Go back to the David Mamet Info Page.
This page created by Jason Charnick.
Send me some comments.
This article was orignally obtained from http://www.variety.com/search/article.asp?articleID=1117489181. To reach the Variety home page, click here.
New Line will turn the Thomas Kelly novel "Payback" into a film to be directed by Ted Demme and scripted by David Mamet. The pic will be produced by Harry and Mary Jane Ufland and Joel Stillerman, who is Demme's partner in Spanky Pictures.
"Payback" (no relation to the upcoming film starring Mel Gibson) is set in the world of "sandhogs," predominantly blue-collar Irish union workers who build the tunnels under New York City. In the novel, Irish and Italian mobs are trying to infiltrate the union, and the drama revolves around a hitman for the Irish mob and his younger brother, who's tunneling to pay his law school tuition. A greedy contractor relaxes safety concerns to save money - and as the situation becomes violent, the older brother tries to do his job while keeping his brother alive.
The Knopf novel was originally optioned by Citadel, but the sandhog tale became mired in quicksand. When it became available again, Demme and partners jumped on it. "We tried to buy it when I first read it, and loved making a film about the Westies, the Italians and these sandhogs," said Demme, who recently wrapped the Imagine comedy "Life," which stars Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.
"Tom called and said he's made a mistake, and I brought it to Mike DeLuca and we made a deal quickly." The Uflands also chased the novel when it was first published, and Demme and Stillerman agreed to partner. "Harry said, 'We can get David Mamet to write it,' and it has been a dream to work with Mamet. He's perfect for what will be a quintessential New York movie."
Ufland brought in Mamet because they're working together on a biopic of Fatty Arbuckle which Mamet hopes to direct.
The project will be shepherded by New Line VP Amy Henkels; depending upon Mamet, who starts immediately and writes quickly, it could be Demme's next project. His Spanky Pictures, up and running with a first-look at New Line, got its film, the Gavin O'Connor-directed "Tumbleweeds," into competition at Sundance, has produced "Monument Avenue" and "Rounders," as well as the HBO pic "A Lesson Before Dying." Demme was repped by manager Rick Yorn, Kelly was agented by Renaissance's Joel Gotler and Irv Schwartz, and Mamet was agented by Howard Rosenstone. New Line's Amy Gittleman sealed the deal for the studio.
Copyright © 1998 Variety, Inc..