In the meantime, he has taken on a role that ranks in stature with those he has played in his long, meritorious career as a Shakespearean stage actor. I'm lucky to have roles like Ahab. Melville has written a great adventure story, and what we have to do is to tell the adventure story. Far more important than coming out with any philosophical proofs in this is that we entertain. I always look on that as being paramount, in everything that I do.
Entertainment is everything.
Yeah, I did say that. I got in some trouble for it. The Melville faction, they don't really approve. But I think it's true. And I think it's tragic that his great work was a failure in his lifetime, was not recognized at all for being what it was.