The Good Shepherd (film)
The Good Shepherd is a film directed by
Robert De Niro for a release in
2006. The film is a part fiction/part fact based look at the early history of the
CIA through the eyes of Edward Wilson (
Matt Damon), a character based on
James Jesus Angleton. De Niro developed this film for many years as a pet project and will now sit in the director's chair for the second time in his career. De Niro will also co-star as the general who recruits Wilson, and
Angelina Jolie will play Wilson's wife. De Niro's good friend and frequent co-star
Joe Pesci will come out of a seven year
retirement for a very small cameo role in this film, in his first onscreen role since
Lethal Weapon 4. Filming began in August
2005 in
New-York and finished on 31 January 2006 with a release date set for
December 22,
2006. Although it has not yet been released, it is considered a strong contender for the
Academy Awards, considering it has De Niro, Damon, and Jolie involved. The film also stars
Alec Baldwin,
William Hurt,
Jason Patric,
Timothy Hutton,
Keir Dullea, and
Billy Crudup.
*
Matt Damon as Edward Wilson
*
Angelina Jolie as Clover Wilson
*
Robert De Niro as Gen. Bill Sullivan
*
Joe Pesci as Joseph Palmi
*
Alec Baldwin*
Michael Gambon as Dr. Fredericks
*
William Hurt*
Timothy Hutton*
Alec von Bargen as
Fidel Castro*
John Turturro*
Billy Crudup*
Keir Dullea*
Jason Patric as Ned Scott
|
Angelina Jolie as Clover Wilson and Matt Damon as Edward Wilson |
Edward Wilson, the only witness to his father's suicide and member of the
Skull and Bones Society while a student at
Yale, is a morally upright young man who values honor and discretion, qualities that help him to be recruited for a career in the newly founded Central Intelligence Agency. While working there, his ideals gradually turn to suspicion influenced by the
Cold War paranoia present within the office. Eventually, he becomes an influential veteran operative, while his distrust of everyone around him increases to no end. His dedication to his work does not come without a price though, leading him to sacrifice his ideals and eventually his family.
Although the entire plot is not clear, some parts of the movie are known because of the large number of extras in the
Dominican Republic and their involvement. A major part of the film will involve the
Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, and Edward Wilson will appear in scenes in Cuba. The movie will also involve the assassination of a Congolese leader and a revolution that occurs in the
Congo, as well as CIA efforts to supress the uprisings.
* The Good Shepherd has a strong De Niro-Scorsese connection.
Leonardo DiCaprio worked with De Niro on both
This Boy's Life and
Marvin's Room, and he was originally set to play Edward Wilson but dropped out.
Matt Damon replaced him, having just finished work on director
Martin Scorsese's
The Departed which also stars DiCaprio and cast member
Alec Baldwin who was also in
The Aviator, starring DiCaprio and directed by Scorsese including
Gangs of New York.
The Good Shepherd is directed by
Robert De Niro who has worked with Scorsese on several films most famously with
Taxi Driver and
Raging Bull, which also features cast members
Joe Pesci and
John Turturro. Actor
Jason Patric has also worked with De Niro on the 1996 drama
Sleepers. Angelina Jolie also provided a voice alongside Martin Scorsese in Shark Tale.
* During the years in development hell, Roth's script earned the informal honour of being 'Hollywood's best unproduced script'.
* Joe Pesci is coming out of acting retirement to take a part in the film.
* Most of the filming took place in the Dominican Republic. The house of former dictator
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo was used to film scenes of an army barracks, and the beaches were used to represent Cuba. Additionally, a scene taking place in the
Congo in the film was shot in the northern area of Constanza with Haitian extras. A heated motorcycle chase culminating with an assassination was supposed to be filmed in Constanza as well, but the scene was cancelled due to the level of danger involved. Some shooting also occurred in the Adirondack region of upstate New York (specifically, the Eagle Bay/Old Forge area) although it is unknown how much, if any, of this footage will be present in the film.
* Edward Wilson Jr (Damon & Jolie's son) at age 13 is played by
Colin Bates, who is currently starring in the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical in London's West End.
* The house that the exteriors and interiors of the Wilson home were shot in Munsey Park, New York. The producers for Mr and Mrs. Smith also attempted to use this residence for shooting but were denied by the village as taping laws were strictly enforced. Angelina Jolie was involved in both of these projects.
*
The Good Shepherd at the
Internet Movie Database.
*
MID Foundation provided cultural consultancy and dialect coaching for this production.
