By Kathryn Whitney Boole
The film “Richard Jewell” is based on the true story of a man whose heroism probably saved many lives in the Atlanta Olympics bombing of 1996. Within days, due to circumstances beyond his control, he was pinpointed as the possible bomber himself. He was never able to shake the stigma of the publicity that surrounded the accusation.
Billy Ray, one of the top screenwriters working today, wrote Richard Jewell, inspired by the 1997 Vanity Fair article “American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell,” by Marie Brenner. This is a beautifully composed film. The way these fascinating characters are brought to life in detail through their reactions and actions tells volumes about each person. The rhythm and flow of the story never lags. The screenplay attracted Clint Eastwood to the project. Eastwood at 89 still keeps a heavy schedule of directing. He has a superb team of filmmakers who have worked with him for years, so he was able to turn out this high caliber film with a 37-day shoot schedule in Summer 2019, ready for release on December 13th.
The cast assembled by Geoffrey Miclat, Eastwood’s casting director since 2011, is extraordinary. TV and film character actor Paul Walter Hauser embodies Richard Jewell so well that if you are of an age to remember the story first-hand, you will think you are watching the real Jewell. His timing and portrayal of emotion are amazing. Sam Rockwell is at the top of his game, as always, memorable and intriguing as Jewell’s friend and attorney Watson Bryant.The mesmerizing Nina Arianda, gained fame as the star of Venus in Fur on Broadway and you may recognize her from Goliath and Billions. She plays Bryant’s assistant, a Slavic immigrant. Arianda’s parents are originally from Ukraine, so she has the accent and mannerisms perfectly. Olivia Wilde shines as relentlessly aggressive reporter Kathy Scruggs.
This is a very important movie to see. Hounded by the press and the public both during and after the circuitous, tortuous fallout from the bombing incident, Jewell and his mother Bobi, played here by the incomparable Kathy Bates, were forced to retreat from the lives they knew. The series of events that followed what was a heroic, caring act on the part of Jewell, took on a life of their own that swept them into the river of media and public scrutiny. As often happens, snap judgments were made without collecting and reviewing all facts and sensationalism reared its ugly head.
My company was involved in similar event around same time period when one of our clients was on the jury in the famous OJ case. Her apartment building was deluged with press and we had to send a team of ex football players to escort her from her door to her car. The news media thrives on getting the scoop, to be first to release a juicy story. Although the majority of reporters do their best to vet all details, there remain always the overzealous few who eye victory at any price. In the Richard Jewell incident, the price was the destruction of a man’s life and reputation.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
