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 Wimbledon Production NotesShe's the golden girl. He's the longshot. It's a match made in...
Britain's Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) has never quite lived up to his dreams of tennis stardom. Once ranked as high as number 11 in the world, the journeyman veteran has watched his number slip to 119 as his confidence on the court slowly ebbs away.
Now, on the eve of his leaving the world of professional tennis, he's granted a wild card, allowing him to play his final Wimbledon tournament…make that his final tournament ever. At one time having faced some of the best players in the world, Peter Colt is now about to face voluntary retirement, a job at a club and a bevy of aging women awaiting tennis instruction in between facials and afternoon drinks.
American Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst), the rising star/bad girl of the international tennis set, is the promising new hotshot playing at her first Wimbledon. Focused, driven and pushed to a level of superlative playing by her equally driven, overprotective coach and father, Dennis (Sam Neill), Lizzie lets nothing get in her way of the win-not a bad call, not an unexpected return and certainly not a short-lived romance with fellow rising American champ Jake Hammond (Austin Nichols).
Lizzie's career trajectory is set to be the best female tennis player in the world, a Grand Slam champ. No other dream will do…and the Wimbledon trophy would be a great place to start. Peter's plans of quiet retirement are put on hold after he arrives at the hallowed courts of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club's Wimbledon Championships. There, after a chance meeting with Lizzie that sparks into an affair, he achieves the unthinkable and wins his first match. Fueled by a mixture of his newfound luck, love and on-court prowess, Peter continues his winning streak, gradually working his way up the ranks while the sport and its fans re-embrace this faded and now refurbished star.
The not-so-young Brit finds that the world indeed loves a winner-and none more so than his usually absent agent, Ron Roth (Jon Favreau)-and he begins to appreciate the long-forgotten taste of victory. For herself, Lizzie soon finds that her penchant for tournament flings may be at an end when she does the unthinkable and begins to fall for this British used-to-be loser with the heart of a winner.
Now if Peter's (and Lizzie's) luck can just hold out...
Wimbledon champions John McEnroe and Chris Evert and commentator Mary Carillo appear as themselves, providing color commentary on the tournament play. With Australian Pat Cash, 1987 Wimbledon champ, also serving as tennis consultant on the film, Wimbledon was granted unprecedented access by The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTCC) to film during the 2003 championships, one of the most watched sporting events in the world.
Joining director Loncraine behind the camera are filmmaking champions in their own right, including director of photography Darius Khondji (Oscar-nominated for Evita), production designer Brian Morris (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), editor Humphrey Dixon (My House in Umbria), costumer Louise Stjernsward (Sexy Beast) and composer Edward Shearmur (Laws of Attraction). The film is executive-produced by Debra Hayward (Love Actually) and David Livingstone.
About the Production
The long history of the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, regarded as the world's leading tennis tournament, began with a “Gentlemen's Singles” match in 1877. For the record, Spencer Gore won from a field of 22 players; around 200 spectators were charged one shilling to watch the final.
The not so long history of the Working Title Films romantic comedy Wimbledon began around 120 years later in the late 1990s, when screenwriters Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin came up with the idea of a love story set amidst the world of professional tennis. They approached Working Title, whose list of successful films, particularly their romantic comedies, had established them as the pre-eminent production company in Europe. The company was intrigued by the project and snapped up the story.
“We loved the idea,” says producer and Working Title Films co-founder Eric Fellner. "The way in which the characters were set up, the fact that it was an `underdog' type of story and the idea of professional tennis serving as the backdrop for this love story-it had all the ingredients to make a great film. It provided us another opportunity to tell an interesting story in an appealing way.”
“Whether you love tennis or hate tennis, it doesn't matter, because this is a story that will entertain audiences,” says producer Liza Chasin, herself an avid player who grew up in Forest Hills, N.Y., near the prestigious West Side Tennis Club (former site of the U.S. Open). “Not only do people love an underdog story, but they love it when the underdog just might end up with the girl, too.”
Balancing all of the elements present in the story would prove a challenge for the filmmaker who would ultimately occupy the director's chair-someone adept at handling the romantic, comedic and dramatic aspects, as well as someone who could capture the sport filmically, presenting it in a way that would “open up” the expected and stereotypical back-and-forth nature of the game. Known primarily for his dramatic films and television projects (My House in Umbria, Richard III, The Gathering Storm), Richard Loncraine might not have seemed at first glance as a perfect fit for the job.
Loncraine himself professes, “I am not an avid sports fan and I haven't really done that much that could be termed romantic comedy. But I was really excited by the project-it had an energy and a freshness about it. And I have to admit that my kids had been saying to me, `Dad, can you make a movie that we might want to go and see?'”
Fellner and the producers felt strongly that Loncraine would be an excellent choice to helm the project and cemented his participation. Fellner offers, “Richard is a great storyteller. He's a fantastically visual storyteller and we wanted someone who could not only tell the story with depth and emotion, but also tell it in an interesting, cinematic way. Richard was a marvelous choice to direct.”
Loncraine embraced the challenge of not only working in the genre, but also overcoming many obstacles in filming scenes involving tennis, most of which would be played on some of the most honored ground in sports. “I really wanted to have a go at doing a comedy of this sort and I thought it would be new and a bit difficult for me. I mean, with a comedy, if they don't laugh, it's not funny, then you've screwed up. It was a real challenge making a romantic comedy like this-probably as hard as anything that I've done. It's been hard sometimes, but marvelous as well.”
And the tennis element?
“If you're doing a monster movie about a 50-foot-high pterodactyl, nobody really knows what that looks like. But they know exactly how a tennis ball bouncing on Centre Court looks,” observes the director. “Basically, it's almost like making two movies. Doing a romantic comedy, you think, `Fine, the comedy comes out of reality, it springs from the truth.' Good, I can film that, no problem. Then, you've got a story involving tennis, which seems somewhat straightforward but is really a complex game to photograph-you haven't got a team of people, you've got two trained, almost ballet dancers who don't move much from beyond the base line, at least in more modern tennis.”
But before tackling the challenges of on-court filming, Loncraine and Wimbledon's producers proceeded with moving the script forward, ensuring that the world of professional tennis would be rightly served, and filling the roles with actors at home in both worlds presented in the story.
Adam Brooks-the screenwriter of such romantic comedies as French Kiss who also worked on the upcoming adaptation of Helen Fielding's bestseller, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason-was brought onboard to update the script. Brooks observes, “Working Title brought me in to work on this fantastic story. I have to say it's been one of the most productive development processes that I've ever been involved with. Wimbledon, I think, really fits very strongly into their tradition of charming English romantic comedies that also travel well abroad, particularly in the States.”
As the script crept towards finalization, the filmmakers sent copies to a number of top tennis players and others heavily involved in the sport, including Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and John McEnroe. “What was great was they came back with very few notes-that in fact, most of it was, in spirit and in detail, true to the life that they knew on the tour and the actual mechanics of tennis,” says Brooks.
Pat Cash, the Australian who won Wimbledon in 1987 and eventually came aboard the project as tennis consultant, remembers, “Obviously, since it's a movie, there is some artistic license. But it was pretty accurate with regard to the world of the players and the atmosphere at Wimbledon.”
Loncraine adds, “If you're going to make a film about tennis, you could possibly get away with it not being precisely accurate-but why would you? McEnroe, Cash and other tennis players contributed. Adam Brooks, our screenwriter, and producer Liza Chasin are big fans of the sport, so their knowledge-along with the players' thoughts-all added to trying to make the atmosphere, the circumstances, some of the things in the players' lives we could make them.”
When it came to casting the leads, the filmmakers were looking for actors who first could portray believable tennis players and who, second, had the right chemistry together on-screen. American actress Kirsten Dunst was cast as Lizzie Bradbury and British actor Paul Bettany was slotted as Peter Colt.
Fellner says, “Kirsten is one of the leading American actresses at the moment and we were lucky in that she really liked the screenplay. Paul's work has been of an incredibly high standard and after meeting him, we felt that he would be great in the role. We put them together for a small screen test and there was immediate chemistry-they really liked each other, looked very good together and they really fitted the roles. Everything really lined up.”
The production felt so strongly in their leads that they were willing to wait until both actors' schedules could accommodate the Wimbledon filming schedule-principal photography commenced more than a year after their casting.
“We cast Kirsten and Paul,” comments the director, “and then we waited for them to complete a project apiece. So it was a matter of waiting a little over a year. But it was something we wanted to do. They really got on with each other and displayed that indefinable `chemistry' that is so important in a romantic film.
“I think Paul has got the right look and the right energy, with an easygoing attitude that conceals a champion's spirit, just waiting to spring into action,” Loncraine continues. “Kirsten has proved herself time and again since she was a little girl-she has the magic. And the camera loves them both.
Dunst explains what drew her to the film: “I really liked the script-it was a smart romantic comedy and I also like the elements of the tennis. I think there is something really sexy about tennis-it has an elegance to it. I am also a big fan of the producers and I knew they would make a good love story.”
Dunst also welcomed the chance to work with Bettany. “He is so talented. It's rare that you get to work with actors like that and it makes you work all the harder.”
Although the actress had scant little experience playing tennis, she felt that she was up for mastering some of the basic mechanics of the sport. Attracted to the character of Lizzie, she was ready to take on the physical challenges of the role.
“I found Lizzie very interesting and a lot of fun to play,” she says. “Here's this champion who has shut out the possibility of love from her life in the interest of winning. She's competitive and aggressive. And then she meets Peter, whom she really respects. Up to that point, she's been able to use men and throw them away and it hasn't really bothered her. But she's able to let herself fall in love with Peter, and that changes everything.”
Bettany had not worked in a romantic comedy before (and never in a “sports” film, either), so the role of Peter Colt was something completely new to him. “The script struck me as clever and funny,” says Bettany. “I've never done a sports movie and I've never done a sort of comedy/drama, so I thought it would be a challenge. In building a character, it's about approximating the role; every job you do is only a representation of something. My last film I played a ship's surgeon, but I wouldn't want to operate on anyone. So with training, I thought I could approximate being a tennis player, even though I'm not. And the falling in love bit, well, that's the easy part.
“Kirsten's character feels that she can't have a career and a relationship at the same time,” continues Bettany, “while my character actually plays better tennis once he's fallen in love with her. I think it's one of the interesting things that was built into the script.”
In addition to the material, the actor was also interested in working with director Loncraine. “I really like Richard a lot. He's a real straight talker and shares the process of filmmaking with you completely, which makes doing a film with him a great experience. I think he's done a brilliant job of helping to maintain that lightness of touch that is crucial to this kind of romantic comedy.”
With the romantic leads set, the filmmakers turned their attention to the supporting roles. Accomplished actor Sam Neill was cast as Lizzie's father, Dennis, and American actor/director Jon Favreau as Peter's sports agent, Ron Roth. Respected British actors Eleanor Bron and Bernard Hill were cast to play Peter's parents; Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Walder was brought in to play Dieter, Peter's best friend and practice partner; and American newcomer Austin Nichols was cast as Jake Hammond, the men's singles champ to beat at Wimbledon, who also happens to be Lizzie's ex-boyfriend.
“There were quite a few things that attracted me to project,” explains Neill, “not the least of it being Richard Loncraine is a really good director and a very nice man. The idea of filming this enjoyable story in England in the summer-that sounded good to me as well. And there's something absolutely magical about the Wimbledon tournament and it's been an honor to just be on these grounds and be able to walk out onto Centre Court and just breathe it in.”
“What's fun about being in a movie like this,” comments Favreau, “is that it opens up another world that's steeped in tradition-one that I wasn't that familiar with, and the more I learn, the more interesting it becomes. Also, the notion of being the first film in more than 20 years that's been set at Wimbledon is incredibly exciting. Richard has laid in a very personal love story with two wonderful actors up against the backdrop of this historic place. Although I guess you could say it's a movie that takes place around a tennis tournament, it's really a love story about two very compelling characters who are going through a lot, personally and professionally…and they just happen to be really good professional tennis players.”
To reinforce the authenticity of the movie, esteemed tennis champions and commentators are used in the film to cover the matches played out in the story. American commentator Mary Carillo, Wimbledon veteran John Barrett and Wimbledon Champions John McEnroe and Chris Evert stepped in to play themselves and add a note of veracity to the sports coverage aspect of the film.
Their on-screen participation impressed Loncraine, who says about McEnroe, “He flew in the night before his shoot and instead of going to bed, he came to Wimbledon to play tennis. He played for over an hour and a half, which I believe is his way to get over jetlag-he's incredibly fit. He and the other tennis figures were such an asset to the film. John has a sense of humor about his life and he made quite a few wonderful suggestions that we were able to incorporate into the movie.
Once brought onboard Wimbledon, nearly everyone involved underwent some kind of training to prepare for the physical aspects and challenges presented by the script.
“I'm a bit like most people in England, I believe,” observes Loncraine. “When Wimbledon's on, I watch it and love it. I can't play tennis very well, but I've had lessons to learn. When the project came up, I watched every videotape I could find, I read 20 books on the history of the sport, and I read both Pat Cash's book and McEnroe's book. And I was surrounded by people with a deep love and understanding of the sport, so I really went into each scene knowing what emotion I wanted represented and worked with my team on how that emotion could work into the match-`Will this work, you tell me.' It was quite a good marriage…a few little bits of turmoil along the way, but a good marriage nonetheless!”
Pat Cash was charged with turning the actors (Bettany, Dunst and Nichols) into facsimiles of contending Wimbledon champs. All began a pre-shoot, four month training regime to prepare for the on-screen matches. Cash supplies, “The production needed a tennis advisor, a consultant to choreograph the points and to make sure that Kirsten, Paul and Austin looked like professional tennis players. The goal of this training was to get command of the basics-how pros walk, hold the ball, that kind of stuff-and help them look like real players. The points need to look like real points and the rallies have to be there.
“It ended up being coaching in reverse,” Cash explains, “in that when I start with a player, it's all about getting the ball in the court-it's doesn't matter what it looks like. But since we had the luxury of most of the balls being CG, it came back to making the play look as real as possible.”
Producer Chasin adds matter-of-factly, “We'd burn too much film if we tried to hit an actual ball exactly where we need it to be for a shot.”
Cash concludes, “So our mantra was `Look good first and worry about where the ball goes second.' Sometimes, the ball went over the fence, but the actor got the look right. What was interesting was that we concentrated so much on technique, that eventually the ball started going in the court. I really enjoyed watching them improve. They worked really hard to get it. We had four months to make them look like Wimbledon champions. It would normally take 20 years to do that, so it was a huge challenge.”
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Kirsten Dunst as Lizzie Bradbury and Paul Bettany as Peter Colt in Wimbledon.
