Hollywood hits Haverhill

Fri, May 16 2008

— Hollywood is returning to the city where movie mogul Louis B. Mayer got his start.

Warner Bros. will film several scenes in Haverhill for a major motion picture comedy starring Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe and Ricky Gervais, who co-wrote the script.

Filming for "This Side of the Truth" will take place May 6 through 8 at the Merrivista Senior Community assisted-living complex at 100 Water St., Mayor James Fiorentini said.

Several residents of the five-story, red brick building overlooking the Merrimack River will be offered a chance to appear as paid extras in the movie, the mayor said. The building is just east of downtown.

Movie producers also are negotiating to film scenes at Linwood Cemetery and at a Haverhill church, but those arrangements have not yet been finalized, said Fiorentini, who declined to identify the church. The producers also are talking to Andover officials about filming scenes in that town, with the Andover Inn among the possible locations, Andover Planning Director Paul Materazzo said.

Gervais, a British comedian best known for his role as David Brent in the BBC original version of "The Office" television comedy series and the recent HBO series "Extras," is the only major actor in the movie expected to film in Haverhill.

Gervais also co-wrote the script about a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain, according to a plot outline on the movie Web site IMBD.com.

Fiorentini called the news an economic and cultural boon for Haverhill. He said the city has tried several times unsuccessfully to convince Hollywood studios to film here, and finally the effort is paying off.

"It's not just the few actors that will be here, it's the scores of production workers that accompany these productions," Fiorentini said. "All of the crew needs hotels to stay in, meals to eat and places to buy things. The crew requires tent rentals and other supplies. The spillover effect for local merchants is tremendously positive."

The old Glynn Memorial Nursing Home was in the running for a scene in movie director Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" until producers realized the wing of the building they had heard about in their research was torn down years ago. The scene ended up being shot at Medfield State Hospital, as well as in Boston and Taunton. That movie, which is being produced by Paramount Pictures, stars Leonardo DiCaprio.

Haverhill has a rich past in the movie-making industry. Mayer opened his first theater in downtown Haverhill a century ago, and owned several theaters here before developing his national film-making empire.

Movie scouts for "This Side of the Truth" chose the nondescript Merrivista complex because they were looking for an interesting but plain building, said the Rev. David Thomas, president and CEO of Merrivista.

The Merrivista scene starts with Gervais arriving at a nursing home to drop off the actress who plays his mother, Thomas said, noting that movie scouts have visited the property several times, most recently Tuesday.

"(Gervais) comes in, talks to the receptionist, stops at the beauty salon and makes his way to the bingo room, where all the residents who want to be extras will be," Thomas said. "The outside shots will show Bradford and the Merrimack River in the distance.

"They were really interested in our big bingo board," Thomas said. "That's definitely going to be in the movie."

Merrivista resident Barbara Mirandette, 71, said she loves bingo and is very excited at the possibility of being in the movie.

Told about the movie for the first time Wednesday, Thelma Post, 87, who also lives at Merrivista, didn't believe it. She thought Thomas was playing a trick on her.

Post said she doesn't play bingo because she doesn't believe in gambling, but that she'd be willing to pretend to play for a chance to be in the movie.

Merrivista resident Frank McKenney's enthusiasm was a little more tempered. He wanted to know if he would get paid, and how much, before committing to be an extra in the movie.

"It was a lot of work pinning down all the details, but I'm excited for the residents," Thomas said.

Fiorentini said the contacts the city made in Hollywood and with the Massachusetts Film Office while trying to entice other film crews here in recent months laid the groundwork for landing the Warner Bros. movie.

"Hollywood studios recognize what Haverhill has to offer," he said. "We have natural diversity with urban neighborhoods and rural settings, expedited permitting, convenient highways, a great business climate and a host of historic buildings and institutions."

Haverhill has been mentioned in a recent film called "Little Children" that was shot, in part, in Massachusetts. In the movie, a man and a woman go on a date and eat in a restaurant in Haverhill but it wasn't filmed here.

Fiorentini said he had been making arrangements to accommodate the logistical challenges involved with hosting a film crew, including parking and security needs. He said Warner Bros. will reimburse the city for any costs associated with the production.

Plot: A world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.

Haverhill filming locations: Merrivista senior citizen residence, 100 Water St.; Linwood Cemetery and a local church (under negotiation)

Photos

The Merrivista building, a retirement community at 100 Water St., will be a location set for the filming of a movie called "This Side of the Truth. Staff photo