Tags:
Journalism of Courage
DAVID ROONEY
Its hard to conceive of too many narratives in which Saddam Hussein might emerge as a second-tier villain. But in The Devils Double he is portrayed as a man who at least operated according to his own narrow code of loyalty and warped ethical compass,while his nihilistic son Uday is pure,unchecked evil.
Im not saying Saddam Hussein was an angel, said Latif Yahia ,a former Iraqi Army lieutenant who was forcibly inducted into the entourage of the presidents son,and whose story is recounted in the film. But if you compare Uday to Saddam,Saddam was an angel. Saddam could sometimes forgive. Uday didnt even have a word for forgiveness. He might torture or make fun of you.
Tales of the abhorrent behaviour of the first-born scion of the Hussein regime,who was killed in a shootout with American forces in 2003,are legendary. A cocaine-snorting party boy with a taste for flashy pimp outfits and luxury cars,Uday was a loose cannon whose sadistic exploits included ordering the torture and imprisonment of athletes under his supervision on the Iraqi Olympics and national soccer teams. His violent,sexually predatory nature was equally notorious,treating the abduction,rape and murder of young women as sport. Directed by Lee Tamahori,The Devils Double has no shortage of graphic examples ranging from Uday ordering guests at a birthday party to strip naked and danceto more chilling incidents like cruising a Baghdad street in a sports car preying on schoolgirls. Recounting his story through the horrific real-life ordeal of Yahia,The Devils Double is unapologetically lurid.
Bearing a strong resemblance to Uday,Yahia was forced in 1987 to serve as his body double. Refusal would have meant a death sentence for his family. He was given a makeover,and minor cosmetic surgery. During public appearances as Uday,Yahia dodged assassination attempts while under constant threat of exposure. He fled Iraq in late 1991 and now lives in Europe. In a bravura display of dramatic pyrotechnics the British actor Dominic Cooper plays both men in the film. Not only does he embody two diametrically opposed characters,often within a single scene,but must also tackle the third role of Yahia impersonating Uday.
What on earth made me think I could play the son of an Iraqi dictator I dont know, Cooper said. But what an opportunity. In his performance,he doesnt shy away from the borderline comedic lunacy of Uday. But doesnt soft-pedal the sinister reality of an egomaniac. He said he found it important to humanise the character by finding some shred of vulnerability. If you look at children of dictators theres often a need to be noticed by their all-powerful fathers, Cooper said. I suppose he was exposed to torture when he was a young boy. His father never trusted him with military capabilities and didnt want him to take a place of power. Coopers performance is notable for the crystal-clear distinctions that separate Uday from Latif from Latif as Uday. His voice is high pitched,and hes more aggressive; Latif speaks in a lower register. What distinguishes the roles is the difference between a reactive,animalistic character and a thoughtful,observant one. Cooper said the most challenging scenes were those in which the men appear simultaneously. He said meeting Yahia was important in terms of grasping that a version of the events in the film had actually happened and to comprehend the lasting psychological and emotional scars. He did a great job, Yahia said.
