The credits for this film failed to recognize the contributions of myself and the residents of the Center For The Retarded in Houston.
The film was filmed in Houston and San Antonio. I was hired as a consultant to the film, participated in readings for authenticity as to script and dialogue.
The people in my Independent Living Program at Center For The Retarded, were in the movie.
While sitting in on readings, I suggested several changes to the script to make it more realistic. My suggestions were incorporated into the script. One primary suggestion was to change the occupation of Helen Hunt from a Special Education teacher to a social worker.
As regards Helen: I've never been able to watch her in any other venues since then (I liked her in the movie with Jack Nicholson though -thought she portrayed a real person in that role).
During the script readings, for whatever reason, she walked in to the readings with a very cold attitude. She displayed an annoyance for being there, would not communicate with people, read her lines, came and left without comment, was very negative.
During the filming in San Antonio, when the people from my program were cast as extras as people sitting in the 'nursing home' that Bill was possibly being placed into....Helen totally ignored them, wouldn't communicate with any of us.
On the other hand, Edie McClurg and Mickey Rooney were fantastic. During the filming in San Antonio, Mickey received information that day that the Supreme Court had rejected a decision related to compensations for actors for movies made prior to television presently being aired on television. Mickey was very upset, was extremely irritated. He was scaring my people. I went up to him, told him he was scaring my people with his ravings. He immediately stopped, apologized and went over and talked with each person, gave them extremely genuine affection and conversation, a true gentleman and nice guy.
Edie told a fascinating story during one of our readings about being in Paris and walking across a bridge. A group of kids who had developmental disabilities were walking across the bridge, all holding on to a rope behind their teacher. As Edie walked by them, she heard them talking in French. She expressed her surprise to hear these children with developmental disabilities talking in French, commenting that her mouth dropped open, looking and listening in astonishment that these children were talking in French. She commented on how hard she had been studying French and was so surprised to hear them talking in French until she realized...duh.....their French!
She was an absolute delight, her performance was extremely genuine and real in this movie. She spent a lot of time with the people in my program. They really loved she and Mickey. They didn't know who either of them were, especially who Mickey was in the history of cinema, but they loved them both; with the love that only people with developmental disabilities can provide unconditionally and honestly.
The ending credits show the real Bill meeting people at the Center For The Retarded in Houston.
