Movie filming begins Wednesday
Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
WINSLOW — Fans of Paul Newman and Ed Harris may get a lucky glimpse of the actors Wednesday as they turn out for the first day of filming for the movie "Empire Falls" at Bee's Snack Bar on U.S. Route 201.
Bee's will be the setting of a donut shop in the HBO film, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by former Colby College professor Richard Russo.
Filming will start about 6 a.m. Wednesday and continue all day, according to Kippax "Kip" Lynn, location manager for Falls Films Inc. The cast and crew will return to Bee's Thursday morning for the final half-day of filming at the site, Lynn said.
Crews will try to keep traffic disruptions to a minimum around the diner, but it may be necessary to close routes 137 and 201 for short periods, he said.
"From time to time during the filming we will close the streets briefly," Lynn said. "It will resemble a construction site in impact."
The question most on film enthusiasts' minds these days is whether spectators will be allowed to watch the filming from outside the diner. The answer is yes.
"If people want to watch us work, that's great," Lynn said. "We ask that they stay out of our frame —our picture."
A busy Lynn said Monday that excitement is building as the first day of filming approaches.
"It's like the first day of school —it's going to be fun," he said.
Police Chief Michael W. Heavener said officers will be on hand Wednesday and Thursday to help with traffic. The idea is to keep traffic noises to a minimum at certain times, he said. He was waiting Monday afternoon to talk with Lynn and iron out details about times for closing streets.
"He's hoping that (the closings) might be 15 or 20 minutes at a time," Heavener said.
Heavener is no stranger to traffic issues around the filming of a movie. As a detective with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department a few years ago, he worked with crews for "Message in a Bottle," a film also starring Paul Newman that was shot in the Pemaquid and New Harbor area.
"I was involved and did participate in the planning and traffic," Heavener said.
Both he and Lynn said they appreciate motorists' patience as police and the film crew work out the bugs of traffic issues Wednesday and Thursday.
"We would appreciate their understanding if the traffic is delayed, and if it's delayed longer than anticipated," Heavener said. "It is the first day of filming and glitches will have to be worked out, and we just ask for their patience and understanding."
Winslow Town Manager Edward A. Gagnon said he thinks it's great that the town was chosen for part of the movie.
"It puts us on the map," he said. "It's actually good for central Maine that they're filming here."
In the film, Harris plays Miles Roby, who runs the Empire Grill in a small town struggling from the closing of a shirt factory. Newman plays Max, Roby's 70-year-old, ne'er-do-well father who sponges off his son whenever the opportunity arises.
In the fifth chapter of Russo's book, father and son share a cup of coffee at the doughnut shop, one of Max's favorite hangouts, as he has an insatiable sweet tooth and likes the fact that the shop has no rules about smoking.
The comedic scene includes the appearance of Jimmy Minty, the annoying town cop, who arrives in a cruiser and in usual fashion, bumps his fender into the building before he gets out to join the Robys inside.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com