Louisiana A-’Blaze’

“This is probably the most exciting and glamorous thing that’s ever happened to our community.”

That’s how film commission co-chairman George Wyatt summed up the love affair between the community of Winnfield, La., (pop. 7,500) and “Blaze”--just released in Los Angeles but still unseen by Winnfieldans.

Winnfield is hometown--and final resting place--to Earl K. Long, the legendary Louisiana governor who made headlines with his love affair with stripper Blaze Starr. It’s also where about 60% of the movie was filmed.

What’s being touted as “A Winnfield Celebration of ‘Blaze’ ” will take place Monday night in neighboring Alexandria (48 miles to the south), site of the nearest walk-in theater. (Winnfield only has a drive-in.)

Following the Touchstone Pictures-sponsored screening, at the Alexandria Cinema 6, Winnfieldans will gather for a bash at the Bentley Hotel--the campaign headquarters where Long suffered his fatal 1959 heart attack.

Proceeds from the Bentley to-do will go to further the Winnfield Film Commission’s pursuit of Hollywood. “Our town can be Anytown, USA,” bragged Wyatt.

Still, it took some doing to convince the “Blaze” film makers to shoot there.

“We had to wine and dine them,” said Wyatt, who brought out writer-director Ron Shelton and exec producer Dale Pollock, feeding them Southern cooking at Lynda’s Country Kitchen and the Huey P. Long Motor Hotel Restaurant.

“We had to impress them with our rich political history--and the fact that this town has authorities on Earl Long. There are folks here who went coon hunting with Earl.”

Winnfield won out--the state film commission estimates that “Blaze” brought $13.5 million into the state, Wyatt said.

Also left behind--in cement: hand and other body imprints of the cast and crew. “We have Paul Newman’s hand print and bare feet prints--and Ron Shelton’s nose and eyebrows,” said Wyatt.

“He kissed his (cement) block!”