• SYNOPSIS
• CAST AND CREW
• ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
• ABOUT THE CAST
• ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

 

THE WENDELL BAKER STORY

A MARK JOHNSON / DAVID BUSHELL PRODUCTION

Smart, sweet, hip, and engaging, THE WENDELL BAKER STORY celebrates the precipitous fall and rise of an oxymoronic movie hero - a winning loser who follows his own path. Baker, played by Luke Wilson, one of the screen's most appealing leading men, is a bundle of contradictions. A lovable con man with high ambitions and low energy, Baker likes to dream and scheme about tomorrow, without paying any attention to the realities of today. He embarks on a great comic misadventure that in a sometimes roundabout, but always entertaining, way, leads straight to happy endings. THE WENDELL BAKER STORY boasts a cast of both young and veteran talents, including Eva Mendes, Owen Wilson, Jacob Vargas, Seymour Cassel, Harry Dean Stanton, Kris Kristofferson, Charles Sanders, Eddie Griffin, and Will Ferrell. The film was co-directed by Luke Wilson (who also wrote the script) and his brother Andrew Wilson, produced by Mark Johnson and David Bushell, and will be released by THINKFilm in May, 2007.

A coming-of-age story featuring a perpetually immature adult, THE WENDELL BAKER STORY evokes the wonderfully offbeat and atmospheric classics of the seventies, such as "The Last Detail," "Harold and Maude," "One Flew over the Cukoo's Nest," and "Shampoo." "We always talked about having a seventies feel," says co-director Andrew Wilson. "Wendell Baker is a sort of anti-hero, the kind of character you find in a Hal Ashby or Bob Rafelson film." Born of this classic, part hipster and part "good ole boy," tradition, Baker is a self-styled "retrosexual." "He's the kind of guy I like to be at certain times," says Luke Wilson. "Wendell is real upbeat and never lets anything get him down. In spite of his spotty success record, he's out there trying to be an entrepreneur. He takes an idea and runs with it."

The inspiration for THE WENDELL BAKER STORY came to Luke Wilson several years ago when he was in his home state of Texas: "I was driving down Route I-35 from Dallas to Austin with one funny idea in my head," he explains, "a con artist running an old folks home. On the way back, I had the idea about Wendell Baker driver's license scam." The rest of the story fell into place, propelled by the colorful character at its center.

Wilson was doing a lot of writing while on the location of "My Dog Skip." At the conclusion of the shoot, he gave producer Mark Johnson an early draft of THE WENDELL BAKER STORY, which Johnson liked instantly. At the time, Wilson was not thinking of directing the film, so he and Johnson met with candidates for the job. "At one point, when we had a director ready to sign on, Luke very quietly said to me, 'You know what? I think I want to direct this,'" remembers Johnson. Wilson's oldest brother Andrew recalls, "Over time, Luke realized it was best to keep THE WENDELL BAKER STORY within the family."

That became a literal proposition when Luke Wilson came up with the idea of Andrew Wilson, the eldest of the three Wilson brothers (actor/screenwriter Owen Wilson is the middle brother), acting as his co-director on the project: "I felt that Andrew and I could do it together," he says. Andrew Wilson is an actor who has worked as a documentary filmmaker. Luke Wilson knew his multi-talented brother had great visual flair and taste compatible with his own, and was confidant he would be a collaborator who would truly support his vision for the film. Having a co-director was a practical decision, too. As Andrew Wilson explains, "the idea of Luke being in almost every scene and having to direct at the same time seemed a little daunting."

With the decision that the film was to be a family affair, the Wilson's were ready to move forward with the project. Producer Johnson points out that the film was often stalled because "Luke is too damn successful as an actor - in 2003 alone he starred in four movies. Every time I'd say 'Okay, now we can go make THE WENDELL BAKER STORY,' he'd get a job."

Johnson introduced the brothers to producer David Bushell, with whom he had worked on the comedy "The Banger Sisters." Bushell had worked with one Wilson already - Owen - on a film called THE MINUS MAN and felt an instant connection to the script: "I thought it was smart, sophisticated humor, and different from a lot of other comedies. And I liked the idea of revisiting the 1970's comedy genre - some of my favorite films when I was growing up were from the time."

Luke Wilson had the great pleasure of casting his script with some of his on-screen heroes, several of whom he had envisioned while writing. The process was surprisingly easy for a project that did not have unlimited funds. "With a film of modest means," says Johnson, "you attract them with something else. And, I thought it would have to be relationships that Luke and I had with actors we'd worked with before. The truth is, we didn't need to lean on those relationships or rely on favors because everybody responded to the script. There were a lot of actors whom we thought were way beyond our reach. Then they'd read the script and said, 'I'm in.'"

Seymour Cassel was one of the first actors on Wilson's "wish list." They had appeared in three films together: "Rushmore," "The Royal Tenebaums" and "Stuck on You." A veteran performer who has spent the past fifty years working with remarkable directors such as John Cassavetes, Sam Peckinpah, and, most recently, Wes Anderson, Cassel brings a lifetime of experience to his characterization of Boyd, a tough guy in his golden years. Cassel identified with the role because he shares Boyd's philosophy. "Boyd has a real sense of joy in his life," the actor observes. "And I have that - a lot. Boyd's going to fight it right to the end."

Luke Wilson also admired Harry Dean Stanton and had often gone to see his band play in Los Angeles. He remembers introducing himself to Stanton at a party while he was writing WENDELL BAKER and receiving the actor's famous "thousand yard stare," something he now recognizes as a quintessential Harry Dean Stanton reaction. Stanton shared a scene with Owen Wilson in "The Big Bounce," and from that moment on, was a Wilson insider. "I became accepted in the family," says Stanton, although the Wilson's probably view it the other way around - that they had passed the test with one of their favorite actors.

There was instant chemistry between Cassel and Stanton, who play longtime buddies Skip and Boyd. Their on-screen exchanges are a facsimile of the real life banter and interplay producer David Bushell compares to Jackie Gleason and Art Carney on "The Honeymooners." "Cassel and Stanton have known each other for forty years," says Bushell, "and we've been able to capture the essence of their off-camera relationship on camera. It's pretty genuine." "It's very reminiscent of 'The Odd Couple,'" agrees Stanton. Adds Cassel, "I have known Harry a long time, and he's a consummate actor. He has a different way of working than I do. I kind of jump into it and then say, wait a minute, maybe I shouldn't be doing that. But Harry approaches everything with an open and inquisitive mind."

The multi-talented Kris Kristofferson is another Wilson idol - someone who's songs and films the brothers loved while growing up. He was deemed ideal for the role of Nasher, a mysterious, reclusive, Howard Hughes-type. He, in turn, became a fan of the Wilson's, beginning with the script. "It's a wonderful script," Kristofferson enthuses. "The best I've read in a long time. And it has everything I like in writing. I haven't changed one word of my dialogue, which I usually do all the time." Kristofferson's skills as a pilot added a nice touch of authenticity to his performance. "It makes a difference sitting in a cockpit with Kris Kristofferson, knowing that he could actually fly the plane," says Luke Wilson.

The casting of these legendary actors in THE WENDELL BAKER STORY helped to establish the tone and atmosphere the filmmakers desired. "It was a nice connection to the movies we liked from the 1970s - people like Seymour and Harry Dean and Kristofferson were in a lot of the movies we admire. It was incredible to see them in a scene together, knowing they have been in scenes together in some of my favorite movies of all time," observes Andrew Wilson.

Rising star Eva Mendes plays Wendell's sweetheart Doreen. "Eva is always the ideal woman," says Andrew Wilson. "She's obviously beautiful and a really nice person. I think these qualities - and her soulfulness - come across in the movie. "She was really good about talking to me and helping to define her character," adds Luke Wilson. "We talked about Doreen a lot and it really made me think about her and her relationship with Wendell."

For the role of Reyes, Wendell's best friend and partner in the driver's license racket, the filmmakers were interested in Jacob Vargas because they had seen his work in "Traffic." A viewing of his audition tape landed him the role over the phone without even a meeting. The chemistry between Vargas and Luke Wilson was so good that the classic sidekick role expanded. Instead of being just a straight man, Reyes got to be a little crazy, just like Wendell. "There were a lot of great casting choices by Luke in this film," Andrew Wilson notes, "and I think Jacob is one of the best ones. We did not know him personally prior to the film, but he turned out to be the kind of guy who would definitely be your best friend."

Another role that was tailored for the actor was that of Neil King, the dastardly nurse who rules Shady Grove. "I wrote the part of Neil King for my brother Owen without ever really telling him until late in the game," says Luke Wilson. "I knew Owen could take it and make it more, so I wrote it simply. And he did just that - made it a lot more." Andrew Wilson agrees: "Owen was incredible. We did Owen's scenes in the first couple of weeks and we had a great time. It was the perfect way to get started because he was so funny."

Comedian Eddie Griffin was cast as Neil King's assistant, McTeague, and though the two had never worked together, as Mark Johnson puts it: "Owen Wilson and Eddie Griffin were like a comedy duo who'd been working together for 20 years. They just fed each other lines and clearly could have kept going even after we turned off the camera." Other small roles were filled with big talents, like country music star Billy Jo Shaver as one of the nursing home residents.

To prepare for the shoot, the co-directors watched all those films from the seventies they admired. They designed THE WENDELL BAKER STORY to include visual cues, such as cars from the period with passengers not wearing seatbelts, to keep the time frame ambiguous. The brothers relied on their Director of Photography, Steve Mason, to establish a look for the film. Their goal was for the comedy to be subtle, so they did not want to shoot the film any differently than a drama. "Wendell Baker takes himself seriously, even though he is a bit of a rogue character, and that is how we wanted the movie to look - cool and not silly, letting the comedy come from the characters rather than the look," says Andrew Wilson. As a result, the film is shot in a straight, naturalistic style.

THE WENDELL BAKER STORY is set in Austin, Texas, and the Texas-native co-directors and both producers were in favor of shooting there. The decision to shoot in and around Austin was made simpler by the fact that both Bushell and Johnson had worked there previously (for Johnson, WENDELL marks his fifth feature in Austin). And, as Luke Wilson explains, "there are certain intangible advantages to shooting in the actual place you are portraying, despite pressure to shoot. Of course, someone always says 'Why not do it in Bakersfield,' or something like that. But Texas really does play a part in the film, and we cast good Texas people all of the small roles."

When shooting began in the fall of 2003, there was not a formal plan for how the co-directors would work together. "I have worked with actor-writer-directors a couple of times, but I had never worked with two directors," says producer Bushell. "I wondered if these guys would be able to agree, or if their collaboration would cause confusion and conflict. But it was just the opposite." Luke Wilson agrees that the division of labor fell into place rather naturally. "We never really even sat down and talked about it. I always thought, well, I like talking to actors, and Andrew has a good visual sense." It was a true collaboration, with both brothers shaping the performances as well as the visuals. "It really was a group effort," Luke notes, giving much credit to their director of photography, who was a key player in bringing their ideas to life.

Like Wendell Baker himself, the filmmakers were brimming with ideas. Yet they were amazingly ambitious in attempting to shoot 225 scenes in a mere 35 days. The goal was to shoot everything that was on the page. Many of the scenes in the script were as elaborate as they were numerous, however. In one short scene, for example, Wendell and Reyes were chased in a river by marshals on horseback. Longer sequences called for shooting in a real prison, flying a vintage WWII plane, and re-creating a Caribbean resort, which was conveniently built on the property of a film-loving Austin resident who installed a beach in his backyard.

To tackle some of these challenges, the brothers called upon the family Wilson, enlisting the help of their uncle, Joe Wilson, who was given the job of "Special Operations" and was an all purpose advisor during production. Another Wilson talent called to contribute was their mother, Laura Wilson, a well-known photographer and former collaborator with Richard Avedon. She served as still photographer on the set. "Working with a tight schedule is easier when it's a family project," says Owen Wilson. "Andrew, Luke and I are really close, you know. Luke was living at my house in Santa Monica and Andrew lives over in Venice, so we're around each other a lot. And it makes it nice to kind of be on the same page with the people you're working with. Although, what's really nice is not having to dance around people's feelings and stuff. So you can say, 'I think that's a lousy idea,' and Luke and Andrew aren't going to freak out."

Eddie Griffin offers his unique take on the Wilson family dynamics: "Owen is Jimi Hendrix. He's on nine different planets at the same time. Luke is the loaded gun. Andrew is G.I. Joe. He goes in and gets the mission done. Mom is an artist in the purest form of artist. Uncle Joe is the grounding force of the whole group - the heartbeat that keeps it all moving together. So, all in all, it's a cool family."

Last, but certainly not least, there is Luke's dog, Brother, who makes his acting debut in the role of Junior. Andrew Wilson recalls: "We met a tremendous amount of resistance when we wanted to cast Luke's dog in the role of Junior because he is not a professional actor, but Luke insisted from the beginning that he could do it. But nobody believed him, including me, because Brother has kind of a neurotic quality that I did not think was going to stand us in very good stead on a set. But he has risen to the occasion - I think you'll see that he gives a very sensitive portrayal of Junior the dog." Like Junior, everything about THE WENDELL BAKER STORY is surprising, smart, shaggy, and extremely easy to like.

Terms of Use/Privacy Policy — Copyright © 2005 - 2007 THINKFilm Company Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Designed by:

Debugging...