John Heard passed away unexpectedly in 2017. Do you have any stories you can share about working with him on this?
GD: Well, it was our second time working with him. Amy and I pursued him on “Chilly Scenes of Winter.” Joan Silver, who also directed it, was also a huge fan. We suggest him to Marty for this role. And John had kind of a wild reputation. (Marty) expressed his concern and John said, “I’m going to be on my best, best behavior,” and he was. He was focused, funny, intense.
AR: And he’s a brilliant actor. His career didn’t really go, but I don’t think he had the desire to become a “star.” He was on the quirkier side of life. I just loved John and I’m very sad that he’s gone. I think he brings, what you were originally talking about, to his scenes with Griffin in “After Hours.” When Griffin finds out that Marcy was his girlfriend and the way he kicks the cash register, and the violence there and Griffin’s reaction, I could watch that over and over again. The two of them, I love it.
There’s also a wonderful deleted scene between the two of them on the Blu-ray.
GD: Oh, does it? I haven’t gotten my copy yet.
What’s the first feeling/emotion/thought that comes to mind when you look at “After Hours”?
AR: It was a lot of fun. It was a great adventure. It was a roller coaster ride, a good one with no cracks in it. Not that there weren’t tough days or hard days. It was a fabulous ride.
GD: For me, it was a starting point in relationships I would have with people, both in front of the camera and behind the camera, personally and professionally, that would follow me for years, to this day. It was a real awakening. I can’t think of a better word than Amy used. It was fun. It was insanely fun making this movie.
AR: I think as producers, Griffin and I were proud and happy to bring John Heard to the table, for Marty to love him. Robert Plunket, we brought him to the table. Michael Ballhaus, who shot our last movie, “Baby, It’s You,” right before this. And Jeffrey Townsend, our production designer. So, it was very heartening to bring parts of our family to the wonderful filmmaking family that Marty has.