MELVIN AND HOWARD

Using the legendary desert encounter of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes and gas station attendant Melvin Dummar as a jumping off point, MELVIN AND HOWARD is a refreshing and hilarious view of what happens when fame and fortune descend suddenly on the unprepared. Dummar, as played by Paul Le Mat, is an innocent in the best American tradition – trusting, idealistic, kindhearted and vulnerable. Mary Steenburgen won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Melvin's plucky first wife. Director Jonathan Demme (1977's “Citizens Band”) has created an affectionate satire that recalls the best of the socially-conscious comedies of the Thirties. Look quickly for the real Melvin E. Dummar as the bus depot counterman.