Ask the Dust

Ask the Dust (2006)

Trapped by passion. Faced by their dreams.

Mexican beauty Camilla hopes to rise above her station by marrying a wealthy American. That is complicated by meeting Arturo Bandini, a first-generation Italian hoping to land a writing career and a blue-eyed blonde on his arm.

Date of release
2006-02-02
TMDB
5.5 / 10 (169)
Runtime
1h 57m
Genres
Romance, Drama
Director
Robert Towne

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Based on: Ask the Dust
  • Filmed in: South Africa

Ask the Dust is a 2006 romantic drama film based on the 1939 book Ask the Dust by John Fante. The film was written and directed by Robert Towne, and was his final film. Tom Cruise served as one of the film's producers. The film was released on a limited basis on March 17, 2006, and was entered into the 28th Moscow International Film Festival. It was filmed almost entirely in South Africa with the use of stages to portray Los Angeles.

Production

The rights to the novel once belonged to Mel Brooks, though he let them lapse. Towne met Fante in the 1970s and that led to his interest in the project. Despite finishing the script in the early 1990s, he couldn't find financial backing from a studio. During this time, Farrell's role was originally set to be played by Johnny Depp but he dropped out. Later Val Kilmer accepted the role and also dropped out.

Part of the film was shot at Pinelands High School (Cape Town, South Africa), on fields modified to simulate a Los Angeles scenery. Scenes were also filmed at the very popular Sun City Resort in South Africa, specifically using the man-made beach at the Valley of Waves water park, for a romantic night-swim scene.

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