Films
(with some thoughts from me)
WORDS and PICTURES
I recall during shooting that Clive is letter perfect on his lines and repeats them exactly on each take, great concentrated energy. Juliette is more loose and liable to come at the scene in different ways – but both actors make these differences work wonders for them, for their chemistry. (More on this in my book WRITE!)
Words and Pictures produced by Latitude Productions and Curtis Burch. Directed by Fred Schepisi.
“Gerald DiPego’s screenplay revolves around some truly witty, sassy dialogue that will give the film its raison d’être.” (Chicago Sun Times)
“A truly witty romantic comedy with emotional depth.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
“One of the best films of the year.” (NPR)
"Two attractive stars make the most of Gerald DiPego's smart, witty screenplay." (Leonard Maltin)
Other major features . . .
PHENOMENON
John Travolta said that my George Malley was the closest character to himself he had ever played – and John also saved my script from the studio executives who grow more and more nervous just before that green light. (See this complete story in WRITE!)
MESSAGE in a BOTTLE
Here I adapted Nicholas Sparks’ novel. What a thrill working with Paul Newman. He was about 70 then and still boyish. A "hero" to both Kostner and me. He loved telling jokes, loved laughter, but he was serious about the work. We had only a partial cast for rehearsals, so I pitched in and did a scene with the iconic actor and fine man.
ANGEL EYES
J.Lo is a good and dedicated actress. Watch her monologue near the end when she speaks to the camera about her family. She plays a uniformed Chicago police officer in this one. J.Lo performed most of the stunts. We needed to bodyguard her when shooting the street scenes because of the crowds of on-lookers.
INSTINCT
More of a “man’s-inhumanity-to-animals” than a thriller, Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding play off each other admirably, moving from antagonists to something quite deep.
Cuba is energy-forward with high spirits. Anthony sits back and tells stories, does great impressions of fellow Brit actors. Cracked us up.
THE FORGOTTEN
A human-scale sci-fi with Julianne Moore seeking her “lost” son – did he ever exist? Julianne is the only actress I’ve worked with who can be off-camera laughing with you right up to the moment that “ACTION!” is called, and then all in a half-second turn fully into her character.
SHARKY’S MACHINE
I adapted William Diehl’s novel. Quite a gritty movie with a fine cast playing Burt’s “machine” of cops. William Fraker makes it beautiful; also a fine jazz score. Dangerous villain Henry Silva goes out a window for what was then a record stunt fall.
There is a good example of an important production debate between star-producer-director (Burt) and the screenwriter (me). Burt won. This is all covered in my book WRITE!
(plus close to 40 other titles you can find here)