Movie stars on their way to Hawai'i
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
A $15 million independent movie with a cast of Hollywood seniors begins pre-production on O'ahu this month, with three months of filming scheduled to begin in January.
"Madam, the Grass Is High," a romantic comedy, will be shot almost entirely on O'ahu and Maui. It's being produced by Newbridge Entertainment and distributed by Theafilm Distribution.
The confirmed supporting cast includes film and TV performers such as Ernest Borgnine, who won a Best Actor Oscar for "Marty" and starred in TV's "McHale's Navy"; June Lockhart, whose credits include TV's "Lassie" and "Lost in Space"; Barbara Bain, best known for her "Mission: Impossible" TV series; and Jean Simmons, star of such films as "Elmer Gantry," "Spartacus" and "Guys and Dolls."
Dennis H. Christen, who wrote the screenplay based on his novel, is the director. Christen has not named his leading actor, but industry buzz indicates it might be a leading man with Oscar and Golden Globe credentials. The female lead is said to be a co-star on a popular sitcom from the 1970s and '80s. A formal announcement is expected in October.
"We're planning several cameos, too," said Christen — for people like Red Buttons (who won an Oscar for "Sayonara"), Willie Nelson (the noted country singer and part-time Maui resident) and Carl Reiner (the veteran TV and movie writer, comedian, actor and director). "And they've all said yes."
Hawai'i will play Hawai'i in the movie, said Christen, who picked the Islands after an aide who formerly lived here recommended the location. "We had looked at several places in the U.S., from Florida to California, even Australia. But I fell in love with Hawai'i. It's the perfect place for our story."
"Madam" is about finding a chance at love, however late in life, said Christen. "The male lead has never been married, never gotten along with women, or men, for that matter. He's a recluse who owns a tour bus company in Honolulu."
The female lead is a war bride from Chicago. After her husband of 53 years dies, a cousin forces her to go to Hawai'i "with every blue hair possible."
The Hawai'i locations will not be commonly seen tourist spots, Christen said. Plans call for a segment at the rodeos at Makawao on Maui, fishing scenes at untrafficked river locations, and the use of the old red-light district of Hotel Street as a stand-in for a Chicago street.
"I want to go out into areas where most movies don't go — we want to show the 'other' Hawai'i," he said.
"I'm happy that your new governor has made an effort to make filming in Hawai'i attractive, and we've had great cooperation from the Outrigger Hotels to help us (with housing). It may be a little more expensive to film here, but it's not prohibitive; the service people, the union people, are very accommodating."
Dale Radomski of the Hawai'i Stunt Connection will be stunt coordinator for the film, and likely serve as a second assistant director. A set designer will accompany Christen here, along with a few other key personnel, but "we'll do a lot of local hiring, for set construction and extras," he said.
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.
Correction: Actress Gail Fisher, who appeared on the TV series "Mannix," died Dec. 2, 2001. A previous version of this story incorrectly said that she would be in the cast of a new movie.
