Union Patriot Capital

Baldwin steps into 'Tough' role

Feb. 20, 1997

Stephen Baldwin joins Chris Penn and Amy Irving in the indie production "One Tough Cop," a joint venture between Michael Mendelsohn's Patriot Pictures and Martin Bregman's Bregman Prods. Mark Wahlberg was originally cast in the role but withdrew over creative differences.

The film gets under way March 24 in New York and Toronto under the direction of Bruno Barreto. One fairly major role for an actress remains to be cast.

The under-$12 million film is the maiden production for Patriot Pictures and the first in its four-film pact with Bergman Prods.

"One Tough Cop" revolves around one of NYPD's most-decorated cops whose childhood friend is now a Mafia boss. The film, written by Jeremy Iacone, is based on Bo Dietel's book and his work as a New York cop.

The film will be produced by Michael and Martin Bregman. Mendelsohn and Dietel serve as exec producers. Foreign sales will be handled by Mark Damon through MDP Worldwide.

"I'm excited to work with Marty Bregman, whose track record in gritty, New York cop movies is exceptional and who provides Patriot with the opportunity to produce and finance one of my favorite film genres," Mendelsohn said.

Bregman has produced such movies as "Serpico," "Dog Day Afternoon," "Scarface," "Sea of Love" and "Carlito's Way."

Patriot Pictures is a production, acquisition and foreign-distribution company established last year by Mendelsohn, who concurrently serves as group portfolio manager and consultant to Banque Paribas' Entertainment Finance Group, which under Mendelsohn funded such productions as "Nobody's Fool," "The Madness of King George," "Reservoir Dogs" and such forthcoming films as "Air Force One" and "Blood and Wine."

Other Patriot projects in preproduction include "The Red Mansion," the true story of a Englishwoman living in China from 1940-70 to be directed by Anna Chi and executive produced by Mike Medavoy, and "Impossible," to be directed by Susan Seidelman.