"Buddy C"
I know this has little to nothing to do with anything here in the Granite State, but I figured I’d note it anyway, as it involves one of the most interesting and colorful politicians to ever hit the scene. From the RI Film & TV Office:
PLEASE WELCOME THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE
Please join Rhode Island native and renowned Director/Producer Michael Corrente and representatives from the Rhode Island Film & TV Office and the Providence Mayor’s Dept. of Art, Culture and Tourism at 3PM on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument in Kennedy Plaza facing Providence City Hall, as Mr. Corrente announces plans for filming his long-awaited political biopic THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE.
The cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Adam Goldberg, Bradley Cooper, Ed Burns and Oliver Platt, who will portray former Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci in the David Mamet adapted screenplay of Michael Stanton’s 2003 book about one of America’s longest-serving mayors. Robin Williams is currently in negotiations to join this talented group of actors.
"The passion I have for THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE is stronger then any film I’ve made to date. Through much scrutiny and speculation, I’ve spent six long years preparing for this picture. I have painstakingly taken the necessary time to make sure that all my ducks are in a row. This is my home state, and I have an obligation to ensure that the quality of the production matches the brilliance of the material. At the end of the day, and every day does end, nobody ever cares about how long it takes to make a movie; they only care if it’s good", stated Mr. Corrente.
I have not read Mr. Stanton’s book about the Mayor, but I did read another book about a prince. In fact, the name is just that: The Prince, written by Niccolo Machiavelli many centuries before Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci arrived on the scene. And yet, based on my recollection of the years I lived in Rhode Island, and what I’ve heard since I left, one can almost imagine the infamous master political observer would certainly find a degree of familiarity with Providence’s very own "prince".
Writes Machiavelli in The Prince,
[A] question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated
[snip!]
Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I come to the conclusion that, men loving according to their own will and fearing according to that of the prince, a wise prince should establish himself on that which is in his own control and not in that of others; he must endeavour only to avoid hatred, as is noted.
Indeed. Keep a sharp eye for this movie. Done right, it could very well turn out to be a classic, much like the object of its story…
