UPDATE: Harvey Weinstein To Further Exploit Dame Judi’s “M” Role To Lose ‘Philomena’s R Rating
UPDATED, 1:35 PM: A source tells Deadline that a new full version of TWC‘s Philomena-MPAA video is about to drop. This time Judi Dench’s M will be armed with a secret weapon – Philomena co-star, writer, and producer Steve Coogan – and a surprise ending. Stay tuned.
PREVIOUSLY: The Weinstein Co game plan has been put into play today after the MPAA gave the company’s awards-season hopeful Philomena starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan an R rating. Like the full-court press against the R rating for its documentary Bully in spring 2012 and the scrap over the title for Lee Daniels’ The Butler this year, Harvey Weinstein took to the national airwaves this morning to make his case that Philomena, the relationship drama that has had awards buzz since Cannes, should be given an audience-widening PG-13 berth. “There are two F words in the movie — you’re allowed one F”, Weinstein told Gayle King on CBS This Morning. “This is like The King’s Speech. The movie is the gentlest, most wonderful true story, filled with humor and joy. They should just put PG-13 Strong Language on this and make an exception. So it’s under appeal, but you know …” The Weinstein plan to win hearts and minds includes this taped bit with Dench as her James Bondian alter ego M. Said Weinstein: [In England] it was rated General Audience, for everybody, meaning kids could go see the movie with no parental supervision whatsoever. Am I having fun with the MPAA? 100%. Sending James Bond to sort this out, yes. Here’s the Dench clip:
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