Killing 'em Softly

Killing 'em Softly is a 1982 Canadian thriller film directed by Max Fischer, starring Irene Cara, George Segal, Clark Johnson and Nicholas Campbell.[1] It is most noted for production problems which led to it becoming one of the first Canadian films ever to be released direct to video,[2] and led to a court case over production funding which was not resolved until 1995.[3]

Killing 'em Softly
Directed byMax Fischer
Produced byClaude Léger
Written byLeila Basen
Max Fischer
Based onThe Neighbor by Laird Koenig
StarringIrene Cara
George Segal
Clark Johnson
Nicholas Campbell
Music byArt Phillips
CinematographyFrançois Protat
Edited byJean-Guy Montpetit
Fabien D. Tordjmann
Release date
1982
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Based on Laird Koenig's novel The Neighbor, the film's plot centres on the girlfriend of a murdered man, who falls in love with her boyfriend's killer.[1]

Production

The film was originally announced with the working title Neighbor,[3] and was originally slated to star Peter O'Toole in the role that Segal ultimately played.[1] Due to cost overruns, however, producer Claude Léger approached Télé-Métropole and the Dutch firm Mueller International as guarantors for a $3.15 million loan from the Mercantile Bank of Canada.[3] When a dispute emerged over story rights, Mercantile Bank called in the loan, bankrupting Léger.[4] Mercantile Bank then sued Télé-Métropole and Mueller International to recover its costs, and gave the film a minimal theatrical run under the title The Man in 5A,[1] before selling it to Palan Entertainment for $480,000.[3]

In 1989, the Quebec Superior Court ordered Télé-Métropole to pay $4.6 million to the National Bank of Canada, which had by this time acquired the Mercantile Bank.[4] Télé-Métropole appealed the decision to the Quebec Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision in 1995; with compound interest, however, Télé-Métropole was now ordered to pay $8 million.[3]

Screenwriter Leila Basen acknowledged in good humor that she had written what was widely considered "the worst Canadian movie ever made".[5] According to Basen, however, "at least the script for The Man in 5A was good. The problem was that the producers ran out of money. I paid to see the movie at a theatre - and asked for my money back at the end."[5]

Awards

Campbell received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 4th Genie Awards in 1983.[6] Writing for Cinema Canada, critic J. Paul Costabile stated that the nomination had been given "for no discernible reason".[1]

References
  1. "Max Fischer's 'The Man in 5A'". Cinema Canada, September 1983.
  2. "New film premieres on video". Ottawa Citizen, February 22, 1986.
  3. "Tele-Metropole ordered to pay $8 million for film fiasco". Montreal Gazette, May 27, 1995.
  4. "Tele-Metropole ordered to pay bank for film deal that became a legal fight". Montreal Gazette, June 2, 1989.
  5. "TV scripts earn living for `housewife'". Montreal Gazette, September 8, 1991.
  6. "Top Genie prospects for Bill Miner movie". The Globe and Mail, February 10, 1983.
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