A friendly overture on 'Mozart'

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A friendly overture on 'Mozart'

Last update: May 26, 2006 – 6:20 PM

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A friendly overture on 'Mozart'

Jerry Newport and Josh Hartnett might never see eye-to-eye about the movie

" Mozart and the Whale, " but Newport still is thrilled with the job the

Minnesota actor did playing him. The film, about Newport's battle against a

type of autism known as Asperger Syndrome, is up in the air because

Hartnett was so angered by the final edit that he has refused to do

promotional work for it.

" I still don't approve of that, " said Newport, who was in the Twin Cities

last weekend for an Asperger fundraiser. " But I appreciate everything he

did. I realize that without him, it never would have been made. "

Hartnett balked when the team of 13 producers behind the indie project

fired director Naess ( " Elling " ) and re-edited the movie into more of

a lighthearted comedy about Newport and his wife, , who also is

autistic. (They even suggested changing the title to " Crazy in Love, " but

backed off when Hartnett blew a gasket.)

" The saddest thing is that no one is getting to see Josh's performance, "

Newport said. " He never knew me when I was in my 20s, but he captured my

spirit perfectly. I think it's his best movie. " No hard feelings, then? " He

has a fan for life, " Newport promised.

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