The Ghost Writer

[MacGuffin]

Summit to distribute Polanski's 'Ghost Writer'
Studio nabs North American rights to thriller
Source: Variety

Summit Entertainment will distribute Roman Polanski's thriller "The Ghost Writer" in North American during the first half of next year.

Summit made the announcement Friday.

Polanski produced the film along with longtime collaborators Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde. Summit also acted as foreign sales agent for "The Ghost Writer."

North American rights to "The Ghost Writer" were represented by ICM.

Pic centers on a former British Prime Minister, portrayed by Pierce Brosnan, who is holed up writing his memoirs on an island off the eastern seaboard of the U.S. After his aide drowns, a professional ghostwriter -- played by Ewan McGregor -- is sent out to help him finish the book.

Cast also includes Olivia Williams, Kim Cattrall, Jim Belushi, Robert Pugh and Tom Wilkinson. The pic's based on the novel "The Ghost" by Robert Harris, who joined Polanski in penning the adaptation.

Production is set up as a French-German-UK co-production between RP Films 11, Babelsberg Film and Runteam III. Henning Molfenter, Carl L. Woebcken and Christoph Fisser co-produced along with Timothy Burrill.

Polansksi is under house arrest at his chalet in Switzerland since his release on bail last week by Swiss authorities. Polanski, 76, was arrested in Zurich in September on an international fugitive warrant in connection with the 1977 child sex case.

Polanski, Cattrall, Williams and Belushi are represented by ICM.

[MacGuffin]

[Pubrick]

this has all the makings of a stinker.

that is the cast of a stinker.

[children with angels]

And what the hell is up with McGregor's face?! It looks concave.

[MacGuffin]

Trailer

Release Date: February 19, 2010

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Hutton, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, James Belushi, Eli Wallach

Directed by: Roman Polanski

Premise: A ghostwriter hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy.

[MacGuffin]

New Trailer here.

[pete]

I went solely based on the kicker from Ebert's review--something about a good old-fashioned thriller.
and he was right.  this is pretty classical, except it's got olivia williams as the former first lady of England, which was pretty awesome.
good script, a very restrained movie.  pierce brosnon was fun to watch - his performance was all building up to one little monologue.  I have not seen performances shaped like that in a long time.  I think a pair of performances from ryan phillipe and peter sarsgaard from Breach and Shattered Glass were the last of this kind that I have seen. 

[Alexandro]

Yes, it was such a pleasure to just be in the hands of someone who knows how to make a suspense film with grace, humor and visually inspired touches. The script is pretty tight and gives everyone a chance to shine. Even McGregor is pretty cool here, more than usual certainly. It is an old fashioned thriller and it's a shame there are no more like it. Loved every minute of it.

[pete]

there were plenty like it this year: the red riding series, the millennium trilogy, and the best of them all, Mother.

[Alexandro]

great! I was doubting to see the red riding series and mother. Now they're next.

[Pubrick]

red riding series sucked.

don't know millennium trilogy.

mother was good.

[modage]

Mother sucked.

Millenium trilogy (part 1 was the only one I saw) sucked.

Red Riding was good.

[pete]

I didn't care for the red riding trilogy.  I thought they all looked great but the plots were all very sketchy to bad, which was a weird tradeoff because the acting and everything else was so top-notch.

Mother did not suck.  Jesus dude, it was so good.

but I brought these up just because they're all thrillers made this/last year, and alexandro was looking for them.  even ghost writer was just ok after a while.

I really like the BBC version of State and Play.

Felt like I've had this conversation before.

[Alexandro]

i think ghost writer is a little better than ok. just the elegance of it is refreshing.
polanski is not my favorite filmmaker. I respect his films more than I enjoy them. I own Rosemary's baby and Chinatown but only because they were cheap. I never watch them. He usually leaves me cold for some reason, although The Pianist was really great. Repulsion and Knife in the Water are two films everyone seems to love that I don't really care for. But I enjoy his "american" thrillers like frantic and this because they have their own pace and his twisted sense of humor gives them a nice touch of personality that thrillers usually lack.

now I won't see the damn red riding trilogy, sounds like it's too long for what it will amount to.
mother on the other hand, I've heard mostly positive things.

[SiliasRuby]

A miracle of amazing taut and sharp filmmaking expounds an classical thriller with sleek panache and sweet cleverness. It reminds you of what you loved about Polanski in the first place, his skillful thoughtful direction. He keeps this mystery compelling and interesting. The story feels like it could have come out of the tail end of the '70's rennasaince. Its getting tougher and tougher to do a smart and quick thriller these days and because of Roman's talent this film is a cut above grade A.