PLAYING A PART THAT I COULD
UNDERSTAND
Stockwell and Russ, both friends of Neil’s, were all living in Topanga. This was
The first call Roberts received from Young about Human Highway was part of a
on that album were based upon that script of theirs. They go back that far.”
the work of a clique.” To hear Roberts tell it, Young’s darker 1970 album After
the Gold Rush started life as a Stockwell/Tamblyn script. “Most of Neil’s songs
typical day in the life of a relationship that began in 1967.
Putting aside personal reflection to re-focus the spotlight on his client in
“It’s 2:00 a.m.,” Roberts remembers, “Neil’s on the phone and starts talking about
classic managerial fashion, Roberts offers a single joke about his own onscreen
this amazing idea until he stops and says, ‘Are you up?’” Young barely waited for
appearance in Human Highway (as, you guessed it, a manager named Whitlow
an answer before describing the giant sets and the costumes he’d have for his cast.
Kingsley) and why he hasn’t appeared in a scripted film since. “They made me a
“I stopped him to say that he had to be kidding, that this or that wasn’t doable, but
huge offer, you see, as I typically only do still work,” he deadpans before echoing
you have to understand Neil. He has these conversations and, usually, all of his
Stewart’s sentiment about Young’s character—that the doofus-y, socially
projects wind up happening in some form. He did the same thing with Rust Never
awkward dreamer is a window into his true personality.
Sleeps. He sees a thing in his head and figures a way for us to do it.”
Roberts says his favorite scene in Human Highway is the one where Young
Roberts doesn’t bother questioning costs or production headaches now. The
does his best Jerry Lewis bit up against Stewart’s eye-batting kissy face, which
manager states that his closest client comes up with fresh ideas on a near daily
mimics a side of Young that few get to see but that represents a very key part of
basis. “He’s constantly seeking to do something that he’s never done before
his method. “He just melts up there—he’s so silly,” says Roberts. “That scene to
and the margin of error is usually the same. Human Highway was like that.
me was very touching, and very Neil. He just got lost in it.”
F LO O D
57