Suiting up for the overcoat

10/07/2009 9:00 AM

By FELICIA DECHTER

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Frank Vincent and Danny Goldring star in the new film Chicago Overcoat, which premieres Saturday. Beverly Ridge Pictures

Heart of the ‘hood'
Two years ago, six young graduates of Columbia College’s Film School formed a film company, Beverly Ridge Pictures (after a family member’s suburban address), penned a script about a subject that intrigued them— the Chicago mob—and made a movie, Chicago Overcoat. Their wish list for the lead role as a mobster was actor Frank Vincent.

Vincent loved the script, as did his fellow Soprano’s cast-mate Katherine Narducci, along with actors Mike Starr, Armand Assante, and Stacy Keach. Casting director Chris Charles needed a worthy adversary to Vincent’s mob character Lou Marazano, and soon Lake View resident/actor Danny Goldring became tenacious homicide detective Ralph Maloney, hot on the mobster’s trail.

“These young men are not afraid to take chances, they have a sense of humor and a sense of purpose,” Goldring said of the filmmakers. “They also think on their feet, no gripes! If something needs fixing ... they fix it. Just good hard-working stiffs, like the rest of us.”

On Saturday at 7 p.m. at the AMC River East Theater, the proud movie makers who happen to be Skyliners — John W. Bosher, Brian Caunter, Chris Charles, William S. Maursky, Kevin Moss and Philip S. Plowden — will walk the Red Carpet at Chicago Overcoat’s world premiere at the Chicago International Film Fest. Vincent, Goldring, Starr, and Narducci will also be on hand for the premiere and after party.

Congrats to these incredibly bright filmmakers and their stellar cast.

Keep your distance or face fines Kudos to Ald. Vi Daley (43rd), for her proposed ordinance that would keep protesters 50 feet away from the entrances of hospitals, medical clinics and healthcare facilities.

The city council’s Committee on Human Relations last week unanimously approved the ordinance, which also calls for an eight-foot “bubble” around anyone coming and going from the medical facilities. No one can approach patients without their consent, the ordinance says.

Daley drafted the ordinance in response to complaints from Planned Parenthood at Division and LaSalle and from residents living near it. The alderman said since spring, there has been an increase in aggressive anti-abortion protesters not only distributing handouts and carrying signs, but also photographing and videotaping patients and medical center personnel entering and leaving the facility.

“It’s clearly a form of intimidation,” Daley said.

It’s scary, too, because pro-lifers are also taking photographs of cars and license plates, and they’ve recreated vests similar to those worn by Planned Parenthood volunteers. They bring their kids, who shout, “I love being alive!” and “You work for the devil!”

Daley said Planned Parenthood provides more than abortion services — they also help women seeking pap smears or birth control prescriptions. Human relations committee chair Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) and 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack supported the ordinance, which carries a $500 fine and was expected to be voted on by the full city council yesterday.

Anti-abortionists also showed up at the meeting and pleaded their cases, but thankfully, the aldermen didn’t budge.

“We need to be at the clinics, otherwise we can’t help women,” said Joseph Scheidler, national director of the Pro-Life Action League. “We’ve saved thousands and thousands of women from lifelong depression, discouragement, and suicide.”

Other objectors called the ordinance a “brazen” violation of the Constitution’s 1st Amendment. Yet Daley said when drafting it, she made sure the bill conformed to past court rulings requiring the right to access medical care be balanced with the right to free speech.

In order to pass Constitutional muster, Daley said a law must be viewpoint neutral, narrowly tailored and serve a significant government interest.

“The proposed ordinance fulfills these requirements,” she said.

Nice job in writing it, Alderman Daley.


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