GRAVY TRAIN
(Based on the short story)
• Gravy Train, Ellroy's short story regarding an ex-con hired as caretaker for a bull terrier who inherits his dead gangster owner's fortune, is currently in development by Columbia.
Richard Sakai will direct. Writers include David Richardson, Garrett Lerner, James Ellroy, Mike Pavone and Russ Friend. Michael Bessman will produce.
Obviously, some expansion will be in order to spread this short piece over the expanse of a feature film.
Perhaps some materials Ellroy was asked to cut from his short story can be restored. As Ellroy told the "Richmond Review":
"There was some stuff they made me cut. There are some pit bulls that get on the loose. In the original version the pit bulls run into a gay bar and chew up a bunch of men who have AIDS, and so you've got pit bulls which have AIDS running around. I was asked to cut that."
Then again, perhaps that bit won't be among the expansions....(Updated 5/5/01)
