It has been a long time since a locally made movie attracted audiences as powerfully as “Brier Hill.”
Much of that has to do with the title and the topic. It takes place in Youngstown in 1977 – the mafia and steel mill era that is embedded in this region’s conscience. And like the title suggests, the story is set in Brier Hill, which at that time was an Italian neighborhood perched above a steel mill.
The movie, directed by Jimmy Taaffe of Struthers, premiered last weekend at Columbiana Arts Theatre. Demand was so strong for opening night that a second screening had to be added. The 420-seat theater was sold out on opening night, and only a few seats remained open Saturday. Tickets were $30.
Future screenings are in the works, possibly at another local theater.
The film sets out to strike the tone and attitude of Youngstown in those days and hits its mark.
It’s a memory play in which a couple share the wild and dangerous story that changed their lives.
The production values are very good for a film with a zero-dollar budget – and where it falls short is forgivable.
The strength of the film is the connection between the lead actors, John D’Andrea and Adriana Vennetti. They play two 20-somethings from the neighborhood who launch a lifelong romance.
The film unfolds their story. But the most powerful moment is the ending, when the audience sees the full story from the stance of time gone by. It all took place in a now-quiet place that once teamed with passion.
Taaffe has a talent for bringing his stories full circle in that way.
“Brier Hill” is based on a novel he wrote and then adapted into a screenplay. Two other novels he wrote – “Angel Mine” and “Gemini” – have also been made into locally made films, but not by him.
Kayti Patterson is executive producer of “Brier Hill,” and Josh Menning is cinematographer and editor.
Adding to the local flavor of the film is the background music, which includes songs by Valley-bred rockers Poobah and The Vindys.
The song “Morning Light” by The Vindys was recorded a couple years ago but seems like it was made for this film.
D’Andrea and Vennetti carry the story and look the part. Both are Youngstown natives.
D’Andrea’s character is a young member of a local crime family. He had no prior feature-film experience but was an example of perfect casting. His acting was superb.
He had something in his corner to help him develop the character: His mother’s side of the family is from Brier Hill. He also admitted to watching “The Godfather” films dozens of times.
In the post-screening Q&A session, the audience’s link to Youngstown’s past was obvious.
When asked by one person which local mafia leaders he was depicting in the film, Taaffe said the characters were amalgamations.
The mob boss, he noted, is a combination of local mob leaders Joey Naples, Ronald Carabbia and Lenny Strollo. The role was played by Pete Lucic.
The outdoor Brier Hill scenes were filmed in the old brick-built sections of Leetonia out of necessity.
Brier Hill today is empty and lifeless, but one scene that was shot there powerfully brings the whole story together. The rough but quiet streets seem to hold memories of what once happened there.
Several scenes that take place in the offices of the mayor of Youngstown were actually shot in Struthers City Hall. The town’s police chief is in one scene, playing the top cop of Youngstown.
Lucic, who plays the mob boss, is a real-life former professional wrestler and Trumbull deputy. He has appeared in a lot of local films and nails his cigar-smoking mafioso role as the leader of “the Mancini family.”
Lucic’s character speaks Italian at times in the film, which wasn’t easy for a Croatian to learn. To get advice, he went to Risi Pizza in Canfield and asked if anyone spoke Italian. The owner came out and gave him some tips – although he was shocked when Lucic told him his bloodthirsty lines!
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Pictured at top: Pete Lucic and John D’Andrea in a scene from “Brier Hill.”