It appears the much-anticipated film devoted to the rise of the late Brandon Burlsworth from a shy, portly Harrison High School offensive lineman to a Razorback walk-on, All-American and first-round NFL pick likely will be released for national audiences in late summer.
That was the message David Hunt, director of the movie Greater brought to a Kiwanis gathering and golf tournament last week at the Harrison Country Club.
Brandon, who after graduation from the university had been drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, died tragically in a head-on collision just outside Alpena on April 28, 1999, while driving back to his family's house in Harrison for dinner. His untimely passing stunned those across Arkansas.
Although an early screening of Greater (attended by several hundred Arkansans) was held last winter in Little Rock, an exact date and location for the official premiere is yet to be determined, according to Hunt, who spoke about Brandon's life and the layers of meaning contained in the film.
I couldn't help suggesting the opening events be held in Harrison. It just seemed right and appropriate, an idea I believe Brandon would have applauded.
After showing a brief segment from the film, Hunt talked about the depth of Brandon's commitment to excelling at whatever he undertook and the abiding faith he held in himself and his creator. "I don't call this a faith film as such," said Hunt. "But it does address Brandon's deep-seated beliefs and his faith because that's what made him the person he was."
Hunt clearly cares deeply about this production, as evidenced by personal devotion to accurately touching on all the aspects that made Brandon's life such an inspiration to so many. At one point as he spoke about Brandon and striving to authentically tell the story of his 22 years among us, it appeared to me as if tears had welled in Hunt's eyes.
He talked about the question so many people invariably ask after seeing the film: Why do bad things happen to good people like Brandon was, people who always do everything they were told to do?
"We all pretty much know what's right," he said. "The difference was Brandon knew what was right and just did it."
Hunt wondered how people answer that question with our limited understanding and perspective about day-to-day life. And, as we might expect, neither Hunt nor anyone in the audience could offer an answer.
Perhaps one element of trying to fathom such inexplicable loss lies in experiencing the effects of one's passing and what their life, as brief as it might have been, contributed to the lives of others who remain and follow.
In Brandon's case, the life he lived has led to so much good. There is the Burlsworth Foundation headed by his family that contributes eyeglasses to children. There's Burls Kids, the program that helps disadvantaged children in Brandon's name. The Burlsworth Trophy today goes to the nation's most outstanding collegiate walk-on. And there are Burlsworth scholarships.
Hunt said his film, which cost about $4 million to produce, not only casts the community of Harrison in the positive light it deserves, but will serve as an enduring catalyst to reflect positively across the state. That would including recruiting future classes of Razorbacks who are touched by the depth and significance of the Razorbacks and their deep commitments to each other.
"It hopefully will deservedly do for the image of Arkansas and the Razorbacks what the film Rudy, which cost five times as much to make, did for Notre Dame," said Hunt.
The personable director emphasized how closely he and producer Brian Reindl worked together on the script and production of this film to make certain the end result had the genuine feel, tone and message. Reindl had the original vision for Greater in 2012 and, together, he and Hunt wrote, rewrote and crafted for six months to make the story Reindl saw. Hunt shared the vision.
The story of a filmmaking novice and his determination to tell the Burlsworth story the way he saw it rather than listening to a stream of naysayers and advice from others is, in itself, a movie.
The biggest lesson for Hunt in the film coming together after such a lengthy, winding road is, "when you know you're right in your bones, don't worry about what so-called experts say. Follow your intuition and what it's saying."
Any movie, by definition, must consolidate events, characters and time periods to fit into a two-hour format. Hunt said Greater is no different in that respect. He said the message that comes through clearly is how Brandon was saved and motivated many times by providence.
In taking questions, Hunt lamented the continual demise of our nation's once proud and honorable culture that celebrated standards. He hopes that this film and its theme of overcoming and faith in one's self, and the benefits of Brandon's unequaled work ethic and doing the right thing, will help reignite those values.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 05/22/2016