A Dialogue with Filmmaker David Frankel
by Karen Pecota

Transcribed by Karen Pecota

It's not often that one has the privilege to eaves drop on a question-and-answer (Q & A) session with a film director and moderator about their film during a festival due to the time allotted for such intimacy. Usually, one is trying to get to films within a very tight schedule not allowing for extras, like Q & As. I decided to take the time to listen to the session with renown filmmaker David Frankel being asked. by the TriBeCa Festival Moderator, Cedar Sherbert about his film (JERRY & MARGE GO LARGE) being showcased at TriBeCa Film Festival this year. Here is part of their conversation:

TriBeCa Festival Moderator, Cedar Sherbert (CS): Film director: David Frankel (DF)

CS: When the article came out in 2018 about Jerry and Marge Selbee, why did it resonate with you? DF: At the time the article came out I had read it like everyone else and thought, "what a great story." Two years later I got a script by Brad Copeland and I felt like this story about the Selbee's is what we needed right now in our culture about a retired married couple, who later in their life pursue to merge their investment with their small town/community with goodness.

CS: Did you meet them? DF: Yes, as part of our prep we traveled to Evert, Michigan with Annette and Bryan to hang out with them for three days. I was there for one day, but Jerry and Marge told them the whole story from begging to end. They introduced us to their family and the real people in the film and we ate at their favorite diner. It was useful to get to know all of them.

Something that Tom Hanks said that I have always rememberd "Tom Hanks always wanted to make movies where there were no bad guys. I was struck by his statement because it's so hard to do without drama and conflict of bad people but it you look at Tom's films there really isn't a bad guy but there's fate, life, aging, difficult circumstances, and no one running around incessantly.

CS: This film is about community. A group. Not one person saving the world. Why emulate? DF: Recently we have seen communities coming together, i.e., COVID in New York where people were coming together to praise the medical people on the front lines and it was an encouragement. This happened in a big city where everyone doesn't know everyone. In our story, it's set in a small town where everyone knows each other. Jerry and Marge bring goodness and life to a depressed and dying town. Jerry and Marge bring something inspiring and cater to life in the present--of themselves, family, friends, and their community.

Jerry and Marge find a way to use untapped talent after retirement. There truly are many people in retirement that still have an opportunity to make a contribution to society with an impact. They should be able to do so.

CS: Toward the end of the film Marge says to Jerry, "You're finally able to use those gifts you have that are hard wired for analysis or analytical problems." DF: In reality, Jerry had real ambitions his whole life. When he was in high school, he wanted to go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology or a similar school to pursue a career in the science world. But, there were financial pressures at home. Jerry and Marge got married as teenagers and started a family and he had to support them, thus, he was never able to pursue his mathematical inclination but used his talent as an analyst with the places he was employed.

Jerry worked for Kellogg Company early in his career and then moved to Evert. He started his own business and had that for several decades then sold it and retired. He went to local coffee place and read the rules of the lottery Winfall. At first it was interesting that Jerry found this loophole to the game and got hooked on the winning prospects. Then he found a way to help his family, friends and community.

It took someone with an analytical mind to read the directions and figure out the lottery game Winfall--much less a flaw or loophole. Jerry and Marge were the perfectly matched couple to work at winning. They were not typical gambling people but they both loved playing this lottery that turned out to be very hard work--as we see in the film. Marge needed to find an adventure and trusted Jerry and went along with his instinct and then she was in with both feet.

CS: What was the timeframe they kept up winning? DF: I believe something like nine years. It took us one year to film our story.

CS: Is there anything you'd like to add? Did their kids participate? DF: Their kids thought they were crazy. Jerry said that they had them come in to count one time but were completely useless.

I loved our development of the relationship between Jerry and their son, Jason. Jason came to appreciate what his father had to contribute to others and this drew them closer together.