The Master
Short description
The Master centres on Freddie Quell, a restless veteran of the Second World War who drifts through postwar America, drinking heavily and struggling to settle into ordinary life. His path crosses that of Lancaster Dodd, a writer and philosopher who has built a following around a movement he calls the Cause, which promises insight into the mind and past lives. Dodd takes an interest in Freddie and draws him close, making the unstable newcomer one of his trusted aides. As the group gains adherents and Dodd's authority is tested by sceptics, Freddie's devotion begins to waver, and the bond between the two men is strained by doubt about what Dodd really believes and what he wants from Freddie.
Paul Thomas Anderson wrote, directed and produced the film, the seventh of fifteen features he has directed and the one that followed There Will Be Blood and preceded Inherent Vice. Joaquin Phoenix plays Freddie, with Philip Seymour Hoffman as Dodd, Amy Adams as Dodd's wife Peggy, and supporting turns from Rami Malek, Laura Dern and Jesse Plemons among a credited cast of eighty-six.
Made for about thirty-two million dollars, the film returned roughly twenty-eight million worldwide, making it a modest performer at the box office. On IMDb it holds a 7.1 rating from around 200,000 votes, and on TMDB a matching 7.1 from a much smaller pool of voters. Critics were more enthusiastic, giving it 8.2 out of ten across 257 reviews.
What's left behind the scenes
- Jeremy Renner was considered for the role of Freddy Quell.
- In an interview with Newsweek, the director admitted that "The Master" contains several scenes written for "Oil", but not included in the final script, as well as stories from Jason Robards about his drinking bouts in the Navy during World War II, which the actor told on the set of "Magnolia". Freddy’s farming background is taken from the life of writer John Steinbeck. Furthermore, Anderson has always been interested in the story of L. Ron Hubbard, but the director did not want to make a film directly about the leader of Scientology. Anderson wanted to explore the post-war period, which was conducive to the emergence of various spiritual movements.
- Reese Witherspoon was considered for the role of Peggy during pre-production in 2010. But the role ultimately went to Amy Adams.
- This is the first film by Paul Thomas Anderson in which Robert Elswit did not work as a cinematographer. He was busy at the time and was filming "The Bourne Legacy" (2012).
- This is the first feature film in the last 16 years to be shot entirely in 65mm format, using a Panavision System 65 camera. The last full-length film of this format was Kenneth Branagh's 'Hamlet' (1996).
- Paul Thomas Anderson did not use Digital Intermediate when making the film, instead opting for photochemical color correction, which resulted in a higher resolution due to less manipulation of the footage.
- The Rorschach test cards in the scene with the psychologist in the hospital are genuine. However, the psychologist skips cards one through four, thereby violating the strict rules for administering the test.
- The ship in the film is named Alithia, which translates from Greek as 'Truth'.
- Paul Thomas Anderson initially wanted to cast his children in the film, specifically in the portrait studio scene, but decided against it because his children, of mixed race, didn't appear consistent with the period.
- The scene where Freddie extracts ethanol from a torpedo on the ship is based on a true story told by Jason Robards to Paul Thomas Anderson.
- Gillian Bell was cast in the film because Paul Thomas Anderson was a fan of the show "Workaholics" (2011) in which she appeared.
- Paul Thomas Anderson personally handled the editing of the film's trailers without any studio authorization. These trailers were notable for consisting of footage that was not included in the final version of the film.
- A total of three takes of the scene in the prison cell were made, but the first take was ultimately used in the film.
- Freddie is from Lynn, Massachusetts. The father of director Paul Thomas Anderson, Ernie Anderson, was also born in this city.
- The very first lines in the film, when Freddie is talking on the beach, were completely improvised.
- During the scene in the prison cell, Joaquin Phoenix breaks a real toilet. His actions were completely improvised. Joaquin did not intend to break it and didn't even think it was possible.
- When Freddie first visits Doris's house, a wide shot shows aluminum numbers indicating the street number. These numbers only appeared in the 1960s.
- In the scene where Freddie walks from the wood paneling to the window and back, the second time he walks towards the paneling, he furiously hits and breaks it. In subsequent scenes, this paneling appears undamaged.
- When the skeptic challenges Lancaster, a shadow of a microphone is visible on the wall behind Lancaster.
- The architectural style of the house in Philadelphia where the heroes stay is known as Californian. Such houses cannot be found in Philadelphia itself, or anywhere nearby.
- When Freddy breaks the toilet in his prison cell, it can be noticed that there is no water in it.
- John Huston's documentary 'Let There Be Light' (1946) had a significant influence on the creation of this film. Director Paul Thomas Anderson confirmed that he used materials from this film. Producer JoAnne Sellar also said that they used it as a reference when designing the sets and costumes.
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