Russell Crowe never made it to the press conference for "Master and Commander," apparently due to an injury suffered on the set of his current film. On the plus side, the usual slack-jawed celeb-oglers were nowhere to be found and a number of interesting questions were put to director Peter Weir, himself as much an Australian success story as Crowe.
Weir has moved from art-house success with his early films like "Picnic At Hanging Rock" or "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith" to a Hollywood career that includes "Witness" and "The Truman Show."
Here the director discussed his tips for shooting at sea, and sidestepped the Royal Navy's rep for rum, sodomy and the lash.