Cecil B. DeMille is remembered as one of the most influential filmmakers in history. Known for making some of the biggest-budget epic films of his time, his productions regularly topped the American, and world box office. He received multiple Academy Awards and nominations, and may be best remembered today for his landmark production of "The Ten Commandments." Other films he produced and directed include "Cleopatra", "Samson and Delilah", "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "The Plainsman."
The second issue of Scout Memorabilia (1966) includes an article about the project, and indicates that the project was originally includes an article about the "On My Honor" project, and indicates that the project was originally continued for a few years by DeMille's associate producer Henry Wilcoxon after DeMille's death. Wilcoxon hired Sydney Box as a screenwriter.
But "On My Honor" lay dormant for many years, until now. Veteran producer Robert Starling obtained an option on the project from DeMille's granddaughter, and was then joined enthusiastically in the effort to finish the DeMille film by Jerry Molen (the Academy Award-winning producer of "Schindler's List", "Jurassic Park", "The Other Side of Heaven" and numerous other Hollywood hits.)
Although the subject matter is different, this "how-the-film-got-made" scenario is reminiscent of that behind the 2001 science fiction film "A.I.", which was begun by Stanley Kubrick and finished Kubrick's friend Steven Spielberg. (Spielberg is also a long-time collaborator and friend of Jerry Molen; many of Spielberg's biggest movies were produced by Molen.)
Production of "On My Honor" is expected to generate intense enthusiasm. Over 500 million people in the United States and around the world have participated in the Scouting program, which indicates a potential "pre-sold" audience for the film similar to (and perhaps even larger than) Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." It is hoped that the money can be raised and the picture can be produced before the worldwide Scout movement's 100th anniversary in 2007.
Among the countless influential individuals who are Eagle Scouts are filmmaker Steven Spielberg, businessmen Ross Perot and J. Willard Marriot, and astronaut Neil A. Armstrong. The list of all the people who have participated in Boy Scouts, whether as youth or as adult volunteer leaders, includes too many leading writers, actors, civil rights leaders, environmental activists, politicians, artists, professional athletes and scientists to list here.
The Boy Scouts have recently become an inadvertent and unwilling battlefield in the American culture wars and political battles. Because of this, the "On My Honor" project is expected (like Gibson's "Passion") to cause a firestorm of controversy. But Molen and Starling apparently feel the time has come to complete DeMille's final film, and to hopefully enjoy the same measure of success as both the Gibson movie and DeMille's other successful motion pictures.
They believe that because of the potential controversy, funding for the film will have to come from outside the Hollywood studio system. They are seeking investors for the anticipated $50-70M budget movie who will join them in standing up for Scouting and its ideals and principles.
Interested parties may contact Bro. Starling at starlingrd@netscape.net.
Cecil B. DeMille is remembered as one of the most influential filmmakers in film history. Known for making the biggest-budget epic films of his time, his productions regularly topped the American, and world, box office. He received multiple Academy Awards and nominations, and may be best remembered today for his epic production "The Ten Commandments." Other films he produced and directed include "Cleopatra", "Samson and Delilah", "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "The Plainsman."
The second issue of Scout Memorabilia (1966) includes an article about the project, and indicates that the project was originally picked up by Henry Wilcoxon and Sydney Box after DeMille's death.
But "On My Honor" lay dormant for many year, until now. Jerry Molen (the Academy Award-winning producer of "Schindler's List", "Jurassic Park", "The Other Side of Heaven" and numerous other Hollywood hits) is rumored to be working with veteran producer Robert Starling to finish DeMille's project. Although the subject matter is different, this scenario is reminscent of that behind the 2001 science fiction film "A.I.", which was begun by Stanley Kubrick and finished Kubrick's friend Steven Spielberg. (Spielberg is also a long-time collaborator and friend of Jerry Molen; many of Spielberg's biggest movies were produced by Molen.)
Production of "On My Honor" is expected to generate intense enthusiasm: literally millions of youth in the United States and around the world have participated in the Scouting program. Among the countless influential individuals who are Eagle Scouts are filmmaker Steven Spielberg, businessmen like Ross Perot and J. Willard Marriot, and astronaut Neil A. Armstrong. The list of all the people who have participated in Boy Scouts, whether as youth or as adult volunteer leaders, includes too many leading writers, actors, civil rights leaders, environmental activists, politicians, artists, professional athletes and scientists to list here.
The Boy Scouts have recently become an inadvertant and unwilling battlefield in the American culture wars and political battles. Because of this, the "On My Honor" project is expected to cause a firestorm of controversy. But Molen and Starling apparently feel the time has come to complete DeMille's final film.
Other controversial biographical films that have been released recently include Ed Harris' "Pollock" and "Steal this Movie!", about Abbie Hoffman.
NOTE: The name of Sydney Box has been found misspelled elsewhere as "Sidney Cox."