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Cannes ‘08: Pete Hammond’s notes on a season: Clint and Angelina come home to the Palais

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Face it. Clint Eastwood is a force of nature.

For a guy who turns 78 on May 31, he seems indefatigable, taking time off from prepping his current starring and directing gig on ‘Gran Torino’ to come back to Cannes, where he is in competition for the fifth time with his latest directorial achievement, ‘Changeling’ (or ‘L’Echange’’ as the print shown here calls it), starring Angelina Jolie, who accompanied Clint to today’s earlier press conference and showed up Tuesday night on the Palais red carpet for the second time in less than a week. Just Thursday she was here with the ‘Kung Fu Panda’ gang.

Neither star is a stranger to Cannes. Angie was even here last year with ‘A Mighty Heart.’ Clint has previously vied for the top Cannes prize four times but he has always gone home empty-handed, beginning in 1985 with ‘Pale Rider,’ followed by ‘Bird’ in 1988, ‘White Hunter, Black Heart’ in 1990 and ‘Mystic River’ in 2003.

After the rapturous response to today’s press screenings, followed by the rousing standing ovations he received at the beginning and end of the film (eight minutes at the end, according to our watch), we’re placing bets now that he gets a prize this time, but then we said the same thing about ‘Mystic River.’

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Oh, did we mention the Oscar-winning star of the latter movie, Sean Penn, is also this year’s jury president. I think we have. Penn wasn’t seen at the premiere gala, at least on the red carpet. Jury members tend to watch films at all times of the day anyway.

But Clint, in producing another dark, complicated, flawlessly produced movie in the tradition of ‘Mystic River’ and his most recent Oscar winner, ‘Million Dollar Baby,’ is giving the jury genuine justification to make him stick around until Sunday’s awards ceremony.

In addition to Clint, his wife Dina; daughter Morgan (who has a small bit in the film); Angelina and Brad Pitt; and producer Brian Grazer, other notable guests include Universal studio honchos Ron Meyer, David Linde and sister company Focus Features’ James Schamus.

Also spotted making their way up the steps were Nick Nolte, Clint’s other ‘Mystic River’ Oscar winner Tim Robbins, and the first Sharon Stone sighting of this year’s Cannes Fest. She’s in town for Thursday’s hot ticket event, the annual AMFAR dinner and always a popular staple of the Cannes red carpet, often setting off fireworks with her classic glamour poses. Knowing this was to be Angelina’s night though, Sharon made a quick trip up the steps and into the theater, pausing only briefly for the screaming paparazzi. Class.

Although only a few raindrops were falling, Brad held an umbrella over his seven months’ pregnant wife (with twins) when he and Angelina exited from their car at the bottom of the steps. She was in a light brown chiffon floor-length gown which dragged along the carpet, giving new meaning to maternity chic.

Upon their arrival (at exactly the appointed time of 7:30), the massive crowd outside and inside the theater (via big screen) audibly ‘Ahhhhh’d’ for the couple of l’moment.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and who wouldn’t with those early reviews?

Clint is a big admirer of Jolie, witnessed by the fact that in February, when we hosted the Santa Barbara Film Festival career tribute to her, it was Eastwood who showed up to present her with the award at the end.

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Based on this powerful and searing performance, it would be a good bet she will again be in the hunt for the Best Actress nomination that eluded her for ‘A Mighty Heart’ last year. Clint, who already has four Oscars, also can count on more nominations, including Best Picture (he co-produced with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Robert Lorenz), director and in a slew of other categories for the movie about a mother whose young son is kidnapped and weeks later turns up safe and sound. Only problem is, she says the boy who comes back is not her son. It’s a true story set in the crime-riddled, corrupt Los Angeles of 1928 and favorably compares to other period L.A. set films like ‘Chinatown’ and ‘L.A. Confidential.’

A Warner Bros. insider here told us that studio already has long-range plans for an Oscar push for Clint’s acting in ‘Gran Torino’ which gets released in December. He plays a Korean War vet who tries to set straight a young neighbor who attempted to steal his prized ’72 Gran Torino. Making it a big potential awards season for Eastwood, Universal is releasing ‘Changeling’ in early November.

A private party followed just down the Croisette after the screening.

And despite the rain, it’s apparent the 61st annual Cannes Film Festival is just heating up.

-- Pete Hammond

Photo: WireImage

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