Midland author Peter Jennings has more than just an idea for a Hollywood movie but he can't get a script written due to the ongoing strike by the Writers' Guild of America.
“I’m not against what the writers are striking for. It’s just that it’s so frustrating," said Jennings.
Jennings has written nine non-fiction books. His latest book, Until I Smile at You: How one girl's heartbreak electrified Frank Sinatra's fame! was published in 2021.
Through their mutual membership in the Writers' Union of Canada, Jennings met Jamila Pomeroy, who was so impressed by the book, she signed on as the producer for a feature film.
"She said, 'There’s definitely a heck of a film here to be made,' but everything is ground to a halt while we wait," said Jennings, referencing the strike.
The partners want to get the script written so they can send it out to the talent agents who in turn search for talent for the filming.
“There are lots of roles in this film,” Jennings said.
Jennings envisions Lady Gaga playing the role of Ruth Lowe. He has thoughts about the other main characters, too, including Sinatra.
The labour dispute, which is mostly focused on pay disagreements with Hollywood producers, has shut down production for television and feature films. Actors recently decided to join the strike action.
The book and the future film is based on the life of Toronto songwriter Ruth Lowe. She wrote songs recorded by Frank Sinatra including I'll Never Smile Again early in Sinatra's career with Tommy Dorset and his orchestra and The Pied Pipers. The song recorded in 1940 sold more than one million copies as a 78 vinyl record.
Rowe went on to write Put Your Dreams Away, also recorded by Sinatra, and close to 50 other songs for Broadway and Hollywood at a time when women in the music industry was rare.
Lowe won a Grammy Award for the song and she has been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. The late songwriter will soon to be added to the Great American Songbook Foundation Hall of Fame.
"She’s a major force in the 20th century music history, but virtually no one has heard of her," said Jennings.
Jennings was "thrilled" to be chosen by her family to write the biography and is working with Tom Sandler, Ruth Lowe's son.
"We are off and running. We have the producer so we are ready to move. But until the actors are ready, we are sitting on the sidelines."
Jennings new biography includes interviews with Bernie Taupin (Elton John's lyricist for over 50 years), Sir Tim Rice (who writes lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber), Alan Bergman (who’s composed award-winning songs for Barbra Streisand, Sinatra, etc.), David Clayton-Thomas (famed Blood Sweat and Tears singer), the late Frank Sinatra Jr., broadcaster and music historian Chuck Granata, Nancy Sinatra (who wrote the book’s foreword), Sinatra biographer James Kaplan, and many others, all of whom talk about Ruth Lowe’s "amazing" talents.
Noted author James Kaplan (Frank: The Voice and Sinatra: The Chairman) says about Ruth Lowe and Until I Smile At You: “The woman who arguably bookended Frank Sinatra’s career richly deserved a biography, and in Until I Smile at You, Peter Jennings gives Lowe the one she deserves: a marvelously detailed and affectionate life of a great woman and an important artist."
As the strike drags on, Jennings remain confident the movie will get made.
“I’m not discouraged,” says Jennings. “I know the film’s going to be produced. But it sure is frustrating sitting around, waiting.”
Until I Smile At You is available in Midland at Georgian Bay Books as well as through Amazon, Chapters/indigo, Barnes and Noble, etc. Autographed copies can be accessed at untilismileatyou.com
