Subscribe'Amelia,' starring Hilary Swank, takes flight in 2009, but I already see Oscars in the distance...
I am as excited for next year's "Amelia" — a biopic about Amelia Earhart written by Oscar-winner Ron Bass ("Rain Man"), directed by Mira Nair ("Monsoon Wedding") and starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank along with Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor and Virginia Madsen — as I've been for any film in a long time.
It has long amazed me that there has yet to be a major motion picture about Earhart, who was one of the most famous Americans of the 1930s (through her publicist/husband George Putnam, she became one of the first celebrity product-endorsers), who was one of the first American feminists (just ask Camille Paglia, who has been obsessed with her since childhood) and whose life story, of course, is a riveting tale with an ending that remains something of a mystery to this day.
You can imagine, therefore, how excited I was to be seated next to and have the chance to pick the brain of Nair — one of the loveliest and most underappreciated people in the business — at a luncheon last Tuesday in New York.
Nair reminded me that she had actually planned to be at work on "Shantaram," a big-screen adaptation of an epic novel set in India that was to star Johnny Depp, until the WGA strike forced that production to be shut down indefinitely. When it still looked like "Shantaram" was going to happen, producers had approached her with an offer to direct "Amelia," but she had to say no because of the apparent conflict. Then the project collapsed, and she was thrilled to be approached again for "Amelia" in January, at which time she said yes.
On the day we spoke, she said she was feeling both nervous and excited because "Amelia" was to have it's first test screening the next day in Pasadena. No word yet on how it went, but I'm guessing it did fine considering the tremendous talent involved. We'll be able to judge for ourselves soon enough: the film is set to open Oct. 23, 2009, and will be distributed by Fox Searchlight — and Oscar watchers, you know what that means!
Photo: Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart and Richard Gere as George Putnam in "Amelia." Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Scott Feinberg is a film industry awards analyst. He boasts one of the best track records at projecting the Academy Awards, including a 21 for 24 effort in 2006, first among all pundits according to OscarCentral and Variety. Feinberg, who studied film at Yale University and Brandeis University, is the founder of 
It's kind of crazy how much Hilary Swank looks like Earhart.
Posted by: Robert Hamer | December 13, 2008 at 07:24 PM
SERIOUSLY! Insane...
Posted by: Scott Feinberg | December 13, 2008 at 07:26 PM
Another Oscar for Hilary? We'll see!
Posted by: kenel | December 14, 2008 at 04:03 PM
Oscar time already? This film sounds fantastic!! Mira Nair is a great director, and yes very underappreciated
Posted by: Dylan | February 11, 2009 at 12:24 AM
I live in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, West Wales, UK. I'm dissapointed that no filming took place here, especially as Amelia earhart landed her fokker seaplane 'Friendship'
in our harbour on 18th June 1928. However I am looking forward to the film
Posted by: Kath Coles | February 24, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Mr Feinberg=
I wonder of you have any knowledge &/R info re: the AMELIA soundtrack.
If so, please advise. Thank you.
sNoel E. PARMENTEL Jr
NoelJr@OptOnline.Net
(Will repeat above on your last post)
Posted by: Noel E. PARMENTEL Jr | June 19, 2009 at 12:34 PM