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mammm iSBflSi 'Santin By David Baker Gamecock Film Critic In Hollywood, it's an almost everyday occurance, but the world premiere of a major motion picture is one of the biggest events of the year in Beaufort. The picture that made it all happen is Lewis .John Carlino's The Great Santini which was filmed on location in Beaufort last October and November. Based on Pat Conroy's somewhat autobiographical novel. The Great Santini is the story of Lt. Colonel Bull Meechum, one of the Marine Corps' most tenacious pilots The picture takes place in 1962, when, with no enemy planes to shoot down, Meechum goes to war with the thing he loves the most: his family "The story simply demanded a motion picture," explained the film's producer, Charles A. "Chuck" Pratt. Pratt, who produced such hits as The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, Willard, and the Walking Tall trilogy, said that Beaufort was chosen for the filming because it's the city Conroy wrote about. "He lived here as a child and taught school here," Pratt said. Rpnnfnrt was: u/pl! nrpnar#?d fnr last Friday night's premiere festivities. Outside the Plaza Twin Theatres, an FJ3 Marine Corps jet greeted the hundreds of people who attended the screening as well as the hundred who just came to catch a glimpse of the stars (Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, Michael O'Keefe and Stan Shaw) '-KTdraBR Vrf ;T; Wy.. S? Sk. ' ^^8 "'^' SmIMMB gfsfcs^ >jH - 5__./r- -. k3K3&9M3BBr * O'i ' Duvall {above) as a rough, row as his frustrations turn on his fann ?.-1 j :,r' ~ i ^ ? ifi JP** E ?i iUaafci ^ aWfeTd 11 HI I p Hlh Spe< i'-worlc and the other dignitaries (Pratt. Carlino, Beaufort Mayor Henry C. Chambers and Governor Dick Riley). Adding to the festive atmosphere were a group of local high school cheerleaders (wearing costumes from the early 1960's), some of whom later served as ushers, and the Parris Island Marine Corps Band, which filled the air with music appropriate for the occassion. Mayor Chambers said he was "delighted" that the filmmakers chose to return to Beaufort for the Santini premiere, and added the town would welcome the chance to have another film made there. ? "Especially," he said, "if we could | get the same type people as these.'' 1 Chambers estimated that "with the filming, the party, and the visits back and forth. The Great Santini has brought several million dollars into the community." After seeing the picture, Chambers added that the filmmakers "did a wonderful job in portraying Beaufort in a favorable light." Most of the viewers were enthusiastic about the picture. Some of them left the theatre in tears and arrived at the premiere party, held at Tidalholm (the mansion which served as one of the film's primary locations), still weeping. One notable person who did not show up for the premiere was Conroy. "He saw it in Atlanta," explained Pratt. "There was some Marine function in Atlanta about three weeks ago. The picture played there for the Marines and fdy Marine pilot, and (befow) lily. ^SalSa^r cial movie fea i premi< if jBHW' n uh ' *r -* in 1 SL Kgajfc ; 3% wmm | ?^pipnHH| pii jsBBtlL HBBK Crowds gathered at th Pat got down to see it then. His mother came up to me here and said 'Pat said to tell you that he absolutely loves the movie.' And I know he loved the script. He told me once 'I think the script is better than my book!' " The picture opens today in both Carolinas, but, said Pratt, "that's all until the first of the year." Pratt went on to explain that marketing the picture in the rest of the lobert Du career, a< By David Baker Gamocock Film Critic After his blustery performances ii Network and Apocalypse Now, it's re find out how soft-spoken Robert Duval r* \n duiii in Virginia years ago, me the loud image grew up resisting th father, a rear admiral in the Navy, v, to pursue a career in the armed forces however, wasn't much like the or Duvall's new film, The Great Santii Colonel Bull Meechum bullies his fam his orders. "My father never put pressures c said. "I went to a prep school for the In but I wasn't cut out for it. I just ser time as a draftee and that was it." After his tour of duty, Duvall went concentrate on acting. He eventual "Boo" in 1963's To Kill a Mockingbir have been coming his way ever Broadway, where he recently sta Mamet's American Buffalo, and in fill Strangley enough, though Duvall h more than 20 films, The Great Santii feature him in a leading role. And th Duvall's favorites. *:I like this and Apt he said, "because they're similar in th Working with Duvall ?n The Great joy, according to co-star Blythe Danne the actor's ability to "focus on a chai insists, however, that his secret to act concentration." "It (acting)." said Duvall, "is the ture are in B X*..-?.<*-. ?**&? ' " "s>M?M??9^^K|Kp^H W B j*mt fgg. > JHH ie world premiere of 'The Great country will be a "big, big problem." "You describe the picture to me in a couple of lines and see if you turn anybody on with that description. The only way the ! 1 1_ __ *i picture worKS is wnen you see 11. Therefore, the only way we're going to sell it successfully is if we get good word of mouth, which I'm sure we will get. If I thought we had a dog, I'd say nail tnllc^ ztirig and life. It's an extens be just as relax* n such films as scenes. One of th< ally shocking to just carry on a co His. "A guy once t< quiet man with actor, but I'd gei e wishes of his stage, I'd have to rho wanted him consider that bac The situation, you're like a spoi le explored in open. You're com ni, wherein Lt. ily into obeying Duvall went 01 ching a charactei "that I'll models >n me," Duvall down here (at B< Javal Academy, pilots." ved my regular Now that Sam working on a sr to New York to called Angelo, ]\ ly was cast as directing. "I'm u d and the roles lead, Duvall said since, both on The only reason t rred in David of him." ns. Duvall met th< as appeared in two years ago, a 1 i is the first to "We once doubh e part is one of Duvall said, "an< jcalypse Now," He ordered the m eirenergy." the evening he ss do sex with us.' T t Santini was a >r, who admires "I took him to racter." Duvall Travolta. Andy 1 ing is "relaxed Baryshnikov. He Duvall summe "It's the most ob same thing as life." ieaufort .<*.. * * A ^ .- ^v. iHftM I:t i??;:i^' ????&' SBHj ^iBIlj San tin/" in Beaufort. let's throw it out there and that'll be that. But when you have something that's a real labor of love, and you think it will please the public, you become very protective of it and you don't want ' to blow it." Judging from the crowd's reaction at the nrpmiorp Pratt doesn't have too much to worry about. Santini looks like it will be a hit nonetheless. about his 'Santini' ?ion of yourself, really, and it should id as in life, especially the simple e hardest things for an actor to do is nversation. 3ld me, 41 used to be a pretty good t nervous that as soon as I went on KlfUilr * > 1H-I1 1 1 J wn'vi\ cvci v tniu^ uui. wen, i wuuiu i acting because good acting means lge - you take in everything, you're ;entrating, but you're open." i to explain his method of researr. "I find one or two guys," he said, ome things after. For Santini, I was ;aufort's Marine Air Base) with the ?,'Mi i? 1? > uint m iiuiMitxi, uuvau nas oegun nail, independent film of his own iy Love, which he is writing and sing a nine-year-old gypsy boy as a . "He's an absolute genius, this kid. he project was started was because ; boy on a New York street corner nd the two became instant friends. 2-dated with women in their 20's," i he played it right up until the end. eal for everybody and at the end of lid, 'Bobby, I think they're trying' to hat was as far as he could take it. ' Regine's once and he danced like Warhol wanted to introduce him to 's very magnetic." d up his work on Angelo by saying sessed thing I've ever done in my