John Forbes Nash, Jr.

Continuing with a week of posts on "A Beautiful Mind", the above video records a meeting between director Ron Howard and Professor John Nash. It's a very interesting segment, in which Dr. Nash explains Nash Equilibrium and bargaining theories. Compared to other videos, more of the real Nash comes through, as he warms to a subject which fascinates him. You see the man and his sense of humor.

There's a wealth of information about Dr. Nash on the web. His home page is at www.math.princeton.edu/jfnj

in the Department of Mathematics at Princeton University. His current research interests are given as logic, game theory, and cosmology and gravitation.

Other informational sites on Dr. Nash:

Nobelprize.org has an autobiography, which was written by Dr. Nash in 1994, at the time he received his Nobel Prize.

The PBS website has a page dedicated to the documentary film "A Brilliant Madness", produced in 2002. The site has information on the film, as well as further information on Nash, his family, and his studies.

The Schizophrenia Daily News Blog has a 2005 interview with John Nash, in which he talks about his illness and his work. He and his wife, Alicia, both mention Russell.

"He thinks that Russell Crowe should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of him. It was the wrong accent, and they met only once during filming, but "his performance was terrific". Alicia adds: "We just love Russell Crowe. It was a great movie, but it was fictionalised."

Wikipedia's page on Nash contains information about both the man and the movie.

Movie of the Week: A Beautiful Mind

Before Georgia had a rare snow dumped on us and I lost my electricity and was unable to post, I had decided to start a new series focusing on one of Russell's movies each week. It was to begin with the posting of the movie each Monday. Well, I have to start on Tuesday this week, but the first Movie of the Week is A Beautiful Mind.



"At Princeton University, John Nash struggles to make a worthwhile contribution to serve as his legacy to the world of mathematics. He finally makes a revolutionary breakthrough that will eventually earn him the Nobel Prize. After graduate school he turns to teaching, becoming romantically involved with his student Alicia. Meanwhile the government asks his help with breaking Soviet codes, which soon gets him involved in a terrifying conspiracy plot. Nash grows more and more paranoid until a discovery that turns his entire world upside down. Now it is only with Alicia's help that he will be able to recover his mental strength and regain his status as the great mathematician we know him as today."

Directed by
Ron Howard

Produced by
Brian Grazer
Ron Howard

Written by
Book:
Sylvia Nasar

Screenplay:
Akiva Goldsman

Starring
Russell Crowe
Jennifer Connelly
Ed Harris
Paul Bettany

Music by
James Horner

Cinematography
Roger Deakins

Editing by
Daniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill

Studio
Imagine Entertainment

Distributed by
Domestic:
Universal Pictures
International:
DreamWorks Pictures

Release date(s)
December 21, 2001

Russell In Empire Magazine

The April issue of Empire Magazine features a six-page spread on Russell, including an interview with Martyn Palmer, who first interviewed him 19 years ago. The interview was done during the filming of State of Play in Washington, D.C. Among other things, Russell talks about working with Ridley Scott and about gaining weight for roles. The spread also includes some great pictures, and a list of the Top 5 Russell Crowe Performances, selected by Dan Jolin. The April issue will be available in stores Thursday, February 26.

"Russell Crowe tells us about his triumphs, the things he missed out on and his turn in accomplished new thriller State of Play. Crowe has heralded a return of the rugged and brooding thinking man to Hollywood screens, from his Oscar-winning turn as Gladiator Maximus to the introverted and brilliant mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. He also tells us why Ridley Scott's Nottingham fits the bill to be one of his next projects--because "It's Robin Hood, mate. I mean, come on!""

Russell's Directors

We all know that Russell has done great work with Ridley Scott(American Gangster, A Good Year, Gladiator), Ron Howard(Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind), James Mangold(3:10 To Yuma), Peter Weir(Master&Commander), Michael Mann(The Insider), and every other director with whom he's worked. Now, is there a director with whom you'd like to see him work that he hasn't before?

Let us know which director below you'd like to see him team up with, or give us another idea if you don't see yours listed!