Though Bloom’s hyperbolic recollections seem to be figments of an overactive imagination, there are elements of truth in them as well, August continues. “His son Will (Billy Crudup) is searching for the truth of what his father did, and because he’s a journalist, he’s looking for the factual truth, which is different from the emotional truth. Edward probably has never said a single true thing, but every story he told had a deeper level of truth behind it.”
One major creation of August’s was the character of Will, who serves only as the narrator of Wallace’s stories. For that, August drew on his personal experiences. While the dynamics of his relationship with his late father were not like that of Edward and Will, there was more than one common thread. “Every son looks up to his father, sees him as larger-than-life. But as you grow older, you start to see him as a man and not just your father,” says August. “There’s that strange moment when you realize he doesn’t always know what he’s doing and neither do you. I think it’s pretty easy to put yourself in Will’s place, knowing that your father has a thousand qualities you love, but several that drive you crazy.”
In Big Fish, Will learns he is about to become a father. At the same time, he learns he’s just about run out of time trying to connect with his own father. But he discovers that, despite outward appearances, Edward deeply loves his family and his wild stories contain real nuggets of truth. Will realizes that his own life turned out the way it did because his father challenged him to venture out and explore, which is how he ended up in Paris.
“The irony, of course,” August continues, “is that he ran away from his father’s storytelling only to become a storyteller himself. The only difference is that his father spoke his stories, while Will writes his down.”
If there’s one thing that Oscar®-winning veteran producer Richard D. Zanuck learned from his legendary father and Hollywood pioneer, Darryl F. Zanuck, it’s to go with his instincts. “I know it may sound like a cliché, but he said that if a piece of material moves me emotionally, I should go with those feelings,” says Zanuck. “The script for Big Fish moved me to tears every time I read it. Not only is it a story about fathers and sons, but there’s a great deal of fun in it as well – giants, witches, circus performers. It’s very entertaining as well as being a metaphor for living life to the fullest.”
August initially approached Academy Award®-winning producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen (American Beauty) with his script. “What was so fascinating about the story was that we all have journeys in life, but Edward Bloom goes on his quests with more gusto that most of us would have the nerve to,” says Jinks, “and that’s what made it such a delight to read.”
“Also,” adds Cohen, “Dan and I were very much in sync with Edward’s belief that what is so powerful about stories is that they can teach you how to live a great life and maybe how to think bigger and dream larger.”
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