Ask the Dust (film)

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Ask the Dust

The movie poster for Ask the Dust.
Directed by Robert Towne
Produced by Tom Cruise
Jonas McCord
Paula Wagner
Written by Robert Towne
John Fante
Starring Colin Farrell
Salma Hayek
Donald Sutherland
Music by Ramin Djawadi
Heitor Pereira
Distributed by Paramount Classics
Release date(s) March 17, 2006
Running time 117 min.
Language English
IMDb profile

Ask the Dust is a 2006 film based on the book Ask the Dust by John Fante. The movie was written and directed by Robert Towne. Tom Cruise served as one of the film's producers. The film was released on a limited basis on March 17, 2006.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The story is set during the Great Depression. Hayek plays a fiery Mexican beauty, Camilla. She is a woman who one day aspires to be above her current standing in society. She wishes to do this by marrying a wealthy man from the United States. Her plan is thrown into disarray when she meets Italian Arturo Bandini (Farrell).

[edit] Cast

Colin Farrell as Arturo Bandini
Salma Hayek as Camilla Lopez
Donald Sutherland as Hellfrick
Eileen Atkins as Mrs. Hargraves (credited as Dame Eileen Atkins)
Idina Menzel as Vera Rivkin
Justin Kirk as Sammy
Dion Basco as Patricio/houseboy
Jeremy Crutchley as Solomon, the bartender
William Mapother as Bill
Tamara Craig Thomas as Sally

[edit] Film Delays

The rights to the novel once belonged to Mel Brooks though they later lapsed. Towne met Fante in the 1970s. This meeting led to his interest in the project. Despite finishing the script in the early 1990s he couldn't find financial backing from a studio. During this time Farrell's role was originally set to be played by Johnny Depp but he dropped out. Later Val Kilmer accepted the role and also dropped out. Another delay was Hayek initially rejecting the role to avoid being typecast as a Mexican immigrant. She accepted the role eight years later.

[edit] Trivia

  • Menzel had to leave her starring role in the Broadway show Wicked when filming began in South Africa.


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