Alec Baldwin's ‘Rust' premieres at iconic Redfield drive-in with SD wranglers in spotlight
'As wranglers, we provide the director and his or her team with stock, stunts, period-specific saddles and tack – whatever they need for a historically accurate film,' said Nick Schultz, who served as head wrangler with a team of about a dozen others on 'Rust.'
'This was among the biggest productions we'd been a part of,' he said.
For this production, Nick Schultz and his team brought 34 horses and nearly a zoo-full of other critters for the work.
'Typically we'll supply 15-20 horses, and you need to have all the saddles, bridles and everything else,' he said. 'Filming this one was a real collaboration with the director, the cast and everyone. We were all on the same page: we wanted to make the best possible movie we could.'
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The making of 'Rust' is almost a cinematic story itself. The film began production in 2021 in New Mexico, and in October of that year, an incident on set led to the shooting of the director, Joel Souza, and the film's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. Hutchins' wound, fired from a prop gun that was supposed to only have blanks in it, was fatal. The film's star, Alec Baldwin, fired the shot that led to the death.
The event was investigated, and the armorer for the film, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2024. Charges initially brought against Baldwin were dropped.
Hutchins' husband, Matthew Hutchins, encouraged Souza and his team to complete the film. The production moved to California, and later to Montana, where Nick Schultz and his wranglers met and worked with Baldwin and the other members of the cast.
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'We were not there when the incident occurred, but for us, we just wanted to do our best in every scene to give the cast and crew our very best,' Nick Schultz said. 'We felt that was the best way we could honor that gal and her family.'
Wranglers work with donkeys, pigeons, chickens and horses, but for 'Rust' a special animal was needed: a puppy that looked like the one that was originally in the film about three years earlier, so that footage from both eras could seamlessly come together.
'I have many friends in veterinary and other fields, and I reached out to friends to find a dog with he same facial coloring, because the puppy has a key part in the film,' Nick Schultz said.
He found a puppy to fit the bill, her name is Ruby.
She did great on camera, and those weeks together led to something special – if not too surprising.
'She's my dog now,' Nick Schultz said. 'She'll be a part of the event at the drive-in. I just fell in love with her over those weeks of staying with me. Ruby was so young, but so smart – everyone fell in love with her.'
Just a mile north of Redfield, Pheasant City is among the last 300 or so drive-in theaters in the U.S. When you remember that in the 1950s, more than 4,500 of these entertainment complexes existed, it's inspiring that a local one continues to show films.
'Our place is a piece of American history,' said Stacey Marlow, who owns and operates the drive-in with her husband, Dave Marlow. 'This is our 12th year, and this opportunity to show this film – and make it special – is a real treat.'
The couple love movies, and they love hosting families for a unique entertainment experience not far from town.
'We get a lot of visitors from all over, and many people come down from Aberdeen or Watertown,' Stacey Marlow said.
'Sometimes it's people who are doing something they remember from growing up.'
The drive-in is family friendly with a robust concessions stand. Rosa and Clark Davis, Stacey Marlow's parents, work the ticket line and make sure everyone feels at home. Nick Schultz said he loves going for the gathering nature of the nights at Pheasant City Drive-In.
The event for "Rust" will be slightly different. Nick Schultz and some of his team, including his father, Stan Schultz, will be at the drive-in, in costume, with horses, a coach and other regalia.
'It's an experience,' he said. 'You have kids running around playing, the sun is setting, old music is in the air, the concessions stand is busy, cars lining up and everyone coming to just have a night at the movies.'
Although the movie was not shot in South Dakota, many animals hail from the state as do the wranglers, who you might get a glimpse of on the screen.
'If you come, you'll see Nick in the movie, as he was part of the sheriff's posse that plays a key role in the conclusion of the film,' Marlow said. 'I don't want to spoil it. You'll have to come see a local talent on the big screen. We look forward to hosting you.'
When: May 16-17
Where: Pheasant City Drive-In Theatre, 17230 Highway 281, Redfield, South Dakota
Tickets: $7 for ages 12 and up; age 11 and under are free. Ticket booth opens at 7 p.m.
Information: pheasantcitydrivein.com
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: 'Rust' comes to Redfield: South Dakota wranglers bring Hollywood home
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