The deer scene is beautifully poignant. Fans will remember Gordie Lachance sharing an almost spiritual moment with a passing deer. It’s one of the quieter moments in the film, but behind the scenes, it was anything but!
Although the scene lasted just a few seconds, it was nothing short of pandemonium after. The deer refused to leave. The crew had managed to bribe her with grapes for the scene, so she decided to make herself at home. Things escalated quickly from serenity to chaos.
Richard Dreyfuss Almost Didn’t Voice Adult Gordie
Adapting a novella is no easy task, and many, as we are painfully aware, routinely fail. Reiner wasn’t going to be one of them — he knew that only the perfect screenwriters, actors, and production crew members would suffice. Of utmost importance was finding the right person to portray the narrator.
He needed a voice with the right tone, emotion, and gravitas for a grown-up Gordie. The first choice was a guy named David Dukes. Shockingly, Richard Dreyfuss was at least his third choice. But sometimes the third choice ends up being a charm!
Production Was Halted and the Film Was Almost Scrapped
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that great art needs significant bankrolling. Things were progressing fine in that department until a few days before shooting, Columbia Pictures bought Embassy Pictures, the original studio. It was your classic takeover story – no funds and abrupt plans to halt production.
Norman Lear, co-owner of Embassy Pictures, stepped in with a generous donation to see the film through. Finding a distributor, later on, became even more challenging. Luckily, hope arrived in the form of Guy McElwaine from Columbia Pictures.
Stephen King’s Reaction to the Film
Stephen King is intimately familiar with the literary and cinematic worlds. His legendary disappointment with the film industry is well-known. In 1986, the first film adaptation of his books came out, and there’s been no looking back since.
Directors came and went with their interpretations of his book. Each one failed to live up to his standards until Rob Reiner. A visibly-shaken King was in tears after the screening of “Stand by Me.” The author later stated in an interview that never has a film been so faithful to the book.
Reiner Named His Production Company "Castle Rock"
The film had an enduring impact on fans and the cast. But very few people realize how the creators must be doubly-invested, if not more. For Rob Reiner, “Stand by Me” was the film that “meant the most.” It was one of those defining movies for directors – the one that seeps into the soul and remains there forever, but in a warm way, not a creepy one!
The film’s special connection for Reiner endured. In 1988, he founded his production company and called it “Castle Rock” after the fictional town in “Stand by Me”