James Foley: A Prolific Director with a Unique Focus on Actors

James Foley, who passed away from brain cancer at the age of 71, was a filmmaker with a distinct style that focused on the psychological depths of his characters. His work, particularly in the 1992 film adaptation of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, showcased his skill in coaxing nuanced performances from his actors. Foley's ability to create an atmosphere where actors felt comfortable and encouraged to push the boundaries of their craft was evident in the rehearsals for Glengarry Glen Ross, where the cast, including Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon, would often attend each other's performances to observe and learn.

Key Takeaways:

• Foley's directing style emphasized the importance of actors bringing their own experiences and emotions to the characters, as seen in his approach to casting and rehearsals for Glengarry Glen Ross.
• His films often explored themes of male insecurity and the nature of capitalism, as depicted in Glengarry Glen Ross and his other work such as Reckless and At Close Range.
• Foley's connections with actors, particularly Sean Penn, led to collaborations on films like Who's That Girl and the crime drama After Dark, My Sweet.
• He struggled with commercial success at times, including the critical and commercial failure of Who's That Girl and the costly neo-noir Perfect Stranger.
• Foley worked extensively in TV, directing 12 episodes of the Netflix series House of Cards, after being "jailbroken" from his feature film work.
• He accepted a franchise gig, directing the two sequels to Fifty Shades of Grey, in 2017 and 2018, which became his most commercially successful films.
• Foley's philosophy on failure and perseverance was reflected in his statement that he wanted to avoid winning a Golden Raspberry award, seeing it as a measure of his success in not falling off the map as a director.

Statistics:

• 1992: Foley released his adaptation of Glengarry Glen Ross, which featured a heavyweight cast, including Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, and Kevin Spacey.
• 1984: He released his first feature, the high-school romance Reckless.
• 1986: He directed the crime drama At Close Range, starring Sean Penn.
• 1987: He directed the screwball comedy Who's That Girl, starring Madonna.
• 1990: He released the desert noir After Dark, My Sweet, which was adapted from the 1955 Jim Thompson novel.
• 1996: He collaborated with Mark Wahlberg on the teen sociopath thriller Fear.
• 1999: He directed the actioner The Corruptor.
• 2007: He directed the costly $60m cyberstalking neo-noir Perfect Stranger, starring Halle Berry and Bruce Willis.
• 2010s: He worked extensively in TV, directing 12 episodes of the Netflix series House of Cards.
• 2017 and 2018: He directed the two sequels to Fifty Shades of Grey.

Sources:

• "James Foley" by Phil Hoad, The Guardian, (no date specified, but mentioned in the text)
• Reckless (1984)
• At Close Range (1986)
• Who's That Girl (1987)
• After Dark, My Sweet (1990)
• Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
• Fear (1996)
• The Corruptor (1999)
• Perfect Stranger (2007)
• House of Cards (TV series)
• Fifty Shades of Grey (2017) and Fifty Shades Darker (2018)