Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 49

SE FridayFebruary 121993Star Tribune A Cities spin on 'Untamed Heart' CELEBRITY MADNESS! TONIGHTI 8PM Guest Appearance by KSTP-TV' Here's a guide to some of the local actors and the roles they played Text by Jeff Strickler and Peter Vaughan Wendy Lubovichl The Twin Cities' Hilarious Whodunit! vs. 'V. WILD WILD WEDNESDAYS! $15 Tickets On Wednesdays in February! i A i "1 mil Nancy Marvy: Caroline's mom Marvy has acted off and on in the Twin Cities area for the past 15 years, often at the original and present Cricket Theatres. She has also appeared at Illusion Theater, the Minnesota Opera and the Old Log Theater. Last summer she was a member of the ensemble of "Woody Guthrie's American Song" at the Cricket Theatre.

James Cada: Bill No. 1, regular patron of the diner Cada got his start in Twin Cities theater in the 1970s as a member of Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop. Since then he has appeared regularly on area stages as a member of the acting company of Actors Theatre of St. Paul and more recently as a regular at the Old Log Theater. He recently left the cast of "All in the Family'' at the Old Log, where he had been performing since September.

I k.r r.T.TVu Mvmir: -1 UMI Is. Gary Groomes: Bill No. 2, another regular patron Groomes started acting at the Old Log Theater as a teenager, but he was best known on the comedy scene, where he was the original master of ceremonies at the former Rib Tickler club in the Minneapolis Warehouse District. He has a knack for impressions, which got him the starring role in the Mixed Blood Theatre's parody of Ronald Reagan, "Rap Master Ronnie." His biggest credit to date was playing Dan Aykroyd in "Wired," the 1989 biography of John Belushi. Claudia Wilkens: Mother Camilla of the orphanage Wilkens arrived in the Twin Cities in 1981 with actor-husband Richard Oooms and was a member of the Guthrie Theater acting company for many years.

More recently she has appeared at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres as Miss Hannigan in "Annie" and at other area theaters, including Actors and Mixed Blood. Last fall she costarred in "Gertrude Stein and a Companion" at the Jungle Theatre and was a member of the ensemble in "Under Milk Wood." Marriott. When you're counting on having a special weekend together. I if i ML Escape to Marriott for a Two For Breakfast Weekend. Our low rates are per night, not per person.

When you pay tr for your stay with the American Express Card you'll also enjoy late (4 p.m.) Sunday check-out, room service breakfast, and 25 savings on dinner. For From Buffy Sedlachek: Lottie (most of her scenes were cut and her character is never identified by name) Sedlachek is an actress-playwright who has been active in local theater since the mid-1980s writing a string of locally produced plays and acting at the Guthrie, Mixed Blood, reservations, call the hotel of your choice directly, your travel agent, or call toll free: 1-800-USA-WKND. And enjoy a special bonus when you use the American Express Card. Marquetta Senters: Mary, a waitress Senters arrived from the Old Creamery Theatre in Iowa in 1986 and almost immediately was cast in "A My Name Is Alice" at Mixed Blood Theatre, where she is remembered for intoning "he did it" to the delight of audiences. She has appeared regularly at Mixed Blood since then, most recently in "King of the Kosher Grocers" and "The Boys Next Door" this season.

Paul Douglas Law: Steven, the boyfriend who dumps Caroline Law has acted at a number of Twin Cities theaters, including Illusion, Brass Tacks, the Great American History Theatre and the Playwrights' Center. Last fall he appeared in the premiere of Buffy Sedlachek's "Heart Songs" at the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing, and last weekend wound up a run in "Power Lunch," being presented by Eyeof the Storm Theatre at the Loring Playhouse. Joe Minjares: Jim, owner of the diner Minjares, the owner of Pepi-to's Restaurant in south Minneapolis, started on the stage in the mid-'80s as a standup comic and soon found himself acting at Teatro de Latino and Mixed Blood Theatre, where he first appeared in "Buena-vista" in 1989. Last fall he appeared in his own play, "King of the Kosher Grocers," at Mixed Blood and followed that by starring in the same theater's "The Road to Nirvana." He is pursuing his acting career in Los Angeles and recently appeared on an episode of Illusion and Chanhassen Dinner Rates from $69 $74 $69 Minneapolis Bloomington 612854-7441 Minneapolis City Center 612349-4000 Minneapolis Southwest 612935-5500 theaters. Her most recent play, "Heart Songs," was premiered by the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing.

She is currently performing a monologue, "Terminal Velocity," as part of "Six Women-No Waiting" at 3112 SOQt. L.J Mil tne Minneapolis i neatre Garage. Dorrt Leave Home Without It 4' Harriott. Minneapolis is a stand-in that became a star HOTELS RESORTS 'SUITES Limited quantities available Thursday thru Sunday night through 51693. (Thursday night requires a Friday night stay.

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For late Sunday check-out, you must advise the front desk by 11 p.m. Saturday. "1993 Marriott Corporation. LJ Ln the principle photography began." Both the main characters work in Jim's Coffee Shop and Bakery on Central Av. in northeast Minneapolis.

Bill saw the diner as more than just a location. "It's a major player in the script," he said. "It's a place where people come together, so it's sort of the spawning ground of our story." The restaurant's regular patrons won't have any trouble recognizing the place. Unlike most locations, which are doctored up by set designers before filming can start, Bill liked Jim's pretty much the way it was. "It's as real as if we had come here to shoot a documentary," he said.

"In fact, we changed the original name of the diner in the script to Jim's." Si and very beautiful city in its own right," he said. "Plus, there's a very strong theater community in Minneapolis, some excellent actors. We were able to do a lot of local hiring." Bill and Sierchio reworked the script to incorporate as many local references as possible. Granted, only viewers in the area will recognize off-the-cuff remarks about such things as the Lowry Tunnel, but Bill said he thinks that such touches make a major addition to the aura of a movie. "We wanted it to be as accurate to the flavor of the area as possible," he said while in town Monday for the movie's premiere.

Bill's embracing of the area even stretched to the cold weather that greeted the cast and crew when they began filming last winter. Some of the night scenes were shot in temperatures that hit 15 below. "We needed the winter for the story," he said. "It was pretty uncomfortable for the actors. Marisa To-mei had to shoot several scenes outside dressed in just a thin waitress dress.

I did start to feel sorry for the actors." One bit of local color almost didn't make it. The script called for a scene to be shot at a North Stars game. A week before filming was scheduled to start, the crew learned that the National Hockey League was considering going on strike. Fortunately, the show's two stars Tomei and Christian Slater already were in town for rehearsals. Bill hurriedly rounded up a crew and got permission to film during a game with the Detroit Red Wings.

"It wasn't that much of a challenge" to shoot during the game, he said. "The challenge was the schedule. We were shooting before By Jeff StricklerStaff Writer Minneapolis started as a stand-in but ended up being one of the stars of "Untamed Heart." The script called for the romance to be set in New Jersey, the home of writer Tom Sierchio. But director Tony Bill wasn't satisfied with the locations available there, so he went looking for a place that could pass for New Jersey. His search took him to Minnesota, where the homes in south Minneapolis were roughly of the same era as those of the working-class neighborhoods he had been exploring out East.

Then he saw the Mississippi riverfront and suddenly changed his mind: He'd shoot the film here, but he'd throw out the notion of pretending it was someplace else and let the city be itself. "It is an architecturally interesting EERRT 1ADV 1 1 1001 'Heart' Actors seem miscast at first, but it works Untamed Heart MINNES0TAG0LF SHOW Tee off from home plate as the Metrodome becomes the world's largest indoor driving range (clubs provided). Over 1 50 exhibits i Golf Marketplace featuring clubs and accessories Introducing The Golf Show Info Center i New Prcxluct Testing Ground I No Waiting at the Free Driving Range I Seminars at the Great Golf Theater 1 Swing Tips from Local PGA Pros THE HOLE-IN-ONE CONTEST For $3 you could win a 1993 Oldsmobile Bravada valued at over $26,000 WORLD'S LONGEST PUTT COMPETITION For $2 you could win a Grand Prize Who: Starring Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei and Rosie Perez; di-rected by Tony Bill Where: Apache, Brookdale Square, Burnsville II, Eden Prairie West, Edina, Elk River, Galtier, Har Mar, Knollwood, Mall of America, Maplewood II, Northtown and St. Anthony Main Review: A sentimental romance about a pair of unlikely lovers. It's a soap opera, but a very nicely done soap opera.

(PG-13) Movl rating 7 become a contractual obligation for anyone wanting to shoot a movie here.) Bill, who also produced the film, is best known for producing, his credits including the Oscar-winning "The Sting" and the Robert De Niro-Jodie Foster hit "Taxi Driver." He started directing in 1980. In addition to "My Bodyguard," he has directed "Six Weeks," "Five Corners" and "Crazy People." The movie was trimmed nearly half an hour down to 90 minutes before its release, and one wonders if the missing footage includes subplots involving the work of local actors. Two in particular Gary Groomes and James Cada get prominent opening credits and yet make only brief appearances. They play a pair of friends who hang out at the diner and tell amusing anecdotes a nice addition but hardly crucial to furthering the story. "Untamed Heart" doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is: a small, melodramatic romance.

On the contrary, it seems quite proud of what it is. And it should be. Continued from page 1E from "Kuffs," Tomei from "My Cousin Vinny" and Perez from "White Men Can't Jump" and getting toned-down, understated performances from them. At first glance, they would seem to have been miscast, but the casting works. The biggest stretch is faced by Slater, whose repressed character barely speaks for the first 40 minutes this from an actor whose trademark is his smart-alecky mouth.

As if that's not enough of a restriction, his character rarely shows any sign of outward emotion. Slater is left to express himself with his eyes and very subtle facial expressions. But he makes it work. The challenge left to Tomei isn't much simpler. The actress who jumped to national prominence last year as a brash, take-no-gruff Brooklynite is asked to adopt a Minnesota accent she does a marvelous job and assume the persona of a woman whose well of self-esteem is running dry.

She nails it. friend (Perez) to set her up with someone else, Caroline develops first a friendship and then a romance with Adam. In the process, she discovers that his stony exterior hides a "sensitive and noble soul." Yes, it's cliched he's running from love and she's chasing it. But the roles are played with enough sincerity to make it credible. Written by first-timer Tom Sierchio, the story originally was set in New Jersey.

He's done a good job of rewriting it to fit Minnesota, making a major slip-up only once: a rainstorm on the day after Christmas, complete with thunder and lightning. It's so out of keeping with our climate that it may produce giggles among local viewers. On the other hand, Bill has made good use of the locale, especially shots along the downtown Mississippi riverfront, which he uses for its beauty Riverplace bedecked In lights and its aura of lonely, late-night danger. There's also a scene at a North Stars game. (Following the success of "The Mighty Ducks." a hockey scene may now Admission Adults 6 Ages 6-12 $3 5-under FREE Show Hours Fri.

Feb. 12 Sat. Feb. 13 Sun. Feb 14 Mon.

Feb 15 Noon to 7 p.m. 10 a.m. 7 p.m. 10 a.m. 6 p.m.

10 a.m. -6 p.m. TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ONLY Slater plays Adam, a man whose congenital heart condition has made him reclusive and withdrawn. He washes dishes at Jim's Coffee Shop and Bakery in northeast Minneapolis. Tomei is Caroline, a waitress at the diner who seems perpetually doomed to failed romances.

Dumped by her latest boyfriend and despite the efforts of her best lOtdsmobile the Power Of intelligent Engineering..