The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 26, 1979, Page Page 8, Image 8
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'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)
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Duvall {above) as a rough, row
as his frustrations turn on his fann
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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