Whenever film-maker John Frankenheimer directs a television project, he is returning to his roots.

In an illustrious career that spans 45 years, Frankenheimer has directed such critically acclaimed feature films as The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, Grand Prix, Black Sunday and The French Connection II, as well as The Fourth War and Dead Bang, both filmed in Calgary.

But it has been on TV that Frankenheimer has earned his greatest kudos.

At this year's Emmy Awards, he was named best director of a mini-series or special for the TNT film George Wallace.

This is Frankenheimer's fourth Emmy in five years.

"Television has been everything for me. It's where I began," says Frankenheimer, who directed 154 live TV dramas between 1954 and 1960.

"The scripts for TV are often so superior to feature film scripts. It's a sad truth."

After completing George Wallace, Frankenheimer began work on the espionage thriller Ronin, which opens tomorrow.

It's the story of a group of mercenaries who are hired by a mysterious woman to steal a suitcase. Like the audience, the mercenaries have no idea what's in the suitcase, but they know they're not the only ones who want to possess it.

The cast includes Robert De Niro, Natascha McElhone, Jean Reno and Jonathan Pryce.

Ronin is a taut thriller which features two heart-pounding car-chase sequences. One was filmed in the narrow streets of Nice, the other through the busy streets of Paris.

"I used the techniques I learned working on Grand Prix." says Frankenheimer. "The driving is all stunt work. There is no computer enhancement."

Even more astonishing is that the actors were in the careening vehicles for 90% of the filming.

"They weren't driving. That's the illusion.

"We used British cars with the steering on the opposite side and put in phoney steering wheels for the actors. At other times, the cars were being towed at breakneck speeds."

It was during the filming of Ronin in February that De Niro was questioned about his name appearing in the address book of a Paris prostitute.

"We only lost a half day of filming because of that incident," says Frankenheimer. "The judge kept Bob at his offices all morning. We had hundreds of extras waiting.

"Bobby De Niro is a director's dream. He never demands star treatment. Considering his incredible talent, he is one of the most humble people in the business.

"Like most great acting talents, De Niro works best in a safe, pleasant atmosphere where he feels comfortable enough to experiment."

Ronin deals with multiple layers of deception.

"I have always been drawn to suspense thrillers," he says. "When I was young I read and reread Sherlock Holmes stories. I bury myself in modern thrillers as well. They are my resources for my films."

Frankenheimer has begun pre-production work on The Good Shepherd, a thriller about the birth of the CIA.

"It's an original screenplay by Eric Roth, who adapted Forrest Gump. It's an amazing story that covers 20 years in the formative years of the CIA."

In the early years of his feature film career, Frankenheimer teamed up with actor Burt Lancaster for five films, culminating in the actor's 1962 nomination for best actor in Birdman of Alcatraz.

"Burt and I were great friends who respected and trusted each other. We never tried to con each other.

"It was one of those rare, totally honest relationships that you have in your life. It's something few people have even with their spouses, so it's all the more rare for it to develop between a director and an actor."


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