The
former teen idol of the '50s and '60s is starring in the new faith-based film
'The Mulligan'
At age
87, Pat Boone is still keeping busy in Hollywood, making films on his terms.
The
entertainer, who originally made his mark as a squeaky clean teen idol during
the ‘50s and ‘60s, is starring as "old pro" Will Dunn in "The
Mulligan," a faith-based film that focuses on forgiveness. It tells the
story of Paul McAllister (Eric Close) who seemingly had it all until his life
falls apart. With the help of a golf pro (Boone), he learns important lessons
on how to play a good game both on and off the course.
Boone,
an avid golf player who calls rock star and "golf monster" Alice
Cooper a pal, told Fox News Digital the role was "a dream of a
lifetime."
"I
liked the idea of the old pro helping a young man not only with his golf but
also his personal life – marriage and family," said Boone. "That
attracted me … And golf is certainly an attraction to me. I got to wear my own
wardrobe. Golf teaches honor, truthfulness and fair play. No other sport does
that in my opinion. It’s an uplifting film that was beautifully made. Families
can watch it together."
Boone
said it takes a lot to impress him these days when it comes to taking on a new
role. In leading a successful decades-long career in both music and movies,
Boone said "moral values" are missing from today’s film industry.
"The
film industry was a great export for America for so many years," he
explained. "We were showing America in its best light. Even though crime
was dealt with – because bad things do happen in life – but almost all American
movies ended with good triumphing and good people doing righteous things.
Criminals were always apprehended and punished.
"But
now, the whole thing is upside down. Some of the biggest films now show people
getting away with the worst things. Lawbreakers are even celebrated. The
criminals are becoming bigger. Heroes are doing worse things than criminals and
being rewarded for it."
"The
movies being made now are immoral," he shared. "They’ve lost their
meaning."
Boone's
criticisms weren’t just limited to films. He spoke out against "Big
Mouth," an animated puberty comedy series. Despite its TV-MA rating, Boone
said it's likely children would easily stream it on Netflix. A group on
CitizenGo previously organized an online petition against the series, calling
it "vulgar" and saying it "sexualizes adolescence."
"Here’s
a nerdish young kid – and he and his friends are learning about masturbation,
oral sex – all kinds of things," Boone said of the show. "And this is
on Netflix. I don’t even know how they can even defend it, but it’s there. It’s
all out there. Parents will just see it’s an animated show and think it’s OK
for their kids to watch it ... I mean, how bad can we get?"
"And
it’s not just on streaming services," he added. "On television, you
can hear all sorts of swear words. Nothing short of actual pornography is
celebrated on television now. I don’t know how to put it strongly enough, but I
just think the film industry is committing suicide. It’s killing itself as far
as I’m concerned. America’s image is being destroyed. High ratings have become
more important these days. We used to try to put our best foot forward. Sure,
people can criticize those films today and call them unrealistic, but we were
being altruistic. We wanted to present people in the best light. Now, we’re
just taking pleasure in profit, presenting people in the worst light and
celebrating it."
Boone
noted that even early on in his career, he was determined to stay true to his
Christian values. As a young actor, Boone risked suspension because he refused
to do a film that starred Marilyn Monroe.
But he
insisted that it wasn’t because he would be working alongside Hollywood’s most
iconic sex symbol.
"I
would have loved to do a movie with Marilyn Monroe," he clarified.
"We were both under contract at 20th Century Fox. But I just thought it
was an immoral story in which a younger guy gets involved with a still
beautiful, but slightly over-the-hill cabaret performer played by Marilyn Monroe.
He’s just a college kid, and she’s much older. She was lonely. She allows
herself to have an affair with him, breaks his heart and then leaves him. It’s
supposed to be a bittersweet memory. No harm, no foul.
"But
the story just didn’t sit right with me," he addded. "I remember
Buddy Adler, the head of 20th Century Fox, said to me, ‘You’re under a
seven-year contract. We could suspend you. And if we suspend you, the
musician’s union may cooperate with us. You’ll be through from recording. You
won’t be able to record for movies. You won’t be on television either.’
"We
had a couple of tense meetings in his office. I finally said, ‘Mr. Adler, you
do what you have to do. But I’ve got to follow my own conscious. I’ve got
millions of teenage fans. I’d love to make a movie with Marilyn Monroe, but I
can’t make this immoral story. Teenage fans will undoubtedly get the wrong
message and think it’s OK to have an illicit affair. … I just can’t do
it."
Monroe
died in 1962 at age 36 from a barbiturate overdose. Casting moved forward, and
"The Stripper" was released in 1963 starring Joanne Woodward and
Richard Beymer. According to Boone, the film was "a terrible flop,"
and the studio lost money.
"A
teacher once told me, ‘It’s always right to do right, and it’s always wrong to
do wrong.' It sounds so simple, but that’s one of the lessons I still try to
follow, even in my career," said Boone. "It was a moral lesson. I’ve
turned down songs with lyrics that I just couldn’t sing. It just didn’t feel
right for me to do. The same thing applies to movies and television. My form of
entertainment has made me who I am. I’m not about to change that now."
Still,
Boone said he remains hopeful that filmmakers will want to continue sharing
positive stories that align with his beliefs. He currently has several projects
in the works.
"I’m
still getting scripts," said Boone. "I think the word is out in
Hollywood – if you have a role for an 80-year-old who still remembers his
lines, get Pat Boone!"
"People
want me to portray the older guy now, but I’m enjoying playing the good guy
with morals," he shared. "I just want to do good in my profession and
not succumb to anything. I’m not scrapping my moral code for the box
office."