Every now and again, I like to bring up a forgotten or 'passed over' script or project that had every right to move ahead. AGE OF AQUARIUS is one of those. This was... Quite honestly one of the very few scripts that has been attached to Harrison Ford in quite some time that I thought was wonderful. Tis a shame the budget spiraled out of control, perhaps a deferred salary with additional points on the backend for a certain actor could have helped it along, but... well... that's not really realistic. Giving up a sure payday for a 'chancy' one. Let's keep our fingers crossed that material as good as the material Hanks gets, finds it's way to Harrison soon... He needs it.
I must address what I feel to be a grave injustice. I was recently passed a copy of the script for THE AGE OF AQUARIUS, written by Phil Alden Robinson (3rd draft). This was to have starred Harrison Ford & Kristin Scott-Thomas before the plug was pulled due to high budget estimates. The two stars went on to do RANDOM HEARTS instead.
Let me say, if this script is never realized as a film, it'll be a loss for all of us. I found it (forgive me for sounding like a movie ad quote) exciting, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking...sometimes all at once.
A brief rundown: The star of the tale is Harry Sunderland, a mercenary of sorts who goes from war zone to war zone, delivering food & other supplies. The catch is, he's in it for profit rather than humanitarian reasons. With him is a team comprised of various nationalities, among them Katia, a Serbo-Croatian woman. We learn quickly that Harry & Katia are more than just business, and there's a lot of water under the bridge between them.
The story opens in Ethiopia, 1984. From there we're taken to Afghanistan, then Lebanon. Harry repeatedly demonstrates his "diplomatic" skills w/ U.N. officers. customs officials, and local warlords. It's in Africa that Katia reaches her breaking point, telling Harry, "I can't keep following you from war to war, waiting for you to marry me". She leaves the group to return home to Sarajevo.
With Katia gone, we see the dark side of Harry. Years roll by, he continues bouncing around the globe, feeling incomplete without her. At one point he even finds himself in L.A. during the post-Rodney King riots! When civil war breaks out in Sarajevo, Harry finally has a mission he can care about: to go there and try to save Katia.
The entire second half of the script is comprised of the twin storylines of Harry trying to get in, while Katia & her family try to stay alive.
The role of Harry would've been Ford's best in years. Remember WITNESS, how that part played to all his strengths? Same thing here. And let's call a spade a spade...What's the last REALLY GOOD role Ford had had? SIX DAYS, SEVEN NIGHTS? DEVIL'S OWN? SABRINA?
The Katia character is tough & fiercely protective of what she loves, all while hiding a vulnerable soul underneath. As good as I thought Scott-Thomas was in HORSE WHISPERER, she could really kick ass here.
Even the supporting cast is more than just sidekicks for the hero; these are flesh and blood people with their own loyalties.
With movies now routinely breaking the $100 million mark (and someone please tell me how MEET JOE BLACK got there), I don't have a problem if the money is up there on the screen. Here, it would be. But if the budget HAD to be trimmed, I say attack the first third of the script. It's long as is (144 pgs.), and maybe the Ethiopia-Afghanistan-Lebanon section could be folded into one adventure. Sarajevo is the true meat & potatoes of the story.
I can tell you, Harry, there are images in this one I find hard to shake. Hats off to Robinson for not only doing his research, but for spinning a totally compelling tale. Not to go overboard, but this is how I'd imagine CASABLANCA 2, if Rick & Ilsa had stayed together and continued the cause. If this is in your pile of scripts, give it a spin...you won't be sorry.
NOW WILL SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE THIS MOVIE?!?!
"Eel O'Brien".
