Homecoming For 'American Buffalo'

When Michael Corrente's screen version of David Mamet's "American Buffalo" comes to the Sag Harbor Cinema tomorrow, it will, in a sense, have traveled full circle.

Back in 1988, Mr. Corrente, who was a theater director for over a decade before breaking into film, wanted to produce "American Buffalo" on the stage at the Sag Harbor Cinema. Yes, there is a stage there, and this would have been the first live theater to grace it.

The plan didn't come to pass. But six years later, the Sag Harbor director got a chance to put his mark on the play in a different medium.

Mamet's Influence

David Mamet's "American Buffalo," the verbally charged story of Donny, a junk shop owner planning a big heist with the assistance of his young gofer-surrogate son, Bobby, and "Teach," a poker buddy who wants to cut Bobby out of the action, had deeply influenced Mr. Corrente. Were it not for Mr. Mamet's play, Mr. Corrente said, he might never have been inspired to turn his own one-act play into the full-length film "Federal Hill."

But he did, directing as well as writing his first feature film, and it was screened at the 1994 Hamptons International Film Festival. A hard-edged coming-of-age movie set in the Italian section of Providence, R.I., "Federal Hill" is shot in black and white.

After the screening, the producer Gregory Mosher came up to Mr. Corrente to say how much he had enjoyed it. And at a party later, Mr. Corrente talked with Mr. Mosher, a longtime collaborator with Mr. Mamet, about "American Buffalo." There had been discussion of turning it into a screenplay for quite some time.

No Kidding

When Mr. Corrente told Mr. Mosher how important the play had been to him, the producer suggested he direct the film. Although no stranger to Mr. Mamet's work, Mr. Corrente was so new to film he "absolutely thought Mosher was joking," he said.

At the party promises were made - a phone call and a meeting with Mr. Mamet after the festival - but still, Mr. Corrente doubted there would be a follow-up.

"Sure enough he called," Mr. Corrente said. A meeting with Mr. Mamet was arranged and the two "got along like gangbusters."

Mr. Corrente would direct, Mr. Mosher would produce, and John Sloss would be the executive producer. The film was produced in association with Dustin Hoffman and Murray Schisgal's company, Punch Productions, and much of the production crew from "Federal Hill" was tapped for "American Buffalo."

Trio Of Stars

Before long an impressive trio of actors was assembled. The Academy Award-winning Mr. Hoffman would star as Teach, with Dennis Franz, a Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner as Donny, and young Sean Nelson, who had starred in the stirring independent film "Fresh" when he was just 12, as Bobby.

Production information reveals that Mr. Hoffman, having just finished "Outbreak," at first turned down the starring role. But the young director wouldn't take no for an answer. He went to Mr. Hoffman to make a passionate pitch for what he saw as one of the three greatest male roles in American theater. It worked.

Mr. Franz, who stars in the Emmy-winning television series "N.Y.P.D. Blue," came on board shortly after. As a former stage actor and a friend and admirer of Mr. Mamet, he was anxious to work on "American Buffalo." The producer and director worked the shooting around his break from the TV series.

As for Sean Nelson, he so impressed the two that they gave the 15-year-old the part usually played by an actor in his 20s.

The film premiered in New York in September.

"I feel very fortunate to be dubbed the guy to direct 'American Buffalo,'" Mr. Corrente said Monday, of working with such big names of the stage and screen for his second-ever feature film.

"And here it is, back in Sag Harbor," he said.