Don's Plum

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Don's Plum
Don's Plum FilmPoster.jpeg
Film poster
Directed byR. D. Robb
Written byBethany Ashton
Tawd Beckman
R.D. Robb
David Stutman
Dale Wheatley
Produced byDavid Stutman
Dale Wheatley
StarringLeonardo DiCaprio
Tobey Maguire
Kevin Connolly
Scott Bloom
Jenny Lewis
Amber Benson
Heather McComb
Meadow Sisto
Marissa Ribisi
Nikki Cox
CinematographySteve Adcock
Brian Bellamy
Edited byPaul Heiman
Nabil Mehchi
Music byBlake Sennett
Production
companies
Trust Film Sales
Zentropa Entertainment
Distributed byPolo Pictures Entertainment
Release date
Berlin International Film Festival
February 10, 2001 (2001-02-10)
Denmark
August 24, 2001
Running time
89 minutes
CountriesUnited States
Denmark
Sweden
LanguageEnglish
Box office€6,297

Don's Plum is a 2001 low-budget black and white independent drama film directed by R. D. Robb, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Kevin Connolly.[1] The drama was filmed in 1995–1996, and written by Robb with Bethany Ashton, Tawd Beckman, David Stutman and Dale Wheatley. The film takes place over the course of one night in which a group of young adults discuss life while eating at a diner.

The film was blocked from release in the U.S. and Canada as DiCaprio and Maguire claim that they had only agreed to star in a short film but not a feature film.[2]

Blake Sennett of Rilo Kiley provided the soundtrack for the film. His bandmate Jenny Lewis has a role as Sara.

It is the second film on-screen collaboration between Maguire and DiCaprio, the first film This Boy's Life, released in 1993, and the third film The Great Gatsby, released in 2013.

Plot[]

Don's Plum is centered around a friend group of young twenty year olds who meet at a restaurant called "Don's Plum" every Saturday night. The four male friends usually each bring a girl with them to all hang out. Drama ensues, including verbal and physical altercations between the friends and other members in the restaurant. There is very little concrete plot, with more of a "friends hanging out" movie.

Cast[]

Leonardo DiCaprio as Derek
Tobey Maguire as Ian
Kevin Connolly as Jeremy
Scott Bloom as Brad
Jenny Lewis as Sara
Amber Benson as Amy
Heather McComb as Constance
Meadow Sisto as Juliet
Marissa Ribisi as Tracy
Nikki Cox as Karen
Jeremy Sisto as Bernard
Ethan Suplee as Big Bum

Production[]

Much of the film is improvised.[2] DiCaprio and Maguire were paid $575 per day to appear in the film.

Release issues[]

DiCaprio and Maguire were opposed to having the film released. According to them, the film was pitched to them as a short film but was later re-edited into a feature-length film.[2] Producer David Stutman alleges that Maguire opposed the film's release due to his improvised performance revealing too much about him.[2]

Stutman filed a lawsuit in 1998 against DiCaprio and Maguire.[3] They settled on allowing the film to be released outside the U.S. and Canada, and had some scenes removed.[4]

Free streaming[]

In 2014, Dale Wheatley published an open letter to DiCaprio on the website freedonsplum.com, giving his take on the history of the film and the ensuing legal issues.[5] Wheatley also uploaded the film to the website so that it could be streamed for free.[1] It was removed in January 2016 after a third-party notification by DiCaprio and Maguire claiming infringement.[6] Wheatley made the following statement to Fox News: "It saddens me deeply that in 2016 we witness the senseless oppression of film and art by one of America's most beloved actors". "While the world celebrates — and certainly Americans celebrate — his great achievements in cinema, he chooses to use an iron fist to suppress the work of many other artists including him in a film made 20 years ago."[7] The film can be watched on YouTube.[8]

Reception[]

It premiered on February 10, 2001, in Berlin. Time Out New York writer Mike D'Angelo called it, "the best film [I saw] in Berlin".[9] Variety Magazine called it an "unpleasant and tedious ensemble."[10]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Lyne, Charlie (2016-01-02). "Don's Plum: the film Leonardo DiCaprio would rather forget". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  2. ^ a b c d "Don's Plum: the film Leonardo DiCaprio would rather forget". the Guardian. 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  3. ^ "Producer: DiCaprio Capsized My Film". The Smoking Gun. 1998-06-22. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  4. ^ christophernguyen726 (2019-03-13). "Don's Plum: DVD Vs. Workprint". Bootleg Comparisons. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  5. ^ Dale, Wheatley (2014-09-05). "Don's Plum". Letter to Leonardo DiCaprio. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  6. ^ "Video unavailable". Vimeo. 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  7. ^ Falzone, Diana (2016-01-28). "Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire have film 'Don's Plum' removed from streaming site". Fox News. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
  8. ^ Don's Plum, archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2019-10-16
  9. ^ "Berlin 2011". Panix. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  10. ^ Cockrell, Eddie (2001-02-12). "Review: 'Don's Plum'". Variety. Retrieved 2012-10-18.

External links[]

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