An Extra's Experience

I thought a few anecdotes from a Smithville resident might be
apporpriately entertaining for this page. Normally I am not much of a movie
fan and hardly ever go to movies. I am just a skilled massage therapist
with a house in Smithville,

The first I heard of Hope Floats was when a client said she had trouble
getting over because the streets were all fouled up. "They're shootin' some
movie, I don't know what it's about, it's about some gal comes back to
Smithville, and I think that's the real name in the movie, I mean the
fictitious name, . . . I mean well you know. They've got Sandra Bullock and
she's in town."

"Oh really?" I said. "Sandra who?"

"Sandra Bullock," my client said. "She's a well know movie star."

"Oh," I said, not particularly impressed.

"You know, you might get to give her a massage."

Now I am part English, and I have read plenty of Winston Churchill's quick
rejoinders and fast comebacks, so I was ready for that. With a deliberate
pause of 5 seconds or so, I drawled slowly, "No, . . . I won't ever get to
give her a massage. If she is lucky, she MIGHT get to have a massge from
me, but, . . . No. I will never GET to give HER a massage."

It was my client's turn to say, "Oh. Right, I'll agree with that."

It never happened. Sandra never called me that is, but I did get a couple
of extra clients from the people involved. I will not mention names to
protect their privacy.

Many people in Smithville here loved all the excitement. My neighbor, whose
name I won't mention to protect his privacy, hower, was a bit miffed at all
the big to do. One night they were shooting down Olive Street and Tren (not
his real name) was feeling in a bit of a bad mood just when the crew had
asked the residents of our street, (Olive Street) to get their cars off the
street. Tren refused, so his pick up sat parked in the street while they
shot. He told me how they knocked on his door and were very persuasive, and
one said, "Well would it make you any happier if we gave you fifty dollars
to put your pick up around the corner." "No," he said, "It would not make
me any happier, and I am not going to move my pick up just so you ______,
______s can shoot a ____, ______, stupid movie."


I suppose they had to use cinematography to cut out the pickup truck.

So different people had different reactions.

I for one rather enjoyed it all. In fact when they called for extras I got
interested, but I missed the first call. So I went 200 yard down the street
to the white house that was being used as Mrs. Calvert's house, and asked
the policeman on duty if he had the number to call. He said, "Yes," and
wrote down the number and said to ask for "Hope Floats."

"Is that the name of the person in charge of extras?" I asked innocently.

"I don't know," the officer said. "I think so." I called the number and a
voice answered, "Third Coast Casting."

"Is Hope Floats there?" I asked.

"We handle the casting for Hope Floats Productions," said the voice. I
asked further questions about how to apply as an extra, and did so.

They finally called me and I got to spend all night until 3:00 a.m.
shooting the fire works parade scene at the end. I was a flower vendor on
the street, but any shot that might have included me got cut as I found out
when I took my wife to see the movie itself two weeks ago.

They did include just a glimpse of the head of Bonzo the Clown who was
twirling a lariat and entertaining the crowd, not 20 feet away from me
though. You will see him in the movie for about 3 seconds if you know just
when and where to look.

If you look to the upper right of the screen in the scene where Justine
Matisse is leaving at night from Birdee's house, the slight shadow should
be from the big black walnut tree and a beautiful very fruitful pecan tree
in the front yard of my house on Olive Street. Our freezer is still stuffed
with its nuts, which are delicious.

During that long night of shooting Harry Connick took time to do some
hilarious ad lib entertaining of his own. One was a satirical voice
imitation of Sylvester Stallone. He grumped and growled some barely
intelligible words about how beautiful was Sandra, then did a great
imitation of Sly bursting into tears, probably some scene from Rambo I
never saw. Then there was one of Ex-President Bush even more hilarious. The
crowd was cracking up. He also sang a musical tribute to "Sandy," I think
it was to the tune of the old fifties hit, "Tammy." He is really good, and
very funny. A friend and old Smithville businessman standing next to me
joked, "Don't ever let Harry get next to a live microphone, or he'll be on
it."

Around two a.m., with shooting still going strong, Sandra Bullock looked,
(to me at least,) a bit like she might have been dragging her tail. Harry
seemed absolutely tireless, and I got the feeling that he was giving her
quite a bit of loving emotional support, to keep her strength and spirits
up. When I saw the movie though, she didn't look tired. She certainly put
on a wonderful performance, and looked great in that last scene, however
tired she may really have been.

One of the more humorous things I felt about it all was the idea that the
script writers probably never gave a thought as to how a town the size of
Smithville, population 3400, could possibly support something as needy for
a larger population base as a temporary employment agency. We don't have
anything of the kind of course. But the building window still has the sign
on it, with an addendum, "Hope Floats shot here, 1997" It is now one of our
town souveniers. Well, this is a bit long, but if any of it is interesting
to you, . . .

Wonderfully written by:
Theodore Pong
Helthe@worldnet.att.net
http://home.att.net/~Helthe