Producer Gary Kurtz Of "Star Wars" Fame To Produce The Elizabethan-era Spy Thriller "Christopher Marlowe"

LOS ANGELES & LONDON - Aug. 16, 2016 - PRLog -- Gary Kurtz, the Oscar-nominated Producer whose credits include "Star Wars", "The Empire Strikes Back", and "American Graffiti", will produce "Christopher Marlowe" in the United Kingdom in 2017.

The feature film about the Elizabethan-era poet, playwright, and spy for the Crown was scripted by Francis Hamit and will be directed by Michael Donahue.

"The Elizabethan era is rich in dramatic opportunities," Kurtz said, "and here we see the dark side of that society through the tragedy of the man who, had he lived, might have been more famous than Shakespeare. One who was undone by the fatal flaw of his own ambition, much like his character Doctor Faustus. This will be an epic production with very rich visuals, using some of the finest British actors available."

"This is a very powerful, well researched narrative," Donahue agreed, "where the leading playwright of his day had a secret life as a secret agent working for Queen, country and religion. Kit Marlowe was trained for Holy Orders as an Anglican, infiltrated a Jesuit seminary and then became a professed atheist. That led to his downfall and death at the hands of his fellow agents, secretly executed by order of Queen Elizabeth herself."

Donahue's previous features include the romantic comedy "Pooltime", "The Visitor From Planet Omicron", and the recent horror film "Mansion of Blood" which stared Gary Busey and Robert Picardo.

The original incarnation of the script was Hamit's stage play "MARLOWE: An Elizabethan Tragedy", originally produced in Los Angeles. In 2010, Donahue suggested that the story of Marlowe's other life as a secret agent would make a very dramatic and entertaining film, and he and Hamit began to develop the script. Attracted to the UK by the "deep bench of acting talent", and other facilities, Hamit and his partner Leigh Strother-Vien (also a long-time sf fan) founded their own production company in London, The Kit Marlowe Film Co. PLC, in 2014.

"The film really should be made in England," Hamit said. "These events are part of British history and culture and original locations such as Cambridge University are irresistible. These projects are never fast nor easy. There are thousands of things to do before we have a finished film and making it 'A Gary Kurtz Production' is tremendously helpful."

Hamit's script was recently the winner in the Screenplay category at the 11th Annual Hollywood Book Festival.

"That's very encouraging," Hamit said, "but getting the film made is what really counts and that is why we are so pleased to have Gary Kurtz as part of our team. He will make it happen."