A cluster of period pieces this season highlights the key yet often overlooked role of production designers. Here (and on Page 32) is their chance to describe . . . : How They Got the Look

Roy Walker, 68, is one of the most celebrated production designers. Beginning his career at age 16 in his native England, he worked as an assistant art director on such Oscar-winning films as “A Man for All Seasons” and “Oliver!” and was an associate art director on the 1965 classic “Dr. Zhivago.”

Walker, who won an Oscar for art direction on Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 period drama “Barry Lyndon,” has worked as production designer for such directors as Barbra Streisand (“Yentl”), Frank Oz (“Little Shop of Horrors,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”), Barry Levinson (“Good Morning, Vietnam”) and Roland Joffee (“The Killing Fields,” “City of Joy”).

His latest film is Paramount’s mystery thriller “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law. Anthony Minghella (“The English Patient”) wrote and directed the adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel about a young man who kills his rich friend and assumes his identity.

Walker recently chatted on the phone about “Mr. Ripley,” his career as a designer and his relationship with the late Kubrick.

Minghella wanted the film to resemble Federico Fellini’s films of the 1950s and early 60s, especially “La Dolce Vita.”

Yes, very much “La Dolce Vita.” That was exactly what Anthony wanted it to look like. It was a good reference guide for us. You could see how the sites actually were at that time in the 1950s.

Because the movie is set throughout Italy, was it a difficult shoot?

Yes. We had 90 different interiors and exteriors on the film. We traveled the length of Italy, and we had stages for sets as well.

The book was set in 1952. Did he change it to 1959 because it was a more visually exciting time in Italy?

It was on the verge [of an exciting time]. Anthony wanted to raise it up a bit to [feature] beautiful young people like the scenes in San Remo on the beach. The style was starting to come together, whereas in 1952, there was still an austerity from World War II.

What was one of your most difficult sequences to design and construct?

There is this famous piazza in Rome called the Spanish Steps. We wanted a cafe in relationship to the American Express office [entrance]. So we had to so construct our own restaurant in front of some very smart shops. They cooperated, thank God. We built right over the top of a chemist shop and put in the facade of the American Express office.

That was a three-day shot and we only had the night before to start working. We worked right through the night to build our cafe and put up the facade. [Before we started the construction] we had to do a brochure for the historical society. They had to approve all of our colors, what we were doing and the design of it all. We did a real professional brochure, and the Italian line producer took it to them and they approved everything.

We [also] had to contend with all the tourists, thousands of Japanese tourists. One man came up [to the American Express facade] and said, ‘I want to cash a check.’ The genuine American Express office was only four doors down. We turned another shop into a Gucci shop, and Gucci was just around the corner. But people were coming in and thinking it was a Gucci store.

Did you run into more problems with the historical society?

Yes. Some of their demands were quite ridiculous.

We had to do a lot of building [in one location] to hide a modern cafe and modern shops. And they wouldn’t let us use plaster. We had to use fiberglass, which is very expensive, but it is clean, you see.

How did you begin your craft?

This is my 52nd year in films. I went to college and studied art and building construction. I always wanted to get into film, and I got started in the art department on a little film called “Escape” with Rex Harrison. I was at the tender age of 16. I worked my way up to an assistant art director to art director to production designer.

What was it like working with Stanley Kubrick?

Tough. I have done 3 1/2 films with him. I did “Barry Lyndon,” and then I did “The Shining” and that took 2 1/4 years of my life. Then I went and did another thing called “The Aryan Papers,” which he never made. Then I thought, “I really don’t want to work anymore with him.” I had tremendous admiration for him, but he was a nightmare. But eventually he kept calling me. I said, “I don’t want to work on that.” But called me one day and said, “Roy, come over. We have to talk or I am not going to make the film. I can’t go on.” So I went because he sucked me into it [“Eyes Wide Shut”]. I did what I had to do on it and then we had one hell of a row one day and I said you either apologize or I go. He wouldn’t apologize so I went. [Walker ultimately shared credit for the production design with Leslie Tomkins.]

Once I had the reputation for working with all of the toughest directors, like Billy Friedkin. I worked on “Sorcerer.” That was another 18 months of my life. I did three films with David Lean, and he could be difficult.

What director did you admire the most?

Fred Zinnemann. I was an assistant art director on “A Man for All Seasons.” He was absolutely marvelous to me. He was a lovely man.