David O. Russell’s lost film Nailed will finally see the light of day over five years after production was shut down. The film was 99% complete when time was called on its shoot, and it’s been alleged that all that was needed for the film to be finished was one pivotal scene.
According to Yahoo Movies, Arrow Films have now purchased a rough-cut of Nailed that was compiled by its new producer, Kia Jam. Arrow Films have confirmed that it has now been re-titled Politics Of Love, and that it will hit cinemas in the United Kingdom at some point in 2015. Unfortunately, a United States release date has yet to be confirmed, though. Nailed/Politics Of Love revolves around Jessica Biel’s Alice Eckle, who after accidentally getting shot in the head with a nail starts having wild sexual urges. She then goes on a crusade to Washington to fight for the rights of the injured. This is where she meets Jake Gyllenhaal’s congressman, who takes advantages of her sex drive and ambition. It’s believed that all that was needed to complete the film was the shot of the nail going in the head.
It’s assumed that David O. Russell won’t have anything to do with this release. In fact, it will be interesting to see how the famously volatile director reacts to the revelation that a film he never actually finished is going to be released. Will he embrace it as his own? Or will he insist that it isn’t part of his cinematic cannon? Only time will tell.
Some of you are probably wondering what the hell happened with Nailed. In fact, you’re probably under the assumption that the fact it wasn’t released means that it must have lacked the star presence or budget to make it to the big-screen. Star presence was something that it had in abundance, though, as Jessica Biel, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tracy Morgan, Catherine Keener and Josh Brolin all feature prominently. However, the film was rumored to be riddled with financial issues. Production was actually shut down four times in 2008 because the crew hadn’t been paid. Then, after two years of stops and starts, David O. Russell decided that enough was enough and he left the film. Most people assumed that it would remain in cinematic purgatory for good.
It actually might turn out to be a good thing that Nailed was delayed for so long, though. Let’s go back to when it was being filmed. David O. Russell is now widely regarded as one of the most interesting and enthralling filmmakers in modern movies. But it wasn’t always that way. After he burst onto the scene with the hauntingly beguiling Spanking The Monkey, which revolved around an incestuous mother-son relationship, he was labelled as the next big director. He then followed this up with the quirky romantic screwball Flirting With Disaster just two years later. But things really exploded for the director with Three Kings, the explosively entertaining Gulf War heist.
Unfortunately his fiery reputation was beginning to eclipse his talent. This came to a head with I Heart Huckabees, which was overshadowed upon release after videos of his conflicts with Lily Tomlin were shared. Nailed was supposed to be his follow-up film that set the director back on track after its convoluted predecessor. But it was once again plagued by infighting. James Caan allegedly walked off set after David O. Russell failed to be convinced by him choking on a cookie. At this point the director composed himself and set-off on a stirring running of movies that has included The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. For each of these films he was nominated for the Best Director Academy Award. Plus he also picked up Best Adapted Screenplay nominations for Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle too.
Will Nailed continue this streak? Who knows? But the fact that it wasn’t released at the time and gave David O. Russell the experience to turn himself into the director he is today is something that we can all be grateful for.
