Playing dress-up with gangsters

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This article was published 20/01/2012 (5305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg costume designer Heather Neale was nominated this week for a Genie Award for achievement in costume design for her work in Guy Maddin’s 1930s low-budget black-and-white gangster film Keyhole. The Genies will be handed out March 8 in Toronto.

“During TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), I was excited because I was asked to speak on a panel of Canadian costume designers. I thought that was a great honour, but THIS nomination is just amazing,” said Neale.

The film, shot in Manitoba, involves gangsters in the ’30s and includes handsome Jason Patric as the gang leader and internationally renowned star Isabella Rossellini as his ailing wife Hyacinth, plus Kevin McDonald, Brooke Palsson and Darcy Fehr.

“My husband and I went on vacation in L.A. and did a lot of vintage shopping trying to find unusual pieces, and we also scoured vintage shops in Winnipeg,” said Neale. “Guy’s daughter, Jillian Maddin, helped make some of the jewelry, which was quite ornate and breathtaking. We wanted to capture the sombre mood — the look is important to the feel of movie — and also have certain pieces stand out, I wanted Isabella in bed looking glamorously ill… For Isabel and Jason I went to rental companies for vintage to-the-period 1930s originals. With what little money I had, I made sure they were as well-dressed as I could.” Clearly, she succeeded. What will Neale wear to the awards show? “Oh, something very glamorous!”

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MODERN HIGH-TECH WEDDING: Former Lt.-Gov. John Harvard and his new wife Pat Bovey are just back from England after face time with family who were “with them” by Skype for their December wedding. (For non-Skypers, this means they could all see each other and speak back and forth online.) The Skype interaction required a three-way split screen to join the Winnipeg wedding party with guests from three countries and two continents. Online guests included Harvard’s daughter in Paris, Pat’s two daughters and their families in London plus her brother and sister-in-law from Florida.

The grandchildren were eagerly awaiting the ceremony in England, and little Georgia read The Owl and the Pussycat for the wedding couple. “I’m on Skype all the time,” explains Grandma Pat. “I babysit on Skype and play the piano for the grandchildren. It’s a lovely way to involve the family,” says the art historian and consultant/writer/teacher.

“The hub of the Skype was really in London,” says Harvard, who adds the Skyping continued after the ceremony so they could see other guests and talk to them at the party. Harvard says he’s serving on a number of volunteer boards but mostly enjoying “living the luxury of retirement.”

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DATE WITH A STAR: Learning Disabilities Association of Manitoba sent 22 tables of excited diners out with Winnipeg stars to primo restaurants all over the city Wednesday night. The Free Press table at Date With a Star won an evening out at Chop with charming city councillor Thomas Steen.

Jay Oliver and Kerri Salki (wearing a dazzling silver number) of 102.3 Clear hosted the earlier “pairing party” with bubblies and appetizers at the Delta, where they opened secret envelopes to announce who was dining with which star.

Table hosts included local luminaries such as magician Brian Glow, comedian Big Daddy Tazz, long-bearded artist Jordan Van Sewell, Bombers’ football stars Obby Khan and Doug Brown (who really know how to chow down!), country legend Ray St. Germain, writer/broadcaster Laurie Mustard, the four babes of the Oh My Darling band and CTV News’ Maralee Caruso. Also hosting were FAB 94.3’s Beau, Tom and Frazier, Shaw TV’s Tracy Koga, Power 97’s Wheeler, Free Press humour columnist Doug Speirs, singer-songwriters Keith MacPherson and Sheena Grobb, speedskater Susan Auch and 92 CITI’s Tom McGouran.

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PARAGON HAPPY HOUR: Don’t feel like fighting rush-hour traffic out of the downtown on Fridays? Check out a cool happy-hour jazz gig from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Paragon restaurant and bar, 220 Carlton St., organized by bass player Dave McCrea, who’s the director of the Spinal Cord Research Centre in his daytime life. McCrea plays with Grant Jones on guitar, Glen Lambert on drums and a special guest each week. Tonight, it’s acclaimed jazz singer Jodie Borlé. They’re gone shortly after 8:30 p.m. “so these A-level players can get to their other gigs,” says McCrea. The scientist plays with the Big Roll Band and is part of the Eastwood Gang at the Pony Corral Grant Park.

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Call Maureen’s tip line at 474-1116, email maureen.scurfield@winnipegfreepress.com or send mail to The Insider, c/o Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, R2X 3B6.