ENTERING A STATE OF `GRACE' : A LABOR OF LOVE BY DIRECTOR, LEAD ACTRESS.Byline: Amy Dawes Daily News Staff Writer A movie about New York's Brill Building The Brill Building (built 1930) is an office building located at 1619 Broadway in New York City, just north of Times Square. The Brill Building (named after the Brill Brothers, who owned a clothing store on the street level and who later bought the entire building from its songwriting scene that uses none of the actual pop songs from that era? That's what the makers of ``Grace of My Heart'' have pulled off, in a movie jam-packed with new songs that sound like they came from that scene, and in some cases were written by the same composers. ``It's a fictional movie inspired by the real thing,'' said writer-director Allison Anders. ``It would have been very confusing to have these fictional characters This is a list of fictional characters. It has been expanded into the following lists:
Composer Gerry Goffin, who along with partner and then-wife Carole King was one of the premier songwriters of that era, contributed three tunes, collaborating on one with the couple's daughter, recording artist Louise Goffin Louise Goffin is a singer/songwriter and multi-instumentalist. Signed by legendary record executive Lenny Waronker to Dreamworks in 2001, Louise released her critically acclaimed CD Sometimes a Circle on Dreamworks in 2002, produced by her husband Greg Wells. . King herself, however, was not involved in either the music or the script, which features a female songwriter loosely inspired by her life and career. ``At one point I did want to interview her, but it was kind of hard to get together, and we never managed to do it,'' Anders said. ``It wasn't an issue of not being able to get the rights to the stories or the songs; it was an issue of whether or not to use them, and I wanted to keep it fictional.'' Anders did approach some of the other figures involved. ``(Composer) Cynthia Weill turned us down because she has her own Brill Building script,'' Anders said. ``My feeling was, well, I'm just writing a fantasy about the Brill Building, and yours will be the real thing.'' Still, Anders had no shortage of enthusiastic collaborators. Among them was actress Illeana Douglas Illeana Douglas (born July 25 1965) is an Emmy award nominated American actress. Biography Personal life Douglas was born Illeana Hesselberg in Quincy, Massachusetts, daughter of Joan and Gregory Douglas. , who plays the lead role. Douglas, perhaps best-known for her role as the sardonic sister in Gus Van Sant's black comedy ``To Die For,'' had been impressed by Anders' debut feature, ``Gas Food Lodging.'' ``I just liked her viewpoint in terms of women, and I approached her and said I wanted to work with her,'' said Douglas, who has written and directed some short films of her own. Anders wound up writing the part in ``Grace of My Heart'' for Douglas, with whose performance she is thrilled. ``She has this irony and wry wit, and this strength that is really feminine,'' Anders said. ``She's a woman's woman, but I find that men also respond to her.'' Weirdly enough, it was at the Brill Building that Douglas, who is the granddaughter of actor Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg (April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981), better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor who won all three of the entertainment industry's highest awards, two Oscars, one Tony and an Emmy. , got her first tiny break as an actress. She was working as an assistant to notorious New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of film publicist Peggy Segal at the venerable 1619 Broadway address when she learned that filmmaker Martin Scorsese Noun 1. Martin Scorsese - United States filmmaker (born in 1942) Scorsese was in the building and was looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. actors to provide background voices for a scene in ``The Last Temptation of Christ The temptation of Christ in Christianity, refers to the temptation of Jesus by the devil as detailed in each of the Synoptic Gospels, at Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13. .'' ``Peggy knew that I was an aspiring actor, and she suggested that I go down the hall and try out,'' Douglas said. She got the job and continued working with Scorsese as an actress in movies such as his ``Cape Fear'' and the independent film ``Search and Destroy,'' which he executive produced. So when Douglas and Anders were in search of a high-profile executive producer for ``Grace of My Heart,'' they took it to Scorsese, and he agreed. As for Segal, they hired her to publicize the film. ``So now she's finally working for me,'' Douglas said with a laugh, completing the full circle story. Though Douglas is grateful for Scorsese's involvement - his main role was to protect the script from studio interference, she said - she also finds it somewhat ironic that his presence was required. ``It's strange that you have to bring Martin Scorsese onto a project so that you can tell a woman's story the way you want to tell it,'' she said. ``Allison and I have no clout in Hollywood. We would not have gotten this movie made without him.'' Not all of the movie was inspired by the Brill Building scene. Anders says she took some inspiration from the career of Joni Mitchell, who was part of the singer-songwriter movement that helped bring the pop tunesmith tune·smith n. One who composes melodies, especially for popular songs. era to an end. Mitchell, who contributed a song to the movie's soundtrack, watched about 10 minutes of the movie and told Anders that, unlike the character Denise in the movie, she got little encouragement for her ``confessional'' songwriting style from men. ``She said it was the opposite, that they told her she should keep some of that stuff about herself out of her writing,'' Anders said. ``She said her male peers were horrified hor·ri·fy tr.v. hor·ri·fied, hor·ri·fy·ing, hor·ri·fies 1. To cause to feel horror. See Synonyms at dismay. 2. To cause unpleasant surprise to; shock. that her writing was so revealing.'' Anders also showed part of the movie to Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson, who, she said, seemed unfazed un·fazed adj. Not fazed or disturbed. by the scenes that showed a character apparently inspired by him struggling with mental illness. ``It didn't seem to upset him in the least,'' Anders said. ``I think to him it was just, `Yeah, that's life. I've been there.' '' Brill Building songwriters built hefty catalog of hits Here are some of the songs that made the Brill Building famous. The list includes the recording artist and its top chart positions, as compiled from Joel Whitburn's ``Record Research,'' and based on Billboard's Pop chart. An ``r number '' indicates the song's position on Billboard's Rhythm & Blues chart. This list originally appeared in ``The Rolling Stone rolling stone Noun a restless or wandering person Illustrated History of Rock and Roll.'' Songs by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich ``(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry,'' Darlene Love Darlene Love (born Darlene Wright, July 26, 1941, Los Angeles, California) is an American popular music singer. Career She began her singing with her local church choir. (Philles; number 39, 1963) (with Tony Powers). ``Da Doo Ron Ron,'' Crystals (Philles; number 3, 1963) (with Phil Spector). ``Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home,'' Darlene Love (Philles; number 26, 1963) (with Phil Spector). ``Be My Baby,'' Ronettes (Philles; number 2, 1963) (with Phil Spector). ``Then He Kissed Me,'' Crystals (Philles; number 6, 1963) (with Phil Spector). ``The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget,'' Raindrops (Jubilee; number 17, 1963). ``Baby, I Love You,'' Ronettes (Philles; number 24, 1963) (with Phil Spector). ``Chapel of Love,'' Dixie Cups (Red Bird; number 9, 1964). ``Maybe I Know,'' Lesley Gore Lesley Gore (born May 2, 1946 in New York City as Lesley Sue Goldstein) is an American singer-songwriter of the "girl group era". She is perhaps best known for her 1963 pop hit, "It's My Party," which she recorded at the age of 16. (Mercury; number 14, 1964). ``Do Wah Diddy Diddy,'' Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British Beat, R&B and pop band of the 1960s, named after its South African keyboard player and founder, who later led the (Ascot; number 1, 1964). ``Leader of the Pack,'' Shangri-Las (Red Bird; number 1, 1964) (with Shadow Morton). ``Give Us Your Blessings,'' Shangri-Las (Red Bird number 29, 1965). ``River Deep - Mountain High "River Deep - Mountain High" is a 1966 single by Ike & Tina Turner. Considered by producer Phil Spector to be his best work, "River Deep - Mountain High" was commercially unsuccessful upon its original release in the US but was a huge hit in the UK peaking at #3. ,'' Ike and Tina Turner  The of this article or section may be compromised by "weasel words".You can help Wikipedia by removing weasel words. (Philles; number 88, 1966) (with Phil Spector). ``Hanky Panky,'' Tommy James and the Shondells Tommy James and the Shondells was a popular 1960s American rock and roll group. They had two number one singles in the U.S. - "Hanky Panky" (1966) and "Crimson and Clover" (1968) - but also released five other top ten hits, including "I Think We're Alone Now," "Mony Mony," and (Roulette; number 1, 1966). Songs by Gerry Goffin and Carole King ``Will You Love Me Tomorrow,'' Shirelles (Scepter scepter symbol of regal or imperial power and authority. [Western Culture: Misc.] See : Authority scepter denotes fairness and righteousness. [Heraldry: Halberts, 37] See : Justice ; number 1, 1960). ``Some Kind of Wonderful,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 32, 1961). ``Halfway to Paradise,'' Tony Orlando Tony Orlando (born April 3, 1944) is an American singer best known for his time with the group Dawn in the early 1970s. Born Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis to a Greek father and a Puerto Rican mother, he was raised in Manhattan's then-notorious Hell's Kitchen. (Epic; number 39, 1961). ``Take Good Care of My Baby,'' Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee (born April 30 1943) is an American pop music singer. (Liberty; number 1, 1961). ``Run to Him,'' Bobby Vee (Liberty; number 2, 1961) (by Keller-Goffin). ``Crying in the Rain,'' Everly Brothers (Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) .; number 6, 1962) (by King-Greenfield). ``When My Little Girl Is Smiling,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 28, 1962). ``Her Royal Majesty,'' James Darren (Colpix; number 6, 1962). ``The Loco-Motion,'' Little Eva Eva Narcissus Boyd (June 29, 1943 – April 10, 2003), known by the stage name of Little Eva (after a character from Uncle Tom's Cabin), was an American singer. (Dimension; number 1, 1962). ``It Might as Well Rain Until September Until September is a 1984 romantic drama set in France. It stars Karen Allen as an American tourist in Paris who falls in love with a married Frenchman (Thierry Lhermitte). External links ,'' Carole King (Dimension; number 22, 1962). ``Up on the Roof,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 5, 1962). ``Chains,'' Cookies (Dimension; number 17, 1962). ``Keep Your Hands Off My Baby,'' Little Eva (Dimension; number 12, 1962). ``Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby),'' Cookies (Dimension; number 7, 1963). ``One Fine Day,'' Chiffons (Laurie; number 5, 1963). ``Hey Girl,'' Freddy Scott (Colopix; number 10, 1963). ``I Can't Stay Mad at You,'' Skeeter skee·ter n. Chiefly Southern U.S. See mosquito. See Regional Note at possum. [Shortening and alteration of mosquito.] Davis (RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. Victor; number 7, 1963). ``I'm Into Something Good,'' Herman's Hermits Herman's Hermits were an English rock band in the 1960s, formed in Manchester in 1963. Part of the British Invasion, their trademark simple, non-threatening and clean-cut "boys next door" image made them easier to listen to and more accessible than other British Invasion bands. (MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. ; number 13, 1964). ``Oh No Not My Baby,'' Maxine Brown (Wand; number 24, 1964). ``Just Once in My Life,'' Righteous Brothers (Philles; number 9, 1965) (with Phil Spector). ``Don't Bring Me Down,'' Animals (MGM; number 12, 1966). ``Pleasant Valley Sunday,'' Monkees (Colgems; number 3, 1967). ``A Natural Woman,'' Aretha Franklin (Atlantic; number 8, 1967) (with Jerry Wexler). Songs by Howard Greenfield and Neil Sedaka ``Stupid Cupid,'' Connie Francis (MGM; number 17, 1958). ``The Diary,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 14, 1958). ``Oh! Carol,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 9, 1959). ``Stairway to Heaven,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 9, 1960). ``Another Sleepless Night,'' Jimmy Clanton (Ace; number 22, 1960). ``Calendar Girl,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 4, 1960). ``Little Devil,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 11, 1961). ``Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 6, 1961). ``Charms,'' Bobby Vee (Liberty; number 13, 1963) (by Greenfield-Miller). ``Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,'' Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor; number 1, 1962). ``Rumors,'' Johnny Crawford (Del-Fi; number 12, 1962) (by Greenfield-Miller). ``Foolish Little Girl,'' Shirelles (Scepter; number 4, 1963) (by Greenfield-Miller). Songs by Leiber and Stoller ``Real Ugly Woman,'' Jimmy Witherspoon (Modern; 1950). ``Too Much Jelly Roll,'' Floyd Dixon (Aladdin; 1951). ``Hard Times,'' Charles Brown (Aladdin; r number 7, 1952). ``Hound Dog,'' Willie Mae ``Big Mama'' Thornton (Peacock; r number 1, 1953). ``Smokey Joe's Cafe,'' Robins (Atco; r number 13, number 79, 1955). ``Black Denim Trousers,'' Cheers (Capitol; number 6, 1955). ``Ruby Baby,'' Drifters (Atlantic; r number 13, 1956). ``One Kiss Led to Another,'' Coasters (Atco; number 73, 1956). ``Lucky Lips,'' Ruth Brown (Atlantic; r number 12, number 26, 1957). ``Dancin','' Perry Como (RCA Victor; number 76, 1957). ``Searchin','' Coasters (Atco; r number 1, number 5, 1957). ``Young Blood,'' Coasters (Atco; number 8, 1957) (with Doc Pomus). ``Idol With the Golden Head,'' Coasters (Atco; number 64, 1957). ``Fools Fall in Love,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 69, 1957). ``Loving You,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor; number 28, 1957). ``Jailhouse Rock,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor; r number 1, number 1, 1957). ``Treat Me Nice,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor; number 27, 1958). ``Don't,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor; r number 4, number 1, 1958). ``Drip Drop,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 58, 1958). ``Yakety Yak,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 1, number 1, 1958). ``Jack o' Diamonds,'' Ruth Brown (Atlantic; r number 23, number 96, 1959). ``Love Potion No. 9,'' Clovers (United Artists r number 23, number 23, 1959). ``Charlie Brown,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 2, number 2, 1959). ``Along Came Jones,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 14, number 9, 1959). ``Poison Ivy poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, woody vines and trailing or erect shrubs of the family Anacardiaceae (sumac family), native to North America. ,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 1, number 7, 1959). ``I'm a Hog for You,'' Coasters (Atco; number 38, 1959). ``Run Red Run,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 29, number 36, 1959). ``What About Us,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 17, number 47, 1959). ``Dance With Me,'' Drifters (Atlantic; r number 2, number 15, 1959). ``Kansas City,'' Wilbert Harrison (Fury; r number 1, number 1, 1959). ``Saved,'' LaVern Baker (Atlantic; r number 17, number 37, 1961). ``You're the Boss,'' LaVern Baker and Jimmy Ricks (Atlantic; number 81, 1961). ``Little Egypt,'' Coasters (Atco; r number 16, number 23, 1961). ``Girls Girls Girls,'' Coasters (Atco; number 96, 1961). ``Stand by Me,'' Ben E. King (Atco; r number 1, number 4, 1961). ``My Clair de Lune clair de lune n. 1. A pale, grayish-blue glaze applied to various kinds of Chinese porcelain. 2. The color of such a glaze. ,'' Steve Lawrence (United Artists; number 68, 1961). ``I Keep Forgettin','' Chuck Jackson (Wand; number 55, 1962). ``She's Not You,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor, r number 13, number 5, 1962) (with Doc Pomus). ``Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor, number 55, 1962) (with Doc Pomus). ``Rat Race,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 71, 1962) (with Van McCoy). ``I'm a Woman,'' Peggy Lee (Capitol; number 54, 1963). ``Is That All There Is,'' Peggy Lee (Capitol; number 11, 1969). ``Love Potion No. 9,'' Coasters (King; r number 23, number 76, 1971). Songs by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil ``She Say (Oom Dooby Doom),'' Diamonds (Mercury; number 18, 1959) (by Mann-Anthony). ``Footsteps,'' Steve Lawrence (ABC-Paramount; number 7, 1960) (by Mann-Anthony). ``Who Put the Bomp,'' Barry Mann (ABC-Paramount; number 7, 1961) (by Mann-Goffin). ``I Love How You Love Me,'' Paris Sisters (Gregmark; number 5, 1961) (by Mann-Kolber). ``Uptown,'' Crystals (Philles; number 13, 1962). ``Conscience,'' James Darren (Colpix; number 11, 1962). ``Johnny Loves Me,'' Shelly Fabares (Colpix; number 21, 1962). ``Patches,'' Dickie Lee (Smash; number 6, 1962) (by Mann-Kolber). ``My Dad,'' Paul Petersen (Colpix; number 6, 1962). ``He's Sure the Boy I Love,'' Crystals (Philles; number 11, 1962). ``Blame It on the Bossa Nova,'' Eydie Gorme (Columbia; number 7, 1963). ``I'll Take You Home,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 25, 1962). ``Walking in the Rain,'' Ronettes (Philles; number 23, 1964) (with Phil Spector). ``Saturday Night at the Movies,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 18, 1964) (with Phil Spector). ``We Gotta Get Out of This Place,'' Animals (MGM; number 13, 1965). ``Home of the Brave,'' Jody Miller (Capitol; number 25, 1965). ``Magic Town,'' Vogues (Co & Ce; number 21, 1966). ``Kicks,'' Paul Revere Revere, city (1990 pop. 42,786), Suffolk co., E Mass., a residential suburb of Boston, on Massachusetts Bay; settled c.1630, set off from Chelsea and named for Paul Revere 1871, inc. as a city 1914. and the Raiders (Columbia; number 4, 1966). ``(You're My) Soul and Inspiration,'' Righteous Brothers (Verve; number 1, 1966). ``Hungry,'' Paul Revere and the Raiders (Columbia; number 6, 1966). Songs by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman ``I'm a Man,'' Fabian (Chancellor; number 31, 1959). ``Teenager in Love,'' Dion and the Belmonts Dion and the Belmonts were a leading American singing group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, Freddie Milano, and Angelo D'Aleo - in late 1957. (Laurie; number 5, 1959). ``Turn Me Loose,'' Fabian (Chancellor; number 9, 1959). ``Hushabye,'' Mystics (Laurie; number 20, 1959). ``(If You Cry) True Love, True Love,'' Drifters (Atlantic;number 33, 1959). ``Hound Dog Man,'' Fabian (Chancellor; number 9, 1959). ``Go, Jimmy, Go,'' Jimmy Clanton (Ace; number 5, 1959). ``This Magic Moment,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 16, 1960). ``Save the Last Dance for Me,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 1, 1960), ``I Count the Tears,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 17, 1960). ``Surrender,'' Elvis Presley (RCA Victor; number 1, 1961). ``Sweets for My Sweet,'' Drifters (Atlantic; number 16, 1961). ``Seven Day Weekend,'' Gary ``U.S.'' Bonds (Legrand; number 27, 1962). ``Suspicion,'' Terry Stafford (Crusader; number 3, 1964). CAPTION(S): 5 Photos, Box Photo: (1--Cover--Color) Illeana Douglas stars in A llison Anders' film ``Grace of My Heart.'' (2) ``Grace of My Heart'' recalls many legends of pop music, including Matt Dillon's portrayal of a Brian Wilson-like character, center, seen here while performing on the beach for a video taping. (3) Allison Anders director, ``Grace of My Heart'' (4) John Turturro, left, portrays a music publisher, who here introduces a Carole King-like character portrayed by Illeana Douglas, second from left, to a performing group named the Stylettes. (5) The Drifters scored on the charts in the 1950s and '60s with hits by Brill Building songwriting teams Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Box: Brill Building songwriters build helfty catalog of hits (See text) |
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