Peter Ferry’s Old Heart is Now a Movie

by Donald G. Evans

On Wednesday, June 4, I headed to the Chopin Theatre to watch a screening of Old Heart, the excellent 2015 Peter Ferry novel that Roger Rapoport adapted. Peter died last September 17, though he did see the film screened in Michigan before he passed. Gary Houston introduced the film and post-screening panel, which included Rapoport, as well as Director Kirk Wahamaki and Dutch costar Eva Doueiri. Gary, CQR’s Fiction Editor, and Syed Afzal Haider, CQR’s Founder, were among those representing the literary journal that Perry served on as a board member and contributed to as an author.

Peter taught English at Lake Forest High School for nearly 30 years, a time he devoted to his grateful students while he dabbled in his own literary work. Peter’s death is fresh. He was 62 when he published his debut novel, Travel Writing, and 77 when he died. This feature-length film, and the 2022 play adaptation of the same novel, becomes part of his legacy. It’s a fine piece of work to leave behind.

The film tells the story of an old man who rejects spending his final years in a nursing home in favor of a wild search for his long-ago and presumed dead wartime lover. He’s a Black man, she’s a White Jewish woman. Their affair, so long ago, ended in confusion and some bitterness, as the two split to live their separate lives, he in America (presumably Michigan) and she in the Netherlands. The love story is the dominant storyline, but Tom’s determination to find Sarah adds an element of mystery (he leaves without notice, so he’s both hunted and hunter).

The philosophical exploration of what it means to go out on one’s own terms mostly works. Tom's family (except a granddaughter) tries bullying him into the assisted living situation, and then uses legal channels in an attempt to force him to return home. The heavyhanded daughter and son would benefit from some nuance--both seem interested in their dad's inheritance (the son has already gambled away a lot of it ) rather than his well being. Both characters might well wear "Bad Guy" name tags. Tom must win his old love (to say she has trust issues is an understatement), overcome the beauocratic nightmare of establishing overseas residency, and tend to a forgetful memory and bad heart. He eventually has the support of Sarah and her daughter, who turns out to also be Tom's daughter--this helps resolve the residency dispute. The novel's treatment of this theme is much more sophisticated, but the film manages to create the tension and circumstances under which to explore the difficult prospects geriatric people face. The film ends on an open-ended but optimistic note, a satsfying ending for those rooting on an old, kind man struggling for just a little bit more happiness. 

Independent films have a lot going against them, primarily: money. The cost of talent, locations for shooting, state-of-the-art production and post-production equipment, and so forth, are exorbitant. In the post-screening discussion, Rapoport told (or introduced) the story of how, basically as a favor from a friend, this film was able to utilize a high-end Hollywood studio for post-production. This showed in the quality of the sound and stunning visuals. That kind of resourcefulness, along with pure passion, sometimes allows a small-budget project to overcome its disadvantages. More so, the producers and directors of a film like Old Heart must make shrewd casting decisions, simplify the scenery and movements, and really rely on well-rendered dialogue. This is where a primary source like Ferry's excellent novel is not only an asset but the key to success. The actors did very solid work in this film, and it was enlightening to hear some of them, especially Eva Doueiri (in Chicago from the Netherlands), speak about the process—its limitations, challenges, satisfactions, and logistics.

The evening at the Chopin would have been enjoyable just for the film, but the panel discussion provided some insight, and in general it felt like a celebration of a fine person and writer in Peter Ferry. Also, I think I’m in the majority in rooting for an against-odds creative project like this to succeed. It’s touching to watch a bunch of people come together to do something big and to witness their solidarity and utter belief in doing something great. The film will be shown here and there, including Indianapolis and Kalamazoo later this month, before it moves to the Netherlands for a series of screenings.  

Donald G. Evans is the author of a novel and a short story collection, as well as editor of two Chicago anthologies. He is the Founding Executive Director of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.