- she’s a healer, he’s a humorist
- Eddy is so original it infuriates Twain
- Eddy is not “old” – always surprising
- she’s Houdini
- Her life is never what we expect
- Twain is “teasing” her constantly
As the movie begins to take shape, Val and others will be adding notes. Tell us what you think, share ideas, ask questions. Just click on "comments" after any of the notes.
© 2010 by Kilmerfilms, Inc. All rights reserved
contact | terms of service | privacy | photo credits
Started reading on Mary Eddy Baker when I ventured on this site…why isn’t she introduced into the lit/history books in schools. Is always just about M.Twain. Amazing woman.
I meant Mary Baker Eddy…have a little transposing problem when weary.
It will be an exciting project – perhaps part of it will also be to capture how Mrs Eddy lived in Love and God connectedness which she also expressed as a poet over her life as mystics often do. Take her poem “Feed My Sheep” especially the first stanza, or her beautiful whole poem “Come Thou”. Jana
Mark Twain specified that his complete autobiography remain unpublished for a century after his death (April 1910). The first volume, edited by Robert Hirst, is coming out in November – published by the University of California Press. In the UK, The Independent newspaper had an article about it recently. It said about half of the memoirs have never been published before. Wonder if there’s any new comments about CS.
Correction – that report was in The Guardian (May 24) not The Independent
It will be difficult to do just to Mark Twain and Mary Baker Eddy in the limited time of just one movie. They both lived such rich lives. An idea for the movie could be that they are telling their life story to a reporter or someone else (even the viewer) at the end of their lives as they are looking back on it. Mark Twain inspired me as he was open for counter-arguments for his convictions from his upbringen (like slavery and women emancipation)and even fought for their rights. He showed integrity with the fact that, although he didn’t have to, he payed all his debts and worked hard to realize that. I do not know enough about Mrs Eddy (yet) to have a opinion on her but it think Love is the strongest medicine of all, no matter how you look at it.
Another idea for the movie crossed my mind: as mark twain (finally) works on or writes his authobiography the viewer sees what he remembers or writes.
Yesterday I listened to the audio chat on Spirituality.com about the upcoming film on Mary Baker Eddy and Mark Twain. I was very excited to hear about the film project and the well thought out concept and historical research that has gone into it. It’s time to set the record straight and give the public a true picture of Mary Baker Eddy as a great spiritual thinker and discoverer of pure Christianity. I am always amazed when I mention Christian Science or Mary Baker Eddy to people and they either have never heard of either or have misconceptions. This the perfect time to re-introduce Mrs Eddy and Christian Science to the world.
Good luck in sorting out what to put in the movie and what not. To do both Mark Twain and Mary Baker Eddy just in the a short time that a movie is. They both did so much and had such rich lives. When I heard of Val Kilmer’s idea about this movie it was the first time I heard of Mrs Eddy. I was already familiar with Mark Twains books but not so much with the person. On the internet there is more to be found on Mark Twain than on Mrs Eddy so I think it is a good idea to make a movie about them. I liked a few things as I read about Mark Twain (keen to learn new things and how open he was for new ideas (as to women rights and slavery), I hope to learn more about Mrs Eddy and her healing via this movie.
It would be interesting to have Einstein make a cameo appearance in the movie. He knew Mrs. Eddy had arrived at equally radical conclusions to his own, regarding the illusory nature of matter, from revelation instead of mathematics. And he was the only male of the era with wilder hair than Sam.
This is a wonderful project. Can’t wait for you to put up a site for donations and/or investments.
Would it be possible to get a scene in a non Christian Science Reading Room of the times. Even many Christian Scientists are not aware that there were other reading rooms in that day and age and that Mrs. Eddy’s was not the first nor was it a novel idea. Might be nice to let others know that Reading Rooms were the norm and not the exception those days. Might make them feel more acceptable…Maybe even a short scene of someone coming or going through a doorway over which is written, “Main Street Reading Room” with a picture of a newspaper in an adjoining window. That would be enough I think.
Robert Downey Jr would be a perfect Einstein – if he has a cameo (as Malcolm suggests above)
This is an idea that is excellent. Mary Baker Eddy gave so much to the world. As a metaphysician there are few to compare her with. As a woman to take a stand as she did regarding the healing power within each of us during that time period, was courageous. I really look forward to this project moving forward.
just saw the trailer. All I can say is wow. I was captivated; I wanted to hear more. Great story telling as Mark Twain. Can’t wait to see the finished product.
Have you read Stephen Gottschalk’s “Rolling Away the Stone:Mary Baker Eddy’s Challenge to Materialism”? Gottschalk devotes some 43 pages to Twain’s interest in Eddy, with some other references throughout the book. Though highly critical of Eddy, he grew to a strong appreciation of Christian Science. The distinctions in their characters and lives might give you valuable insight into what might be called their literary relationship, since they never met. Twain did meet with William McCrackan (though not a student of Eddy’s, an important contributor to the establishment of Christian Science both during and after her lifetime), and their relationship might give further authenticity to your script. (Indiana University Press, 601 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404-3797 USA; 2006; iuporder@indiana.edu).
If Twain’s complete autobiography comes out for the first time in November 2010, that is amazing timing for generating interest in the film. Also, there might be something in there relevant to the film. Perhaps you should postpone final script and filming until after you’ve looked at it. Or, you could ask the publisher for a sneak peak?