  THE LONE GUNMAN: Brad Pitt as Jesse James. |
You'll have to be quick on the draw to spot actor Brad Pitt when he drops by next week to shoot a few scenes for his movie The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Pitt, who plays James in the film, will be in Winnipeg just one day, unit publicist Lee Anne Muldoon says.
"Probably even half a day. He's going to fly in and work and fly out, so he won't have time to do anything."
Still, the Pitt stop makes up for the city's loss when a plan to shoot Pitt's 1994 film Legends of the Fall here was scuttled over objections to cutting down a few young trees in the Exchange District.
Four young trees could be on chopping block this time, too. But City public works spokesman Bob McDonald says two choke cherry trees and two basswoods on Princess Street -- all between four and six years old -- may be spared.
"It's looking good that we won't have to cut any down," McDonald says, adding the production company would pay enough to replace the trees and plant four or five new ones.
Crews are already building Wild West storefronts on Princess for a shot of James' funeral procession. Scenes will also be shot on Albert Street, on Garry Street between Portage and Graham Avenues and at Pantages Playhouse and Burton Cummings Theatre.
Locations manager Sarah Jane Cundell says Winnipeg will stand in for Kansas City and St. Joseph, Mo., Baltimore and New York.
"A lot of them will be (shots of) Jesse James being able to walk unrecognized through different cities, as he was able to do."
Pitt, 41, is bound to be recognized, but security will be tight. Winnipeg Police Service special events co-oridinator Kevin Cisaroski says off-duty police officers will man about 25 locations to control traffic and keep sightseers at bay.
Casey Affleck, brother to Ben, plays Ford, who shot James in the back of the head in 1882 and later tried to earn cash by mounting a staged re-enactment with his brother Charly Ford. That stage show will be recreated at the Burt.
Sam Shepard plays Frank James and Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) plays Jesse James' wife Zee. Robert Duvall, Sam Rockwell and Garret Dillahunt (Deadwood) are also in the movie, the bulk of which has been shot in Alberta.
Still, the city expects the movie to bring in about $2.5 million for rental cars, hotel rooms -- including 2,000 room nights at the Fairmont Hotel -- lumber and other goods and services.
The Exchange District set will be covered in sand and about 300 local extras will be used, along with about 40 horses and 20 carriages.
City film and cultural liaison Kenny Boyce said street lights, hydro poles and parking meters are being removed starting Saturday -- crews will start to restore them Wednesday night -- with the film company paying "tens of thousands" in costs.
Several blocks will be closed off between Bannatyne and Cumberland avenue and Hargrave and King streets from Saturday until Oct. 26; Garry Street will close from Saturday until Monday at 3 p.m., and Cumberland north of Burton Cummings Theatre will be closed from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.
Pitt, who was raised in Missouri, is a producer on the Warner Bros. film, based on the book by Ron Hansen.
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