In the summer of 2011, a famous detective was striding through parts of Akron.
Alex Cross, the central character in novels by James Patterson, was being played by Tyler Perry in a movie originally called I, Alex Cross, later trimmed of the I.
Cross had been the subject of two previous films, 1997’s Kiss the Girls and 2001’s Along Came a Spider, with Morgan Freeman playing the investigator. By 2011, Freeman — thought by some to be too old to play Cross in the earlier films — was in his 70s. Perry was 41 when Alex Cross started shooting, and so could be the center of a new franchise of films. There was even talk of a sequel before Alex Cross opened in 2012.
Talk that proved premature. But we’ll get to that.
Although the film was set in Detroit, it made use of Northeast Ohio locations, including Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens and Glendale Cemetery.
Both those sites have been used for other productions; Glendale makes an appearance in the recent independent film Akron, and part of Stan Hywet served as LeBron James’ poker room in an episode of Survivor’s Remorse.
Security was tight, with both locations closing while the production was in progress. At the Glendale gates, a guard both denied me admittance and said, “I can’t talk to you.”
While lips could have been buttoned in any case — Perry has not been fond of the oft-critical press — it was likely more so because a Cleveland bus driver was claiming Cross co-star Matthew Fox struck her during a confrontation. (The driver sued Fox, but dropped the suit in 2012.)
While both locations are picturesque, it’s especially interesting to consider how a century-old, historic mansion such as Stan Hywet is put to use — in this case as the home of a character played by actor Jean Reno.
“We get many calls,” Stan Hywet communications manager Donna Spiegler said. “We do get scouted here and there.”
Some of the scouts are students or local filmmakers. The Greater Cleveland Film Commission has also referred people.
“It’s decided on a case-by-case basis. We look at the script to see if it’s something that’s OK with our brand,” Spiegler said. And “we make sure first and foremost that it’s not going to endanger the property or the collection. … We’re pretty careful.”
The hall does charge filmmakers, with the price worked out by the chief financial officer; factors include how much is lost by being closed for a production. (For Alex Cross, Stan Hywet was completely shut down for four days. Survivor’s Remorse was in and out in one, and even that day the grounds were still open.) Also an issue is whether the publicity from the shoot will benefit the hall.
While not saying how much these productions paid, Spiegler said they probably should have charged more for Alex Cross. For example, even though its collection served as props in the movie, the hall did not negotiate a props fee.
“Every time you do something like this, you learn a little bit more,” she said.
But once the cameras are in the house, there are rules. One: Bring your own air conditioning units, since the house does not have it. Another: Watch where you sit. Some of the furnishings in Stan Hywet are priceless, said Spiegler.
“We’re a historic museum,” she said. “So, we have to make sure, no, you can’t sit on the chair. No, you can’t sit on that couch. It’s part of our collection, and probably a hundred years old.”
As an old home decked out as if people still lived there, the house feels comfortable, Spiegler said. “You have to make sure they know, put the booties on if you’re stepping on the carpeting.”
At the same time, the production companies are “pretty happy to have our help” from the hall staff and volunteers with making sure things are properly cared for.
And the staff gets some of the perks of having movie and TV folks around.
“We love craft services,” Spiegler said, referring to the food put out for cast and crew. With Survivor’s Remorse, “many, many pizzas from Luigi’s” were delivered.
There’s also the spotting of stars such as James and Perry, although they may not be as recognizable as you think.
“We had some volunteers with us helping to move the collection,” Spiegler said of Alex Cross. “Tyler Perry comes in dressed as Alex Cross. He has a badge on, he looks official, he’s a big guy. He is blown away by the house,” and asked a guide for a tour.
He got the tour — from a guide who at first thought Perry was just a member of movie security.
Still, having a movie around is basically “a lot of fun,” Spiegler said, even if the project does not turn out well.
Alex Cross was not a success; according to Box Office Mojo, it took in a little less than what it cost, not counting the additional expenses for advertising and promotion. Reviews were also brutal, with it scoring just a 12 percent positive rating from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. No sequel has emerged.
At the same time, Spiegler said, “However a movie or TV show turns out, it is fun to see Stan Hywet onscreen.” And in Alex Cross, the hall did look really good.
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal, Ohio.com, Facebook, Twitter and the HeldenFiles Online blog. You can contact him at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.