Who Did What

The producers of Orion Pictures’ “State of Grace” are taking the unusual step of promoting the writing contributions of a second writer on the project--not something that happens everyday in an industry sensitive about rewrites.

A Writer’s Guild arbitration committee awarded sole screen credit to playwright Dennis McIntyre, who died Feb. 1 of stomach cancer at age 47.

But at the end of the film--a dark look at New York’s Irish-American gangs, starring Sean Penn--the producers give “special thanks” to another playwright, David Rabe, for his “contributions to the film.”

They also note Rabe’s rewriting efforts in the movie’s press kit, which is highly uncommon.

Co-producer Ron Rotholz explains that director Phil Joanou felt both writers deserved credit, and the producers agreed, but that McIntyre appealed to the WGA. Rotholz, who began developing the movie with McIntyre three years ago, says McIntyre definitely “wrote the movie,” but adds that McIntyre also “worked hand-in-hand” with Rabe, primarily on dialogue.

“We felt (Rabe) made a great contribution,” Rotholz says. “We wanted to acknowledge that, even though his own guild didn’t.”