I had already done a lot of research for Rough Riders, keeping notebooks and old photographs. Some of the books were antiques for that time period, with the covers falling off.

Debra Winger doesn't let anything interfere with her performance, which is the way it should be

You can't think that you're playing a villain, or you'll end up with a cartoon. You have to think about him as a person and a hero.

I've done about six comedies. Oddly enough, the script came to me from one of the guys in Platoon

Take characters that Nicholson or De Niro play: they're not always tough

My mother, sister and I watched through the windows as my father gambled

I didn't know how to go about preparing for the part of someone who can't remember who he is. The frustration angle is written in, but there's also this incredible passive state