If you threw yourself a living funeral, would anybody come?
It's a question pondered in the recent release, "Get Low," starring Hollywood heavyweights Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek, along with a local celebrity, "Miss Henney" - a 1927 Henney Hearse owned by Bill Peoples and Cawley and Peoples Funeral Home.
The film is inspired by the true story of Felix "Bush" Breazeale, a Tennessee hermit who attracted the largest crowd up to that date in 1938 when he threw himself a living funeral party. Breazeale, portrayed in the film by Duvall, knew that rumors abounded about the scraggly mountain man and he planned the "funeral" as a way to set the record straight about his tragic past.
To draw a crowd for the memorial, lottery tickets were sold offering Breazeale's valuable land as a prize. In the end, it was reported that 12,000 "mourners" from at least 14 states were on hand to pay their respects. It's a yarn - or a true tall tale, as the film's tagline suggests - that has been passed on for generations.
Bill Peoples and Miss Henney joined the production of the film in early 2009 after the filmmakers contacted the National Funeral Museum in Houston in search of a funeral car from the Great Depression era.
"They had some caskets and clothing and things, but they didn't have an automobile from that period," said Peoples, who admitted to being trepidatious when he was eventually approached.
"We immediately told them no," he laughed. "We have friends who've had cars in movies before, and they damage them a lot."
But the filmmakers were persistent and agreed to make any repairs to restore the car to mint condition - red clay had to be rubbed on the car to "dirty it up."
Eventually, Peoples and Miss Henney signed on.
"We got to talk to the producer, and it became apparent that the car would be used throughout the movie," he said.
Peoples accompanied the car as part of the contract agreement and spent six weeks on location with the film in Georgia.
Miss Henney is no stranger to film, however. She also appeared in "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Radio Days" before Peoples acquired the car 20 years ago.
In "Get Low," the car was used as the main means of transportation for funeral director Frank Quinn. Quinn, who was portrayed in the film by funnyman, Bill Murray, is described as a "used car salesman" kind of character.
The experience had Peoples rubbing elbows with the actors at breakfast, lunch and dinner and even a cast party here and there. It afforded him the chance to see "celebrities" as real people.
"Robert Duvall just has this presence, but he's also a regular guy," Peoples said, adding, "Sissy Spacek and I even share a birthday."
He also had the unique opportunity to show Murray a thing or two about driving.
"When Bill Murray drove the car, he jammed up the gears," Peoples laughed. "At one point, when he was driving, they had me lying in the back of the car - you couldn't see me - but he would drive and I would tell him when to shift."
The experience of making a movie is one that few folks get to have and one that Peoples will not soon forget.
"It was great," Peoples said. "You get a real appreciation for the movie-making process - they work long hours, weekends, all kinds of weather."
At times, Peoples admitted, the shooting schedule was a little tedious, but toward the end of filming Peoples wife, Pat, and daughter, Grace, were able to join him and were even used as extras in the movie.
The family was also invited to stroll the red carpet and view the film when it debuted last September at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The film, also starring Lucas Black, Gerald McRaney and Bill Cobbs, and directed by Aaron Schneider, opened in select theaters on July 30. It will make its Mid-Ohio Valley debut on Sept. 10., where Miss Henney will make a public appearance.
"If the weather's decent, we plan to have it out there at the 7 o'clock showing," Peoples said.
The car, and many other interesting funeral-related items, can also be seen at the Peoples Mortuary Museum by calling ahead.
