Movies - TV
Giving Clint Eastwood Complete Control Kept Him In The Bridges Of Madison County
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
“The Bridges of Madison County” is one of the most endearing romantic dramas of the ‘90s but production delays almost forced the film to the dreaded Hollywood backburner. However, everything changed when Warner Bros. chair Terry Semel suggested that Clint Eastwood take the helm as director.
As soon as Eastwood was asked by Semel to direct, he hopped on a plane to Iowa, scouted locations, and even located a photogenic bridge that would serve as the film's central, titular location. The studio was so impressed by his expediency they gave him complete control and Eastwood got to make one of his most thoughtful films.
Eastwood saw the story as being about adults in isolation and anyone who has seen "The Bridges of Madison County" can speak to its calm tone, its sunny authentic exteriors, and its languid pace. Eastwood's control of the project was vital to getting the film made and the result was a commercial and critical success.