"The Widowmaker," 'Heat of The Night': An Enviable Franchise Film Role For A Black Actor.

May 23, 2011 - PRLog -- The WIDOWMAKER:
"Heat of The Night"
384 p. Softcover, ISBN:976-0964975637 | Screenplay Available
YouTube Trailer below

"Why are there so few worthy roles and great material for talented African-American actors/actresses? We've all heard the questions. Well, there are such roles and material, as evidenced in the works of author/screenwriter, Gene Cartwright. Perhaps the question is best asked of Hollywood's gatekeepers: literary agents and agencies.

When Samuel L. Jackson personally called the author a few years ago, from on location in South Africa, he had only one request: "I heard about "The Widowmaker", I'd like to read the screenplay and the novel."

Unfortunately, Jackson's agent and manager steered him in other directions, and toward other role commitments. They denied him the opportunity to even read the tightly-written novel or the screenplay he had personally and directly requested.

Too bad. The enviable role of John Roméo—a self-assured, Ferarri driving multi-millionaire author, philanthropist, classic car collector, criminology professor, and retired LAPD homicide wiz with a top fashion-model, French-Somalian girlfriend—would have suited him well. Now, other black male actors have an opportunity to seize the role and the franchise. Of course, the 'gatekeepers' issue must be solved.

It is said reality is stranger than fiction. That is often true. But let’s hope that, in this case, reality does not mimic Cartwright’s gripping fiction. Ripped from the headlines? No, it’s fiction ahead of its time. Reality will surely catch up. Witness recent news regarding a recently resigned Nevada Senator, and a former California Governor. Such alleged trangressions are the seeds of this story.

This action/mystery/thriller is not just a single story. According to the author, it is only the first in the 'John Roméo' Franchise series. The box-office appeal of the story-line is boundless.

Log Line: John Roméo, a retired, 41 year-old LAPD homicide wiz, aids a baffled LAPD struggling with unsolved deaths of wealthy, famous men, and their lovers. Roméo has an "Eye for beauty and a nose for murder".

They’ve got murders they can't solve. They (LAPD Brass) don't want John Roméo (Romayo), but they sure as hell need him. He's the one they call when they hit a brick wall. Roméo is no soft-spoken 'Virgil Tibbs' ("Heat of The Night" -1968, with Sidney Poitier), and L.A. is certainly no Sparta, Mississippi. Roméo may not survive, this time, but he won't go down easily. And he won't go down alone.

The John Roméo character has not only a domestic U.S. background (including the CIA and FBI) . His investigative and forensic skills have been used by such international agencies as Interpol and Mossad.

This is the fourth of five novels, and counting, by Gene Cartwright. It is the debut novel in a series featuring the homicide wiz, John Roméo. Here, Cartwright writes as 'Michael Manstar.'

Cartwright's first novel, 'I Never Played Catch With My Father,' earned him an Oprah invitation several years ago.  His second, 'Half Moon, Full Heart' has been called one of the best love stories written in the past fifty years.

'A Family Gathering', Gene's epic third novel has been compared to very honored works, particularly, Alex Haley's 'Roots.' The humbling praise came from celebrated, and Emmy-Ward-winning actress, Cicely Tyson, who appeared in 'Roots.' 'A Family Gathering' was a Pulitzer Prize nominee for Fiction in 2007.

See  'Widowmaker' Trailer Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCdBWtcDl5U



See Complete details on all Gene Cartwright novels at: http://GeneCartwright.com or Amazon.com. Books acquired through the author's site are shipped autographed by the author. Film rights are available for all his novels.

E-Books for this and all Gene Cartwright titles: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ifogo

# # #

IFOGO.com is the new frontier for authors, publishers, and book-buyers. The company, created by an author, presents books in an interactive, multimedia format that informs and connects all three crucial parts of the book world. Includes a social network.