'Sliding' opens Hollywood's doors for director Howitt

The blokes of Monty Python once advised the world, through song, to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." In "Sliding Doors," John Hannah tells Gwyneth Paltrow the same. For Peter Howitt, director and screenwriter of "Sliding Doors" and lifelong Monty Python fan, the bright side of his life has never been quite so blinding.

The former actor, who has appeared in such films as "Some Mother's Son and "In the Name of the Father," is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, as the novice director's film was chosen to open this year's Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Courtesy of Miramax A brush with death inspired actor Peter Howitt to direct, produce and write "Sliding Doors."

"Sundance was fantastic," said Howitt in a recent interview. "I was quite nervous, I have to say. It's six years of your life and suddenly you're in an 1,800 seat opera house and there it is on the screen. It's very hard to take in what it all means."

Figuring out what it all means is the point of "Sliding Doors," as Paltrow's Helen experiences her life in two parallel versions to discover what her life means. The meaning of Helen's life is very close to Howitt's own, since he based the character of a Londoner whose life splits in two on a chance encounter of his own, nearly being hit by a car in London six years ago.

"It struck me I could've been killed and it made me think how slight your life can be. Even if I didn't get killed, my day was already slightly different now - I had to apologize to this driver who encountered this moron jaywalker."

Whatever he calls himself, Howitt can now be called auteur, for his status as the creative force behind "Doors." But Howitt confessed he really had no idea what he was doing.

"I wouldn't dare to give anyone advice on directing. I don't think I'm going to win any technical awards for my great shots but that's not what I was after. I was just after a film that makes sense, that people enjoy and maybe have a little think about what's going on."

Even though Howitt is modest about his apparent talents, someone saw the promise of greatness he had in him, someone very famous, someone very talented, someone, well, very thin - Gwyneth Paltrow, who loved the script and requested a meeting with Howitt.

"I didn't choose her as much as she chose me," Howitt said, "but I didn't think 'Oh damn, I must work with Gwyneth. I guess I'll have to live with her somehow.'"

"I was already a fan of hers and never thought I could get someone like Gwyneth in my film," Howitt continued about his leading lady. "I didn't say, this is right for Gwyneth Paltrow, I've got to get this to her. I wouldn't have had the audacity to do that. I might be a bit more cheeky now, but in those days, no way."

So cheeky, in fact, that Howitt cast himself a flirtatious restaurant patron called "Cheeky Bloke."

"That was Gwyneth actually - I cast her in the main part and she cast me in that part. She insisted I do a little scene with her. The guy that's trying to hit on her, that's me. It's a quick scene - you don't want to ruin your own film by being in it."

But "Sliding Doors" is far from ruined, as Howitt's great script, along with Paltrow, steals the show. Paltrow, again showing off the accent she perfected in "Emma," impressed even native Brit Howitt.

"She does it so effortlessly - you can't see the wheels going around at all. And then she'll say, 'Where's my cawfee. Gimme a cigarette will ya?'"

Aside from Paltrow, others inspired Howitt's astounding efforts on "Sliding Doors." "I wasn't aware of any while directing, I must be honest. But my writing is definitely influenced by Neil Simon. Yeah, Neil Simon, The Beatles and MOnty Python - I don't think you can go to far wrong."

Director, writer, actor, cheeky bloke, moron jaywalker, hyphenate Peter Howitt surely has plenty of reasons to look on the bright side of life.

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