“My first shoot in France, despite May 1968 and the fact that things were happening in Paris, I remember a good manners, a lightness”

It is surrounded by the works of which she often gives readings (Robert Walser, Pablo Neruda, Friedrich Hölderlin, Charlotte Delbo…), that Marthe Keller agreed to discuss Scenes from my life. In this autobiographical journey, the woman who was the partner of Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman recounts her experiences in dance, theater, cinema, opera: everything that made her a multiple artist.

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Madame Figaro . – Why this autobiography?
Martha Keller. – For my granddaughters, who wanted to read my memories, and also because I wanted to tell the younger generations that sometimes you have to hang on to get there. And Élisabeth Samama (publishing agent, Editor’s note) was very convincing! But no question of dwelling on my private life. The book is called Scenes from my life, and no My life, and if Philippe de Broca and Al Pacino are present, it is only from a professional point of view. I talk about it like I talk about Dustin Hoffman, who I became friends with.

Do you prefer shadow to light?
I’m someone you don’t see, who doesn’t go out, and if I’ve earned money from my job, it’s so I can say “no!” » to things I don’t want to do and stay free. I love working and I work non-stop, that’s all I need. My goal is to be able to continue taking the metro in complete peace of mind… I agreed to write this book, but now I’m a little embarrassed: I have no taste for narcissistic trips, and my life itself doesn’t interest me, quite simply because I know it, whereas what I like is learning things from others that I don’t know.

What were your most memorable experiences?
They are often linked to first times. The Devil by the tail, by Philippe de Broca, was a real cultural shock, for example. It was my first shoot in France, and, despite May 1968 and the fact that things were happening in Paris, I remember a good manners, a lightness… I discovered that you could have fun while while working seriously. For Marathon Man (1976), same thing: I did not speak English any more than I spoke French at the time of Devil by the tail, it was my first American film, and I was fascinated by this other way of doing things. It was very sporty, we shot sixteen hours a day, the smallest detail was checked and rechecked meticulously. Finally, Cassandra, by Michael Jarrell, at the Théâtre du Châtelet (1994), was a challenge because it was a utopia, I was alone on stage with the text by Christa Wolf and difficult music. I had worked with those of Stravinsky or Honegger, but there, there was no melody, I had no reference points, the intellect was called upon much more than the emotional, while my comfort zone is tears or smiles. But we finally got there. Winning this bet with myself was one of the experiences that made me want to continue, and I continue.

Scenes from my life, by Marthe Keller, Éditions Les Presses de la Cité, 232 p., €22.