Award-winning actress Sally Field has shared a candid anecdote about her early career, recalling her difficulty in understanding legendary Hollywood actor Robert Mitchum during the filming of the 1967 Western, 'The Way West'. Field, who was then a rising star fresh from the television series 'Gidget', found herself overwhelmed by the experience of working alongside established figures such as Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, and Richard Widmark.
Field, now 79, played Mercy McBee, a young woman embarking on the Oregon Trail in 1843. During her downtime on set, she often found herself alone, only for Mitchum to join her. However, the conversations proved challenging. Speaking on the 'Talking Pictures' podcast, Field admitted, "Mitchum would sit with me, and I never could understand a single word he said." She added, "I don't know if he was stoned or what, but I couldn't string two words together. And I would go, 'yeah, yeah,' and [I'd laugh] and pretend I understood what he said."
Despite the communication barrier, Field sensed that Mitchum was being kind and accepting towards her. She distinctly remembered one phrase he uttered: "You know, you're one of us." Field reflected that she didn't fully grasp its meaning at the time but took it as a statement of fact, rather than flattery. "It certainly wasn't overly sentimental or overly flattering," she explained. "He said, 'You know what, you're one of us.' And I just said thank you."
Robert Mitchum, known for his distinctive deadpan delivery and brooding tough-guy roles in films like 'Out of the Past' (1947) and 'The Night of the Hunter' (1955), enjoyed a prolific career spanning five decades. Despite his iconic status and collaborations with stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Katharine Hepburn, Mitchum only received one Oscar nomination, for 'The Story of GI Joe' in 1945, and never won the prestigious award. His most notable screen partnership was with Deborah Kerr, with whom he starred in four films.
Sally Field's career, by contrast, soared in the 1970s and 80s, earning her two Academy Awards for Best Actress for 'Norma Rae' and 'Places in the Heart'. She has continued to achieve critical acclaim, with roles in beloved films like 'Mrs Doubtfire' and 'Forrest Gump'. Mitchum passed away in 1997 due to complications from lung cancer and emphysema, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances.
'The Way West' (1967) is not widely available on major UK streaming platforms at present, but classic film enthusiasts may find it through rental services or physical media. Sally Field's extensive filmography, however, is broadly accessible, with many of her acclaimed works available on platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ in the UK.