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Movies

"Message in a Bottle" stars Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn

'Message in a Bottle' sets sail for good old storytelling

Web posted on:
Wednesday, February 17, 1999 2:31:07 PM EST

From Paul Vercammen
CNN Showbiz Today Correspondent

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- With "Message in a Bottle," Kevin Costner once again immerses himself in a romantic role and a water setting. The romantic drama opened with $19.1 million in ticket sales over the weekend, knocking Mel Gibson's "Payback" into second place.

"Message" stars Costner, Paul Newman and Robin Wright Penn.

Costner plays a widowed boat builder on the North Carolina shore whose bottled messages to his dead wife win the heart of Penn's character, who discovers them bobbing in the surf.

"It's an old-fashioned love story. That's what it is, not a manufactured relationship story," Penn says.

Talking about his character, Costner says, "He seemed like a normal guy to me, and a little bit probably even above average when you consider that he knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life and who he wanted to be with and where he wanted to stay."

Newman, who plays Costner's father, kept things light on the set of "Message."

The pair needled each other during a recent interview with CNN.

Costner and Newman

COSTNER: Now you're all going to tell me if he's doing something real silly, aren't you?

NEWMAN: I wouldn't do that.

COSTNER: I know you wouldn't do that.

NEWMAN: So long as you can see both my hands, you're all right.

All joking aside, the actors have a great deal of respect for Newman and his career.

"There's a model of bravery in terms of career and the kind of movies he's tried to do," says Costner. "And the fact that he's still doing it -- I mean, he's as good as anybody who's ever done this. And if you think it's real easy, look around. There's not many guys like him."

Penn says she learns by observing Newman up close.

"I think just by watching him, like, 'Let's get on with it. Let's just shoot the scene, and we're done,' which seems logical," Penn says.

Costner made his kids watch Newman's "Somebody Up There Likes Me." In the 1956 movie, Newman plays Rocky Graziano, an Italian-American boxing champ from New York City.

"They weren't sure they wanted to watch it because it was in black and white. I said, 'You watch this.' But in the end, my oldest, Ann, said it was a really good movie," says Costner.



RELATED STORIES:
Review: Costner back on track with 'Message in a Bottle'
February 11, 1999
Book review: 'Message in a Bottle' a breezy, easy read
October 4, 1998
First Chapter: 'Message in a Bottle'
April, 1998
Review: Return 'Postman' to sender
January 14, 1998

RELATED SITES:
"Message in a Bottle"
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