Marc Fienberg convinced Andy Griffith to play the lead role in his first feature film, “Play the Game.”
In fact, Fienberg’s independent film “Play the Game” has garnered enough support to open nationwide next Friday. It will have an early screening this Sunday at the Downtown Cinema Theatre in Mount Airy at 2 p.m.
“It surprised everybody,” Fienberg said with a laugh.
Fienberg was inspired by an experience with his grandfather to write the movie script 12 years ago. The father of four had no previous history or family connection in the film industry. He is a graduate of Northwestern University with a master’s degree in business administration, but he eventually quit his successful business job to pursue his moviemaking dream. He now has his own production company: Story Films.
Now, after five years of raising money and two years of shooting, Fienberg’s first full-length film is ready to be seen by the masses.
He said, “This has really been a labor of love for me and my wife and my whole family ... It was much harder than I ever expected it to be.”
Thirty-nine-year-old Fienberg wrote, directed and produced the film. But despite his limited film experience, Fienberg found an all-star cast for his movie. The lead roles are played by Griffith, Paul Campbell, Marla Sokoloff, Liz Sheridan and Doris Roberts.
“It wasn’t my big name in Hollywood that attracted them. It was the script,” he explained.
“There are not a lot of roles out there that celebrate seniors and show them living an active life ... I think they wanted to show this on the screen.”
The plot centers around young David (Campbell) who teaches dating tricks to his widowed grandfather, Joe (Griffith). Joe soon becomes the ladies’ man of the retirement home but teaches his grandson a lesson of his own — that in love you shouldn’t play games. Fienberg had a similar experience with his grandfather years ago. Now Andy Griffith plays the part of his grandfather. Ironically, his grandfather’s favorite actor was Griffith.
Fienberg said, “There’s a small part of me that thinks maybe that wasn’t coincidence.”
The director speaks very highly of working with Griffith: “It’s fantastic. It was also scary and nerve-wracking and intimidating beyond belief. I was literally stumbling over my words at times. He’s been doing this since before I was born. I wanted him to be proud of it ... He was really patient with me.”
When Griffith voiced his approval of the finished product, Fienberg knew his film was a success. He does think that some people may be surprised by Griffith’s role, though.
“I should say that if you’re expecting to see Andy Taylor in Mayberry you’ll be sorely disappointed,” Fienberg warned. “As I frequently say, ‘We ain’t in Mayberry anymore.’”
The film focuses on senior love, companionship and sex, which he realizes makes some people uncomfortable.
Fienberg said: “In my own situation ... I was very uncomfortable hearing the details about (my grandfather’s) love life. Then it sort of hit me. My grandfather’s been alone for four years and depressed for four years. Now overnight he’s a new man. When you focus on that aspect it’s really a touching, beautiful thing to see an 85-year-old go through the same emotions as a highschooler. And that’s what the movie is all about.”
But in the end, Fienberg believes the main purpose of the movie is not to make a statement, but to make people laugh. The low-budget film went through a testing period in theaters in Florida and saw huge success. It ran there for three months and made $370,000 in the box office. “Play the Game” was also a success at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Favorite Award, and at the Santa Fe Film Festival, where it won a similar award.
“People are really embracing the movie,” Fienberg noted.
“Play the Game” opens in 15 cities on Aug. 28. If it meets the same success that it did in Florida, the movie will expand to 50 cities and 200 screens. The movie is rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.
Fienberg is already working on his next project, a comedy called “The Machine.” He said he gets many offers now to direct commercials and short films. Having seen success of his own, Fienberg now has advice for aspiring directors and screenwriters.
He said, “I think the best advice is two things, both clichés but both true: ‘Just do it,’ and number two, ‘Don’t give up.’ You’ve got to decide that it doesn’t matter how many hurdles get in your way.”
Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or at 719-1952.
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