Mayor Daley Chides ‘Chicago’ Location
CHICAGO – Mayor Richard M. Daley gives the movie that bears his city’s name high marks. He has one complaint, though: It was shot in Canada.
“The movie is great,” Daley said Tuesday. “I said, `Too bad it wasn’t filmed in Chicago.'”
He blamed the federal government, saying it needs to provide incentives to American filmmakers that would match what the Canadians offer.
“The film industry in America was going strong. Canada says, `OK, we want the film industry. We will subsidize you.’ So all the film industry went from America up to Canada,” Daley said.
“Chicago,” adapted from the stage hit about two murderous women competing for tabloid celebrity, leads this year’s Oscar contenders with 13 nominations, including best picture.
“We do the creative work,” Daley said. “We do the financial work. Why should we send the production work overseas? … Our priorities should be keeping people working in the film industry right here.”
He said American workers will continue to lose out until the federal government gets the message.
“I really believe we have to get our priorities straight in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “You know √≥ knock, knock. No one is home in Washington. They have to get reality. If they listen to people, they will find out what is happening.”
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