Trump in Ghosts Can’t Do It
Colombo, November 10 (The New Indian Express): US President-elect, Donald Trump, had acted in a Hollywood film co-produced by the veteran Sri Lankan film-maker Chandran Rutnam with actress Bo Derek.
It was the 1989 film Ghosts Can’t Do It directed by John Derek It had in the lead, Bo Derek and Anthony Quinn. The film was shot in Galle in South Sri Lanka, Thoddu in the Maldives, and the states of Wyoming and New York in the US.
“John Derek, the Director wrote a scene especially for Donald Trump to play himself in a cameo role. We shot the scene in the Board Room of the Trump Tower. It was a one day shoot and a delightful experience,” Chandran said.
“But the negative got scratched and we had to do it again. Trump happily agreed” Chandran recalled.
In Ghosts Can’t Do It Scott and Kate are happily married despite their 30-year age difference. After Scott suffers a heart attack and is unable to make love, he commits suicide and becomes a ghost that only Kate can see and speak with. To make it possible for Scott to return as a human, they conjure up a plan to have a young man drown so that Scott can take his body.
Bo Derek appeared as Katie Scott, Antony Quinn as Scott, Julie Newmar as Angel, and Donald Trump as himself. Sri Lanka’s versatile actor, Henry Jayasena, also appeared in the film.
Despite the star cast and excellent production values, Ghosts Can’t do It bombed at the box office. It won the Stinkers Bad Movie Award, and Bo Derek the Worst Actress prize. Donald Trump was declared the Worst Supporting Actor at the Golden Raspberry Awards.
Chandran has sent a congratulatory message to Trump on winning the US Presidential election and invited him to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s most experienced and the only international film maker, Chandran Rutnam has been the Line Producer/Production Supervisor on several international productions including the Sri Lankan location shoot of Paramount Pictures’ Indiana Hones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Indochine (1992).
Steven Spielberg once referred to Rutnam as “Our most valued friend in the Far East”.
Chandran has had the distinction of working with David Lean and George Lucas. Rutnam wrote the screenplay, produced, directed and edited the film The Road from Elephant Pass, which was a Finalist Award winner at the New York International Television and Film Awards in 2011. He directed the film According to Mathew starring Jacqueline Fernandez.
Chandran wrote the adapted screenplay and produced and directed, A Common Man with Academy Award Winner Ben Kingsley and Ben Ross. The film was nominated for the four main awards at the Madrid International Film Festival in 2013. The film won the Best Picture, Best Director and the Best Actor Awards in that year.[
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