Focus (2001 film) director Neal Slavin
Cast
Production
Photographer Neal Slavin had wanted to direct an adaptation of Arthur Miller's novel Focus since he was a student at art school in the 1960s. In the 1990s, Slavin struck a deal with Miller that if a good screenplay could be written, the playwright would grant him permission to adapt the novel. Slavin commissioned playwright Kendrew Lascelles to write the script, and after some revisions and suggestions by Miller, the adaptation was approved. One of the changes which Slavin made was his decision to root the film "on the outer edges of surrealism and film noir."For the part of Lawrence, Slavin specifically sought out William H. Macy, basing his choice on the belief that the story is a fable about how "people’s perceptions and...intolerance blinds [one] to seeing the [actual] person." Macy hesitated to play the role, saying that he "had a nagging fear that having an uber-Lutheran play a victim of antisemitism might offend someone, thinking we were trivializing the subject." Macy decided to play the role after he consulted his mentor and collaborator David Mamet.The movie was filmed in Toronto, where its producers built a simulacrum of 1940s Brooklyn. Said Slavin, "One of my goals was to build a 'Mary Poppins'-like world, stylizing the setting so that everything looked perfect, so that you felt rather than saw the dark underbelly. You're taken in by the prettiness, but you don't trust it." Editor Tariq Anwar, who had worked on the film American Beauty, was chosen by Slavin to achieve this vision.The film was personally financed by Michael Bloomberg, a friend of Slavin's who was a candidate for mayor of New York City at the time. Slavin said, "Michael read it in one day, called me and said, 'Let's do it.' This movie happened because of him. And it wasn't like he just put the money down and walked away. He was involved in the inspiration every step of the way."
filmmaker movie director film director motion picture director cinema director