Benevolent as he was, Ivory answered questions sometimes sparsely, though he provided more details when pressed. Private? Dignified? Polite? Perhaps all three. In any event, his discreteness seemed counter to the legions of others who will say whatever is necessary to get some ink.

Ivory only truly seemed to loosen up once the interview was over. Then he chatted about various things, including how he and Merchant were decades into their friendship with Paul Newman before the actor pegged Merchant as a backstage stalker from one of his first Broadway appearances. Ivory admitted he's not crazy about promoting films -- or himself for that matter. He just wants to make them. But interviews are all part of the process of filming these days, as much as casting and writing a script.

So Ivory does the p.r. drill. But given how understated he is, you get the feeling he has a lot more to say through his work.