Fishing’s next big promo could feel the Hurt

June 25, 2008 in Film, In the news
Tags: A River Runs Through It, Brad Pitt, fly fishing humor, movies, The River Why, William Hurt

Good news – flyfishing is to get another dose of Hollywood big-time, thanks to the imminent movie version of David James Duncan’s 1983 novel The River Why. Fishing magazine sales do rather well whenever our sport hits the silver screen: if you see me going all weak-kneed whenever Brad Pitt’s name slips into the conversation, it’s a purely commercial reaction.

Bad news - the film will have William Hurt in it.

Ever since I fought against the counsel of a thousand screaming inner voices and somehow sat through all 121 minutes of The Accidental Tourist, I have regarded Hurt as the dullest character in Tinseltown and nothing I’ve seen of him since has changed my mind.

I say ‘character’ because, for all I know, he could be the party animal par excellence in real life but let’s hope he and the scriptwriter are sat down by the director at an early date in this latest project and ordered to entertain at all costs.

If not, those who see angling as the preserve of earnest, tortured deadbeats may soon be presented with the ideal man for the job.