Country music A-lister George Strait will star in a follow-up to his 1992 film “Pure Country” for Warner Bros.
“A Pure Country Gift” is directed by Chris Cain, who also helmed the first film. He co-wrote the new screenplay with his son, “Lois & Clark” actor Dean Cain, who also has a role in the film. The father-son collaboration is their first.
“I tell funny stories, but he went to Princeton, so he can spell,” Chris Cain joked.
“Country Gift” isn’t a sequel, per se, but more of “a movie in the ‘Pure Country’ genre,” Chris Cain said.
The original was produced by Jerry Weintraub for $9 million. It earned $15 million at the domestic boxoffice, sold 3 million home video units and 6 million soundtrack CDs. Weintraub is not involved in the new film.
“I went back to Jerry, and he said, ‘Good luck with the picture, and God bless you,’ ” Chris Cain said.
“Country Gift” is about three angels who give the gift of a beautiful singing voice to a baby girl.
“In her climb to fame and fortune, she breaks some of the angels’ rules, so they take away her big voice,” Chris Cain said. “Life has rules; if you follow them, life works. That’s the moral of the story.”
He got the idea from watching “so many athletes, singers and actors disintegrate every day, even though they have the world by the tail.”
The lead is played by Katrina Elam, a country singer who is making her acting debut. She is played as a 9-year-old by Kaitlyn Dorff, daughter of Steve Dorff, who composed the music for the original “Pure Country” and does likewise for the new one.
“Country Gift” is filming in Nashville — not only for authenticity but also to take advantage of the 32% tax rebate offered by Tennessee.
Chris Cain is best known as the director of the 1988 film “Young Guns” and most recently helmed the Jon Voight starrer “September Dawn.” He also produced the latter with Scott Duthie, who is producing “Country Gift.”
