Anna Maria festival stars local movies
CARL MARIO NUDI
Herald Staff Writer
ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The Sarasota glitterati have nothing on this barrier island community.
If the art and culture center to the south can have a film festival, so can Anna Maria Island, says the local historical society, which will hold a series presenting five movies at least partially shot on the island or in Cortez village.
The first film will be "Isle of Destiny," a 1920 movie filmed on the southern end of the island. It will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Holmes Beach City Hall commission chambers, 5801 Marina Drive.
"After our first showing of 'Isle of Destiny' last month, Pat Copeland, our secretary, said there were other films made on the island," said Carolyn Norwood, administrator of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society. "So we decided to have a film festival just like Sarasota."
They may have to find red carpet and dress up society members to stand in as celebrities, Norwood said, but the public is invited to attend.
The historical society already had one public showing of "Isle of Destiny" in November. It was standing-room-only.
Lisa Bradberry, a Florida film devotee, came across it in a 1982 newspaper story.
"The article said a man in New Hampshire bought the contents of a barn," said Bradberry, who lives in St. Petersburg. "Among the stuff was this old film."
She said the man contacted Keene State film studies professor Larry Benequist, who, through research, discovered that the film was made on Anna Maria Island.
The lifelong Florida native contacted Norwood to gather more information and was then asked to speak at its first showing.
"I was delighted to find the residents of the area are interested in their heritage," Bradberry said. "So much of old Florida is disappearing, it's nice to know people want to learn what it was like."
"The Isle of Destiny" was to be the first of many films landowner Paul Gilmore had planned for his movie colony on the south end of Anna Maria Island.
Gilmore owned 40 acres in the "West View" subdivision, which is now part of Bradenton Beach, according to an article on the Clerk of the Circuit Court Web site written by Cindy Russel, the historical records librarian.
After several years and only one more completed movie, Gilmore's dream of making Anna Maria Island the rival of Hollywood dissipated, and he began selling off his lots one at a time, according to the article.
That did not stop moviemakers from rediscovering "paradise" and in 1947 film crews were back on the island for the production of "On An Island With You," starring Esther Williams and Peter Lawford.
This MGM romantic musical is a movie about making a movie in which a Navy lieutenant, Lawford, is the technical advisor for the film and falls in love with the star, Williams.
"Because of this film they built the airport on the island," Norwood said. "The film company needed to bring in big equipment."
To close the deal, Jack Holmes, an island developer, agreed to build the airport, which is now part of the ballpark behind Holmes Beach city hall, the island historian said.
"Esther Williams bought a lot in Holmes Beach after the movie," Norwood said, "but she never built there."
"On An Island With You," also starring Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante, Cyd Charisse and band leader Xavier Cugat, will be shown Feb. 21.
On March 21, the next film in the series will be "A Flash of Green," the real estate developer versus environmentalist saga based on the best-selling novel of the same name by John D. MacDonald.
The 1984 movie, starring Maggie Beistle, Blair Brown and Joe Carioth was filmed on location in Cortez, Norwood said.
The next film in the series, and probably most commercially successful, will be "Great Expectations," on April 18. Scenes from this 1998 modernization of the Charles Dickens classic were filmed in Cortez.
"They completely remodeled (lifelong village resident) Alcee Taylor's home for this movie," Norwood said. "Some of the scenes also were shot at the Ringling mansion, Ca' d'Zan, in Sarasota."
Unlike "Flash of Green," the movie had big-name stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Ethan Hawke, Anne Bancroft and Robert De Niro.
The final film to be shown will be "Palmetto," starring Woody Harrelson and Elisabeth Shue, on May 16. This 1998 movie was about an ex-con who becomes involved in a faked kidnapping scheme.
WHAT: Anna Maria Island Film Festival
WHERE: Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive
WHEN: Various, including:
• "Isle of Destiny," 7:30 p.m. Monday
• "On An Island With You," Feb. 21
• "A Flash of Green," March 21
• "Great Expectations," April 18
• "Palmetto," May 16
COST: Admission is free, but donations accepted
INFORMATION: 778-0492 or 778-1514
