Three Wishes

"It's amazing how things happen...when I look back...I seem to have chosen each character for a specific thing that I needed as a person to address....
so "Jack" was perfect...I've been in this place of rediscovering my passion and trying to keep from getting sucked into the hit machine mentality and go for choices that are about being an actor and not about box office."

After portraying a drag queen and a western legend, Patrick Swayze's next film role was in the 1995 production of "Three Wishes". In this magical film, Swayze portrays "Jack McCloud", a mysterious stranger injured in a car accident who comes to play a major role in the lives of "The Holman Family".
The action occurs in a typical small 1955 town where "Jeanne Holman" struggles to survive after her husbands death in the Korean War, raising her two children, "Tom" and "Gunny". When "Jeanne" accidentally runs into "Jack", while driving to a Memorial Day picnic, she eventually opts to do the unexpected for a 1950's female on her own -- she takes "Jack" in, insisting he (and his dog "Betty Jane") stay with the family until his broken leg heals.

Producer Clifford Green states, "The film is about discovering the magic in everyday life and being true to yourself. In essence, the story is a fairy tale in which the character who does a good deed is granted three wishes."
States Patrick Swayze, "The movie is about compassion and about loving and caring about your fellow human being. This is a movie about relationships, about people coming into each other's lives and touching and effecting each other in a beautiful and heartfelt way. It's the kind of movie that you walk out of the theater feeling wonderful about yourself, that there is hope, and that we do have dignity as human beings."

Some Comments About "Jack McCloud"

"This fellow who would probably rather not ever be touched by human beings again is thrown into the midst of this family. As the time nears for him to leave, there's a part of him that does think about staying, as if life taps his heart and says to him, open yourself up to this or you'll die in some way." Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio ("Jeanne")

"Jack gives Tom the self-confidence to feel comfortable with himself, which is something that everyone, let alone an adolescent without a father, dearly needs." Ellen Green (producer)

"The truth is Jack doesn't come in and do anything for these people except to let them see the potential in themselves." Clifford Green

About Patrick As "Jack McCloud"

"With Patrick, you have an actor who expresses deep regard for humanity and his fellow man. He suggests a character who has great determination and his belief in the goodness of people can overcome some of his own self-doubts." Gary Lucchesi (producer)
"Patrick not only brought a charisma but he brought a knowledge. When we started talking about the character and Zen philosophy, for every resource book we knew, Patrick mentioned four more!" Clifford Green
Director Martha Coolidge stated Patrick was the obvious and first choice for "Jack", noting "His interest in spiritual matters, his physicality and the kind of probing intelligence and need to learn that goes with the character" made him the logical choice for the role.

Patrick's Personal Three Wishes
"Entertainment Tonight", October 27, 1995

Lisa and I will stay together forever;
I will stay out of my ego and stay on a journey of harm to none;
Maybe we’ll have children that will do something special in this world that maybe we won’t have a chance to.

Some Facts and Figures To Ponder
Filming was done at Agua Dulce, a distant suburb of Los Angeles.
The baseball team players were members of "The Earthquake Kids", the championship Northern California team so named for their "gutsy" play following the devasting earthquake that took place there.
The 4th of July and Memorial Day sequences were filmed at Lake Castaic, California where snow complicated production prompting Gary Lucchesi to comment "The biggest challenge in making the picture was shooting a summer picture in the winter".
Mary Elizabeth Mastriantonio also starred in "Slam Dance", a film which included Lisa Niemi in its cast.
Joseph Mazzello who played young "Tom" worked just prior on this production with Don Swayze in the tv movie "A Father for Charlie". In fact, Joseph played Don's son!
"Gunny" was played by Seth Mumy, the son of "Lost in Space" star Bill Mumy ("Will Robinson").
Bill Mumy had a cameo in "Three Wishes" as one of the neighbors.
Director Martha Coolidge is a distant cousin of former U.S. president Calvin Coolidge.

Some basic facts about "Three Wishes"

Released October 27, 1995
Domestic Box Office: $7,025,496
114 Minutes, Rated PG, from Savoy
Filmed in: California (Los Angeles, San Pedro)

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Self-Help Parent Meter Movie Review
Converse Connection Review
HBO Home Video
James Berardinelli Review
Hear Patrick Talk About His Choice of Roles
Barbara Shulgasser's Review
Joseph Mazzello's Three Wishes Pages
Roger Ebert's Review
Big Screen, Little Viewers Review

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Page Last Updated 06/20/02