Baldwin Film's Unkind Cut {Alec Alert}

Newsday ^ | July 14, 2002 | Michael Rothfeld

[syriacus]

There could hardly have been a better way for Alec Baldwin, Massapequa boy turned movie star, to show affection for the place where he grew up.

Baldwin announced that for his first attempt at directing, he would rent from Nassau County a former Northrop Grumman airplane factory to film "The Devil and Daniel Webster.” In November 2000, his crews arrived at the cavernous building in Bethpage.

"It was a fabulous opportunity for us,” Baldwin recalled last week.

[syriacus]

It hurts, but I have to give Newsday credit for mentioning Baldwin's political persuasion.

[Illbay]

What an insult, though, to the legacy of a fine story about a great American. Want to venture a guess as to how much p.c. they'll put into it (Here's Mine: The devil and the evil jurors will all be white men, but there will be plenty of minorities represented, who will be "good."

[coloradan]

Now all we have to do is get reporters to start connecting unconnected things, like "... who is yet another liberal democrat to renege on payment of rent. Earlier this month, it was disclosed that liberal democrat Al Sharpton has 6 months of unpaid rent on his Empire State building offices, in New York City."

[syriacus]

Now all we have to do is get reporters to start connecting unconnected things, like "... who is yet another liberal democrat to renege on payment of rent. Earlier this month, it was disclosed that liberal democrat Al Sharpton has 6 months of unpaid rent on his Empire State building offices, in New York City."

That certainly would be a refreshing trend. If news articles are going to mention political persuasions of Republicans/Conservatives they should mention political persuasions of Democratic/Liberal newsmakers, too.

I originally read this article on Page 2 of my hard copy of Newsday. I was surprised Newsday came right out and said Baldwin considers himself a liberal Democrat in their article which mentions

• Baldwin's production company failed to pay its rent on Nassau County's Northrop Grumman facility and
• Baldwin's production company immediately stopped payment on the check which they finally sent.

[foolscap]

Has this film come out? It has been sitting on the shelf for a dog's age it seems. It was supposed to be released in the fall of 2001. I loved the original with Walter Huston and I can't picture Alec's version being an improvement. I heard Anthony Hopkins is in it. He would be a great Mr. Scratch if that's the role he plays.

[syriacus]

Has this film come out? It has been sitting on the shelf for a dog's age it seems

I'm curious about this too. I've been checking google, and found lots of references to Baldwin, Daniel Webster, Anthony Hopkins, partnership breakups and lawsuits, but Ihaven't come across a mention of a release date yet. There is mention of a wrap-up party

He is described as a vegetarian. If he still is one maybe he will lose weight if he eats a little meat.

Some of the articles I've found have been in google newsgroups (taken mostly from 2001 and 2002 NY Post articles)

Alec Baldwin sued by ex-partner

Alec Baldwin having rough time with movie

Alec Baldwin quits movie over unpaid bills

Alec Baldwin acted his way out of Hollywood?

[syriacus]

I found a few changes have been made. The devil is a woman and Baldwin's character (Jabez Stone) is a writer, rather than a farmer)

Yahoo:Greg's Preview

Premise: Jabez Stone is a writer (Baldwin) who sells his soul to the Devil (Hewitt) in exchange for seven years of success and fame. However, when the Devil comes to claim her end of the bargain, Stone does what any modern person would do: sue. Representing him in court is Daniel Webster (Hopkins).

[syriacus]

According to Box Office Prophets

Release Date: TBA 2002
The film wrapped shooting in March 2001, but has been caught up in some legal wrangling of its own. Apparently, the film was well received at the Cannes Film Festival and had many sales to distributors. However, there were still some questions about payments to some of the people involved in the production. Let's hope this has all been settled and the movie finally comes to theaters. (Marty Doskins/BOP)

[wattsmag2]

"It was a fabulous opportunity for us,” Baldwin recalled last week.

How about taking a fabulous opportunity to go to ______(fill in the blank with any country other than the USA)Alec. And while you are there, take the opportunity to perform an anatomically impossible act on yourself.

[Tony in Hawaii]

Hit the road, Alec, and don't come back no mo' no mo' no mo' no mo'.

[catonsville]

The orginal film had Walter Huston as Scratch (the Devil) Edward Arnold as Daniel Webster and John Carroll, I believe, as the farmer.

The film was very pro-american, so I wonder how much Baldwin will PC the patriotism out of the movie.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Whattarya still doin here, Turkey ?

[chiefqc]

A better movie for him would be about this brave, manly old fading movie star beating his wife.

He could also be the star.

[Caipirabob]

Thanks for the links! Fun to read about the loser in action. My guess on the last link is that the execs were finally pursueded to hire Baldwin for "The Edge" was because during filming there was a remote chance that that he might be eaten by a grizzly bear.

[syriacus]

Thanks for the links!

You're welcome. Since his own reports about his life are so fictitious, I think that keeping tabs on (comparatively) truthful reports about him is useful.

Come to think of it, Alec might want to consider a new career as a fantasy writer.