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Providence Stories

By Mandy Frye

Far from the glitz and glitter of Hollywood or the grit and glamour of New York City, Rhode Island has surprisingly much to offer major filmmakers. Finding a metropolitan location in which to shoot a city scene is possible in any state. However, few offer such diverse film locations within an hour’s drive of their most urban city. Majestic mansions, sandy beaches, rural farmland, historic buildings, universities, and seaside villages are all within easy reach of Providence. These benefits, along with generous tax incentives passed by the General Assembly in 2005, have made Rhode Island a popular location for the entertainment industry.

High Society
Newport and South County boast many opulent and impressive estates that have provided backdrops for movies dating back to 1956, when Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra competed for the attention of Grace Kelly in High Society.

Rhode Island’s socialite class was again featured in the 1974 film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, The Great Gatsby, filmed at Rosecliff Mansion in Newport. In the film, Mia Farrow and Robert Redford frolic in Narragansett Bay.

Newport doubled as the small, wealthy community where residents became intrigued by the mysterious healing powers of a recent Yale graduate. Theophilus North was played by Anthony Edwards in the 1988 Mr. North.

Wealthy Newport resident Claus von Bulow was depicted in the 1990 drama, Reversal of Fortune.

In the 1998 three-hour epic, Meet Joe Black, Anthony Perkins portrayed a wealthy media mogul who grudgingly served as host to “Death,” played by Brad Pitt. The estate of Perkins’ character, shown in the opening and closing scenes of the film, were filmed at Aldrich Mansion in Warwick Neck.

Natives Bring Their Success Home
Bobby and Peter Farrelly were born in Cumberland, Rhode Island and they have made many of their major movies in the state. In 1994, the brothers scored an enormous hit with Dumb & Dumber. The slapstick comedy starred Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels and featured an uncredited cameo appearance by the Big Blue Bug (aka New England Pest Control’s Nibbles Woodaway). In 1998, the Farrelly brothers returned to shoot There’s something about Mary, which became the third-highest-grossing movie in North America that year. Recognizable Rhode Island locations in the film included the Hot Club and Kennedy Plaza. The following year, Peter Farrelly’s largely autobiographical screenplay, Outside Providence, the University of Rhode Island campus served as the fictitious boarding school in the story. Me, Myself and Irene starred Jim Carey as a cop working for “the best police force in the world,” the Rhode Island State Police, and contained many familiar Rhode Island scenes.

Seth McFarlane, creator of the animated series, Family Guy, was born in Connecticut. He attended the Kent School, the same school attended by Peter Farrelly and fictionalized in his book Outside Providence. McFarlane studied animation at Rhode Island School of Design, which inspired the setting and main character, Peter Griffin, in his 1999 FOX animated comedy.

James Woods, native of Warwick, starred in the 1996 drama, Killer: A Journal of Murder, which was filmed at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI).

Flops and Hits
The Farrelly brother’s There’s Something About Mary is the film universally credited with catapulting Ben Stiller into the limelight in 1998, though he was certainly no stranger to the big screen.

And while the brothers seem to produce nothing but enormously successful films in Rhode Island, not every movie shot in the state goes onto such glory. Scenes from the 1980 epic failure, Heaven’s Gate were filmed in the state. The film died within three days at the box office, giving it the dubious distinction of being "the biggest flop of all time.”

In contrast, the low-budget 1988 movie, Mystic Pizza, named for an actual pizza restaurant in Mystic, Connecticut, helped launch the career of superstar Julia Roberts. While much of the film was shot in and around Mystic, some scenes featured Westerly and Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

I’ll Be Back... or Not
The sequel to the popular 1994 spy thriller True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by James Cameron, was shot partly in Rhode Island. But, it was put on hold following the 9/11 terrorist attacks because it seemed an action/comedy involving spies and international terrorism was inappropriate for the climate of the day. Schwarzenegger’s political aspirations squelched later rumors that a sequel was forthcoming. Given the star’s re-election as governor of California in 2006, a True Lies 2 is improbable.

Looking to the Past
Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film, Amistad, explored the horror of slavery while depicting the violent revolt of African captives on a Spanish ship in 1839. The bloody conflict resulted in the arrest and trial of the slaves involved. While most of the actual events of the landmark civil rights case depicted in the DreamWorks film took place in Connecticut, the majority of Amistad was shot in the state of Rhode Island. The Statehouse is used to depict the U.S. Capitol. Locations in Newport, including Trinity Church and Queen Anne Square, doubled for locations in New Haven, Connecticut, where the Amistad Africans were jailed and stood trial.

Here and Now
From the more recent past, Underdog is currently shooting in Rhode Island. The movie is based on the animated television series that premiered in 1964 on NBC and continued in syndication until 1973. Directed by Frederik Du Chau, the family adventure/comedy film will depict how a lab accident infused a rhyming shoeshine boy with mysterious superpowers. “There’s no need to fear. Underdog is here.” If you live or work in Providence, you may have seen film crews at work on this upcoming movie.

The Star Next Door
Rhode Island continues to be a popular location for moviemakers and many Rhode Island natives have jumped at the opportunity to appear as extras in these blockbuster films. Watch closely the next time you visit the theater. You just might see your local bank teller or dental hygienist on the big screen.

Movies with Rhode Island scenes:
American Buffalo (1996)
Amistad (1997)
Buddy (2005)
Complex World (1990)
Domino One (2005)
Dumb & Dumber (1994)
Evening (2007)
Federal Hill (1995)
Hard Luck (2006)
Heaven's Gate (1980)
High Society (1956)
K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
Killer: A Journal of Murder (1996)
Lolita (1962)
Me, Myself & Irene (2000)
Meet Joe Black (1998)
Mermaids (1990)
Mystic Pizza (1988)
Outside Providence (1999)
Providence (1999 TV series)
The Age of Innocence (1993)
The Dead Pool (1988)
The Great Gatsby (1974)
The Last Shot (2004)
There's Something About Mary (1998)
Thirteen Days (2000)
True Lies (1994)
Underdog (2007)

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