Half-Assed Internet Research
Rewrites; endings; auditions; stutter and improvisation; Oscar field; budget and gross; locations
In the discussion (15)
Approx. transcript time · 00:14:03Read transcript
- Gere and Norton reportedly reshaped the roles through rehearsal, with producers emphasizing Gere’s character preferences.
- Norton recalled rejected endings in which the lawyer punched the client, trapped him with a recorder or otherwise regained the upper hand.
- Gere reportedly insisted the final image show his defeated lawyer with sagging shoulders, rather than a redemptive victory.
- The coveted young-actor role reportedly attracted 2,100 auditions, compared with School Ties and Scent of a Woman opportunities.
- Connie Britton reportedly encouraged Norton to audition after he had encouraged her to try The Brothers McMullen; she was reading for the Maura Tierney role.
- Norton added the stutter to distinguish his audition.
- Norton said the widely circulated audition tape secured his Woody Allen and Larry Flynt roles before Primal Fear opened; he compared its fame to a Nirvana demo.
- Norton’s supporting-actor Oscar rivals were Woods in Ghosts of Mississippi, Mueller-Stahl in Shine, Macy in Fargo and winner Gooding in Jerry Maguire.
- The reported budget was $30 million and gross $102 million.
- Hoblit reportedly insisted on stage actress Linney for the part.
- The original cut reportedly exceeded three hours before being shortened.
- The stutter was absent from both book and script.
- Norton reportedly improvised shoving Gere against the cell, producing genuine surprise.
- Norton reportedly improvised the slow clap.
- The police-station exterior was also used for Hill Street Blues, on which Hoblit worked.