'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' - A Conversation with Douglas Gresham

C.S. Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham shares about a project close to his heart.

In this conversation Associate Editor Randy Sly explores with Douglas Gresham what his stepfather, C.S. Lewis, would have thought about his recent films, how Narnia came about and other topics. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," of which Gresham served as Executive Producer, is more than a worthy successor of the first two films and will quickly become a favorite for Narnia fans young and old.

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) -When I was interviewing Douglas Gresham, the step-son of C.S. Lewis, it felt like we were seated by a warm fire in a small English cottage and having conversation as old friends. In reality we were thousands of miles from each other on a phone call.

Our time was limited and my main assignment was to talk with him about the new movie, "Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader," of which he was Executive Producer. I would have much rather just chatted about "Jack" (C.S. Lewis) and what it was like growing up in The Kilns.

This is Catholic Online's second opportunity to talk with this wonderful Christian gentleman. Deacon Keith Fournier, our Editor-in-Chief, interviewed him for the premier of "Prince Caspian." His interview can be found here.

We began by talking about Lewis' fear, when he was alive, that someone would try to make a movie of his books.

"When Jack was alive, back about 60 years ago," Gresham shared," he was always frightened that someone would make a movie out of these wonderful stories, because in his day the only way this could have been achieved is by using old cartoon animation. You simply couldn't have applied that, it wouldn't have been fair and it wouldn't have worked.

"However, were he to be able to come into our theatres today and see what we've done with Aslan, with the modern computer-generated technology that the Holy Spirit has allowed us to develop at long last, he would be absolutely thrilled to see this majestic, gorgeous, beautiful lion on screen, really alive and doing what he has to do to make the stories work.

"And Reepicheep. He would be thrilled to see what we've done with Reepicheep."

As we talked about the changes in technology that have allowed the making of such incredible films, I also asked him about the changes in culture. Would there be any changes in the way people understood the film or is there a "timelessness" to the message?

Gresham shared that one of the things that makes the stories so universal is that they were developed by suppositional representation.

"Jack asked himself a question," Gresham stated, "and the question was, 'What might it have been like if animals could talk and they lived cheek-by-jowl with mythological creatures and evil was introduced into that world by human agency and the God of that world had to save it just as He had to save our world? His answer was 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.'

"Once he'd written that, he thought he had finished but the Holy Spirit kept dragging more stories into his mind and he kept writing. He was quite relieved when he finished writing the last one - the Last Battle."

I couldn't resist asking him about a recent comment made by Liam Neeson in an interview about his role as the voice of Aslan. When asked about Aslan's representing a Christ-figure in the movie, he commented it had spread like wildfire across the internet.

Neeson had said, "Aslan symbolizes a Christ-like figure but he also symbolizes for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries.

"That's who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids - that's what he means for me."

Gresham chuckled as I shared the comment and said he hadn't heard the quote directly but had heard about it.

"Liam is the nicest guy in the world, he is a terrific bloke and I love him to bits. I wish we could see more of him. He is a wonderful guy and I wouldn't want to knock him, but he's an actor. I wouldn't go to him for theological information.

"I think one thing you have to remember, and this is very important, that Liam Neeson used to be a Jedi Knight and a retired spy. If you take your spiritual direction from an actor, you've got a problem."

In discussing some of the other actors in the movie, I asked him about the young actor who played Lucy and Edmund's incredibly annoying cousin, Eustace Clarence Scrubb, London-based teenager Will Poulter. He was tremendous in the film.

"One thing about this - this horrible brat of a kid on the screen is actually played by one of the nicest young men you'll ever meet in your life. He's the sweetest, kindest, most gentle, most courteous boy I've ever had the pleasure of working with.

"He stands up on the deck, everybody loves him and he's having a great time. Then Michael Apted will go 'Action!' and he turns into this poisonous brat. But by the end of the movie you really get to love him."

Gresham also had great things to say about Michael Apted, a distinguished director with a career that spans four decades in film and television. "Voyage" is his first time directing any of the Narnia movies and Gresham said he was pleased with way the film was done.

With a stellar career in England, American audiences would most remember Apted as the director for "Coal Miner's Daughter," one of 1980's Best Picture Academy Award nominees. The film also earned him a Director's Guild of America nomination and the Best Actress Oscar for Sissy Spacek for her performance as country music superstar Loretta Lynn.

Apted's other credits include  the romantic comedy "Continental Divide," the police thriller "Gorky Park," "Gorilla's in the Mist" with Sigourney Weaver, and the James Bond epic, "The World is Not Enough."

For Douglas Gresham, two things really stand out in the making of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" - Reepicheep and the sequence on the beach of Aslan's country.

"One of my favorite characters in the whole movie is Reepicheep. He is Sir Galahad of Narnia. He is the Knight who never sins; the one who gets to go to Aslan's country without having to die first to get there. He is a beautiful character and comes across so well in this movie."

"Incidentally, that last sequence on the beach I think is one of the most beautiful and moving pieces ever put on a cinema screen anywhere. There was not a dry eye in the house at the Royal Premier."

Having seen the movie, I join with Douglas Gresham in his enthusiasm and excitement about this third installment in the "Chronicles of Narnia."

Premiering Friday, December 10, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" find Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace, swallowed into a painting and transported back to Narnia and onto the magnificent ship The Dawn Treader. 

There, Lucy and Edmund reunite with King Caspian and the warrior mouse, Reepicheep, for a mission which holds the fate of Narnia itself.

The voyage is not just about their mission but also the test of character as they must overcome their own greatest temptations while sailing to mysterious islands; having fateful confrontations with magical creatures and sinister enemies; as well as reuniting with their friend and protector, the "Great Lion" Aslan.

Returning cast members from the first two films are Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie and Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie, and Tilda Swinton makes a memorable re-appearance as The White Witch.

From the second film, Ben Barnes reprises the role of Caspian while newcomer, Will Poulter, portrays Lucy and Edmund's annoying cousin Eustace.  British comic actor Simon Pegg is the voice of Reepicheep, the valiant, swashbuckling mouse, and Liam Neeson returns as the voice of the all-powerful ruler of Narnia, Aslan the Lion.

Douglas Gresham lived in the house where the Chronicles were written and spent his early years laughing, loving and learning from his stepfather, Clive Staples Lewis, commonly known to his friends as "Jack."

While never having traveled to Narnia, Gresham knows that country like no other could and is a dear friend of Aslan. To have his hand and heart attached to this film will give Lewis fans confidence that Jack would have stood and cheered when the final credits rolled.

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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online and the CEO/Associate Publisher for the Northern Virginia Local Edition of Catholic Online (http://virginia.catholic.org). He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

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