A Timely Look at Tenn...

U & Me & Tennessee

- an American romance...

The Story of how we made the movie...

I mentioned (in previous posts below) synchronicity in regard to U & Me & Tennessee. As we struggle to complete post-production and have the film ready for the RAINDANCE Festival in September, the coincidences just keep on occurring. Tennessee Williams is still news.

Earlier this year the second volume of Tennessee's Selected Letters was published (Google it). A few months ago the 6 DVD set of movies based upon his plays and original filmscripts was released in the States. This week saw the British release. Despite having "gone on to greater rewards" in 1983, Tennessee Williams is now. He would no doubt be tickled by this state of affairs.

Absent from Selected Letters Vol. 2 is any correspondence between Tennessee and Konrad Hopkins. But that correspondence exists, spanning the years 1952 - 1956. And these letters, together with Konrad's harrowing, delightful and moving reminiscences, form the bedrock of our movie.

When Konrad first wrote to Tennessee in the spring of 1952, he was serving as a sergeant in the USAF, having enlisted to avoid being drafted and sent to Korea (his strategy worked!). The letter was simply a fan letter - but thoughtful - and Konrad wrote intelligently and movingly about one subject very close to Tennessee's heart - the poet Hart Crane.

Tennessee wrote back immediately, and his letter contained a truly startling revelation.

From then on - well, their correspondence prefigured by half a century the internet romances of today.

The whole story - from its fervent, hopeful beginning to its terrifying climax and disheartening denouement - along with some fascinating detours into the Greek myths, the New York literary scene in the '50's, James T. Farrell, Gore Vidal, Burt Reynolds and a chilling (but very funny) episode with Pulitzer prize winning playwright William Inge - will be laid out for all to experience in - U & Me & Tennessee, a timely - and clear-eyed - look at Tenn.

Copyright Paul Birchard 2006 All Rights Reserved.