesday morning that Gifford will
leave the show after 11 years of getting
up early, most recently hosting the 10 a.m.
hour slot alongside Hoda Kotb and sipping
plenty of reds.
In a memo to staff, Oppenheim called the
65-year-old Gifford “one of the most en-
during and endearing talents in morning
television. In short — she is a legend.” He In this July 26, 2018 file photo, Kathie Lee Gifford
said she will focus on her film, music and attends Hallmark’s Evening Gala during the TCA
book projects. In the memo, Oppenheim Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif.
said Gifford told him she was leaving “with Associated Press
a grateful heart but I’m truly excited for year of Megyn Kelly’s hour-long slot.
this new creative season in my life.” Before landing the NBC gig, Gifford co-
The move comes as NBC News struggles hosted “Live” opposite Regis Philbin for 11
to remake its sprawling four-hour morning years. She left that show in 2000 and joined
show following the cancellation earlier this “Today” in 2008.q