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Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Harvey Keitel, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Screenplay by: Terry Rossio, Ted Elliot, Marianne Wibberley
Release Date: November 19, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG for action violence and some scary images.
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
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Tagline: The greatest adventure history has ever revealed.
“Here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right.” -- Benjamin Franklin Gates
National Treasure will thrill audiences this holiday season, combining a savvy crime caper with a rip-roaring quest for ancient treasure. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub have teamed up to bring a fresh, original adventure story which traverses from 2,000 year-old mysteries to a daring high-tech heist, as the action unfolds against the backdrop of America's most famous monuments and landmarks.
From the secrets of America's past comes this action-packed modern-day treasure hunt. Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage stars as Benjamin Franklin Gates, who has spent his whole life searching for a fortune few dare to believe exists.
This is the Knights Templar Treasure, the most awesome bounty in human history, rumored to be hidden somewhere in America. For six generations, the Gates family has chased after clues left behind by America's Founding Fathers and scoured the nation in search of the treasure. But the mystery has only grown deeper and deeper.
Now the maverick Ben Gates has made a breakthrough. At last, he knows where the ultimate hint to the treasure's location lies: an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. As news of the map spreads to a ruthless adversary (Sean Bean), Ben is faced with a terrible dilemma. Either Ben must steal America's most sacred document - one guarded by the most sophisticated security in the world -- or let it fall into dangerous hands.
In a race against time, enemies and the FBI, Gates teams together with his tech-whiz friend Riley (Justin Bartha) and the alluring, but unwitting, National Archives conservator Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) to accomplish the unthinkable. Will they succeed in pulling off one of the most ambitious heists of all time? Will the Declaration of Independence lead Ben closer to the treasure? In one twisting, turning cliffhanger after another -- from the ventilation shafts of the National Rotunda to the catacombs beneath New York City - the answers are revealed as Ben Gates unlocks the mystery behind America's greatest National Treasure.
“I have always wanted to make a smart treasure hunt movie filled with secret codes, puzzles, heroes, villains and plenty of twists,” says producer Jerry Bruckheimer. “Everyone loves a good mystery- and this one is especially exciting because it is steeped in real American history. When you add to that the audacious idea of planning a heist to steal the Declaration of Independence, the fun really begins.”
“The idea of a treasure map being hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence really excited me,” adds director Jon Turteltaub. “Usually, in a treasure hunt movie, the trick is how the hunter gets to the treasure. But in this film, part of the fun is how Nicolas Cage gets to the map and then keeps the map protected because it's so invaluable even without the treasure. So all of that combined instantly said to me: there's adventure here, there's a caper here, there are characters who have to be clever and savvy, and it became even more thrilling.”
The Search For Clues Begins
Behind the non-stop mystery and adventure of National Treasure lies the inspiration of actual historical legends. From real historical rumors about the Knights Templar Treasure to secret codes actually used by America's Founding Fathers to the mystical Masonic symbols that you can find on the U.S. dollar bill, the movie is filled with authentic intrigue.
Bringing this dose of reality to National Treasure's fictional adventures was key for producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who is known for consistently taking action and drama to the next level with each of his films.
“When you make a treasure hunt movie, I think the clues that lead you forward have to be really smart and based on true history, which is what we did with National Treasure,” Bruckheimer says. “We take simple things, like the dollar bill, which is something you use every day but never really look at, and we reveal secrets that are hidden in it. After you see this film, you'll look at the dollar in a whole new way. “
Adds Jon Turteltaub: “While our story is fiction, it constantly incorporates elements of reality. The story's clues emerge from actual historical letters and monuments everyone knows; and the inventions are based on real ideas and things that truly existed. This makes the story even more fun for audiences, as they share in the mystery.”
The story of National Treasure began with an idea from Oren Aviv, who also serves as President of Buena Vista Picture Marketing, and his creative partner, Charles Segars. They initially came up with the concept of a man who is forced to steal the Declaration of Independence when the crucial U.S. document proves to be in dire danger after it is discovered to contain a secret treasure map.
“It would be one of the most audacious heists ever attempted - and one that we felt could be the basis of a smart, original action-adventure,” says Aviv. Adds Segars: “The more we began to explore the idea, the more exciting it became. We were not only trying to figure how a thief might steal the Declaration of Independence without destroying it, but also more about the treasure map it contained. We began to imagine where the treasure came from, why was it buried, and the ways it had been hidden over the centuries.”
Aviv and Segars brought the idea to director Jon Turteltaub and his producing partner Christina Steinberg at Junction Entertainment. Jon and Christina then hired Jim Kouf to write an original script based on the idea in 1998. Says Steinberg: “It was very exciting to watch the idea of stealing the Declaration of Independence evolve and become an even bigger and more broadly appealing adventure story.”
Meanwhile, Turteltaub's involvement only increased Jerry Bruckheimer's interest in shepherding the project. “Jon Turteltaub is a director we've been trying to work with for a number of years,” notes Bruckheimer. “He's got a great sense of humor and a wonderful human touch, and because we knew this film would rely so much on comedy and fun, I thought he was the perfect individual to direct it.”
The idea quickly caught fire at Bruckheimer Films. “It's been awhile since we've seen a film about a quest for mysterious treasure,” says executive producer Mike Stenson, “and we felt this film really updates the genre by introducing a new breed of treasure hunter - a maverick and romantic hero who has to commit the boldest possible crime in order to do the right thing.”
Screenwriter Jim Kouf began to expand even further on the film's story. “When I met with Jon Turteltaub, he was thrilled by the idea of a guy stealing the Declaration of Independence and the moral dilemmas that would present to the character,” he recalls. “I spent a long time working on the script - 9 or 10 months of doing lots of research on the Declaration of Independence and the legends that surround treasure hunting in America. We took a lot of historical events and played with them, building on what might have been or what could have been.”
Screenwriters Cormac and Marianne Wibberley were also brought in to add further layers of mystery and adventure to the tale - spiked with spirited humor and contemporary romance. In their research, the screenwriters came across one of the most legend-filled and sought-after treasure troves in history: The Knights Templar Treasure. The Knights Templar were 11th Century Crusaders rumored to have also been one of the most powerful secret organizations in history. Stationed at Jerusalem's Temple of Solomon, the Knights were said to have amassed perhaps the most enormous collection of treasures and religious artifacts ever - priceless items dating from Ancient Egypt all the way through Early Christianity. This tight-lipped band of warriors was supposedly so wealthy they were even sought after by Europe's most powerful Kings for loans.
Then, in the 14th Century, their riches quite suddenly vanished without a trace. To this day, the mystery of what happened to the Knights Templar Treasure persists and continues to inspire treasure hunters around the world... especially in the United States. “Many people believe the treasure came to North America,” notes Cormac. “Intriguingly, it has also been supposed that Christopher Columbus was a Templar Knight, so that might have been a way for the treasure to get to here originally.”
If such an extraordinary treasure eventually landed in the hands of America's Founding Fathers, it seemed likely to the Wibberleys that it would have been set aside for a “war chest” during the Revolutionary War - as a last resort should the fledgling nation need further financing (a serious issue at the time) to gain its hard-fought freedom.
Reading further into history, it also seemed entirely plausible to the Wibberleys that the Founding Fathers would go to ingenious lengths to keep such an incredible trove of wealth secret. After all, in 1776 America, spies and enemies were a constant reality - and secrecy was becoming an art form.
Indeed, as the screenwriters of National Treasure discovered, this was a time when many of the country's elite belonged to secret societies, when letters were regularly written in hard-to-break codes and invisible ink, when cryptic Masonic symbols were carved into buildings and when treasures were commonly hidden in camouflaged locations to assure security. It was also a time when many American leaders belonged to a secret society steeped in mysterious rituals: the Freemasons.
“What we really found amazing is that the Knights Templar later evolved into Freemasons and many of America's Founding Fathers were also Freemasons, including Benjamin Franklin and George Washington,” Marianne continues. “Of course, we don't know if the Founding Fathers really knew of the Knights Templar Treasure but we do know that there have been famous hunts for it in North America, some involving such people as a young Franklin Delano Roosevelt.”
The screenwriters also found themselves fascinated by the real Benjamin Franklin, whose genius for invention gives his namesake Ben Gates several clever ways to decipher clues. Franklin did indeed invent bifocal glasses, so it was a logical jump to have the great American leave behind a pair of tri-color, code-busting specs of his own design. In addition, the real-life “Silence Dogood Letters” - letters written to an Early American newspapers by a middle-aged woman, only for historians to realize that a teenaged Ben Franklin secretly wrote them as a prank - also play a key role in the hunt for treasure.
To further add verisimilitude to the script, the filmmakers also consulted with real-life treasure hunters, who regularly brave dangers in the hopes of getting to the bottom of unsolved mysteries, to better understand their mindset. They also conferred with highly regarded cryptographers and code breakers to help design some of the puzzles Ben Gates must solve.
Key to one of the film's most breath-taking sequences, Bruckheimer brought in criminal strategy experts to help formulate a realistic plan for stealing the Declaration of Independence. On display at the National Archives in Washington D.C., the original parchment Declaration is today protected by the most technologically advanced and extreme security measures available. “We went to people who have inside knowledge of complex heists and asked them, `how would it be possible to break into a completely secure building that was designed to outsmart thieves?' and we built on their ideas to create a very real and suspenseful sequence,” he explains.
Among those consulted on criminal strategy for the film were legendary DEA agent Don Ferrarone, who was involved in the famed “French Connection” case and is now a movie producer and Harry Humphries, former Navy SEAL and technical consultant for many Bruckheimer Films.
The final screenplay combined all of these elements. Sums ups Jon Turteltaub: “What I loved about the final script is that it was filled not only with very smart action and a surprising amount of humor, but also terrific characters. Ben Gates is someone who feels a strong, personal connection to history and this is what ultimately gives him the courage to go to the outrageous lengths he does to protect the Declaration of Independence by stealing it and to search for a treasure whose worth to humankind is beyond price.”
Most of all Turteltaub loved the film's unique blending of genres. “I love caper movies, I love smart characters, I love adventure, I love romantic comedy and with this film, all of that is happening in one movie,” says the director.
The chance to collaborate with Bruckheimer was another incentive for Turteltaub. “The name Jerry Bruckheimer right away says that this movie is going to be big, it's going to be fun and it's going to be filled with excitement,” comments the director. “What's also wonderful about Jerry is that he was constantly pushing to deepen the characters, to do more research, to really heighten the reality of the plot to make it even more believable, and therefore full of mystery and suspense. He always saw it as an adventure story that is driven by the characters and by imagination.”
“In making National Treasure, I came to see how much Jerry really believes in good, old-fashioned storytelling,” sums up Turteltaub. “He has a very American sensibility in that he believes in true, pure heroes. His heroes might be flawed and quirky, but they are always driven by goodness - and that's what we hoped to create with Ben Gates, who comes to understand that like our American forefathers, he must commit a crime and set off on an unknown adventure to do the right thing.”
A History-Buff Hero
At the heart of National Treasure's adventurous quest is a new breed of treasure hunter: Ben Gates, played with spirited humor by Nicolas Cage as a man driven by a legacy and his own love of American history. A savvy puzzle-solver who relies on his wits, Gates is forced into a moral dilemma when he discovers a hidden treasure map to treasure lies on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Now with his rivals threatening to steal the vital document, can he do the unthinkable and steal it first... if that is the only way to keep it safe?
Jerry Bruckheimer went straight to Nicolas Cage for the role of Gates, knowing immediately the actor could embody this sharp, action-oriented, yet complex character. Earlier, Bruckheimer gave Cage his very first action hero role in “The Rock” - and the two subsequently worked together on Bruckheimer's “Con Air” and “Gone in 60 Seconds.”
“Nicolas Cage epitomizes the kind of hero I respond to,” comments Bruckheimer. “He's leading man handsome, yet he's also an Everyman. He's wild and weird and funny, yet he's mainstream. He's also smart, inquisitive and passionate - just like Ben Gates.”
Cage, in turn, was pleased to reunite with Bruckheimer. “Jerry has great taste in all aspects of the industry, and is sincere in that taste. He's like an independent producer, in that he doesn't always make the obvious choices in actors, filmmakers or subject matter,” observes Cage. “He always seems to add something unusual or new to his stories, such as National Treasure, and yet he has incredible commercial sensibilities. It's a wonderful combination, so I'm always happy to work with him.”
Another enticement for Cage was a chance to work with Jon Turteltaub, with whom he also has a very different past association: as teenagers, the two attended Beverly Hills High School together and even took the same drama class. “In fact, Jon beat me out of the lead role in `Our Town,'” remembers Cage. “So now, because of the good old days, it seemed like we would each really try to do our best for one another in this film.”
Finally, there was the character of Ben Gates, who gave Cage a lot to think about in terms of performance. “What's interesting to me about Ben is that he has several equally huge motivations to find this treasure: there's his passion for history and restoring things to their right places in the world; there's the fact that the treasure is going to be worth a completely unfathomable amount of money; there's the fact that he's been searching for this treasure his entire life; and there's his relationship with his father, and his drive to return his family's good name - and in the course of the film, he is tested and has to really figure out which of these is most important and what he really wants,” explains Cage.
Jon Turteltaub came to believe there couldn't have been a better choice to portray the playful yet daring hero. “The audacity of this role was perfect for Nic,” he says. “I knew he'd make Ben as irreverent, charming, funny and real as he should be. Over the long years of his quest, Ben has developed a kind of roguish spirit. He's tough and determined but he also has a kind of joy about him, where he doesn't take himself too seriously. To me, Nicolas Cage simply defines this kind of character. You can always count on him to bring a sense of depth and quirkiness to his characters that few other actors can find.”
In On The Plan
Joining Nicolas Cages' Ben Gates on his mission to steal The Declaration of Independence in National Treasure are Justin Bartha as tech-whiz Riley and Diane Kruger as the alluring historical archivist Abigail Chase - who both are thrust into an outrageous heist and ensuing adventure they never could have imagined.
Bartha was thrilled to have a chance to work with Nicolas Cage - and to portray a dynamic and modern yin-yang buddy relationship. “Riley is a guy who is completely adept at technology, and Ben Gates is adept at just about everything else,” he explains. “What's fun about my character is that Ben gets this guy out of his computer cubicle and takes him on the adventure of his life.”
Jerry Bruckheimer played a key part in helping Bartha to further define the role of Riley. “Jerry had been doing some research on another project about teenagers drafted by the NSA to build computer models. He figured Riley may have received his start that way, which as a background story really helped me to figure who Riley is and where he comes from,” Bartha explains.
Says Bruckheimer: “Riley is the film's reluctant warrior. He is somebody who really belongs in front of a computer but is thrown into the real world and has to figure out how it all works. Justin is a very funny person and he had a great interplay with Nic.”
As production drew near, Bartha also found himself living more like Riley - that is, spending hours every day huddled in front of his computer. “I was never much of an Internet guy before this movie,” he laughs, “but after I got the role, I definitely became one. I actually did a lot of my own research into treasure hunting by cruising around on the net.”
When it came to working with Nicolas Cage, however, Bartha found the quick-witted relationship between the characters came completely naturally. “There was a lot of realism to it because Riley is constantly reacting to all the wild and bold stuff Ben does in the movie - and that's how I felt around Nic,” he notes. “He is such a fearless actor, and he never shies away from any instinct in his performance, no matter how eccentric, and so I was just constantly reacting to him with awe and disbelief, just as Riley is reacting to Ben. It was just a lot of fun getting to spar and joke with him.”
Also entering a conflicted - yet increasingly romantic - relationship with Ben Gates is archivist Abigail Chase, who hopes to stop him from stealing the Declaration of Independence, until she realizes it may be lost forever if Ben doesn't. In Abigail - who is equally tough and savvy -- Ben meets his match.
To play such a sharp and ultimately brave woman, the filmmakers searched for someone special. They found what they were looking for in Diane Kruger, who recently came to the fore as the legendary Helen, whose beauty launched a thousand ships, in the epic “Troy.” Recalls Jon Turteltaub : “When we brought Diane in to test for the role, we instantly knew she had that inherent dignity and intelligence about her which Abigail has to have. Even better, when she screen-tested with Nic, she actually intimidated him a little. This really mattered because not only is Abigail in conflict with Ben, but she has to stand up to him and match wits with him.”
Kruger's spirited confidence became even more apparent when Cage came up to Turteltaub after the test and said “She made me a little uncomfortable; that was really good.” That helped to clinch the role, along with her commanding smarts.
“Diane is a beautiful, dynamic actress with a great sense of humor, and another wonderful thing about her is that you really believe she could be somebody who is in charge at the National Archives because she has a real strong sense of authority,” comments Bruckheimer.
Though her character was born in Germany, Diane Kruger sees Abigail as a committed patriot. “Her position as the Conservator of the Charters of Freedom isn't just a job to her; she believes it is also a very important responsibility,” Kruger explains. “She loves the United States and sees the Declaration of Independence almost like her child in the sense that she can't bear the thought of anyone doing harm to it.”
Kruger went on her own journey preparing for the role by visiting the real Declaration of Independence. “For me, National Treasure has such a great story because not only is filled with great action but you also have a chance to discover something new,” she says.
Arriving on the set to work side by side with Nicolas Cage was another exciting moment for Kruger. “He's truly an artist,” she comments. “What amazed me is that I never imagined his character to be all the things that he made it through his performance. He is so loose and authentic and inventive all the time, that it's very inspiring to everyone working with him.”
Of Fathers and Villains
Adding more depth to the colorful cast of characters in National Treasure are such acclaimed actors as Sean Bean in the role of Ian Howe, who threatens the Declaration of Independence; Jon Voight as Nicolas Cage's disillusioned father; Christopher Plummer as the grandfather who inspires Cage's quest for treasure; and Harvey Keitel as Agent Sadusky, who is fast on Cages' trail.
Sean Bean was drawn to the role of Ian Howe -- the entrepreneur who initially finances Ben Gates' treasure hunt only to reveal he has his own motives -- because he thought it would be great fun to play someone so cunning and conniving. “Ian is smart and bold like Ben but also quite ruthless and greedy,” says Bean, “and this is where he differs from Ben. Ben is interested in America's treasure for the good of the people, whereas Ian is in it for his own prosperity. I think this contrast, along with their intelligence, makes them very interesting rivals for treasure.”
Says Jerry Bruckheimer of Bean's modern-day version of the relentless and malevolent foe: “You can't have a great hero unless you have a great villain, and Sean is a wonderful villain. He plays it very smart, as somebody who is very shrewd and clever, and is never far behind Nicolas Cage in trying to find the treasure.”
Adds Jon Turteltaub: “Sean is a very sexy bad guy. He has an amazingly commanding voice and he is also very powerful and comfortable with himself on screen. We wanted Ian to be an extraordinary obstacle for Ben Gates - a guy who has no moral limits whereas Ben has to wrestle with his - and Sean gave us that.”
To play Ben's father, the man who abandoned the chase that Ben is now pursuing with everything he's got, the filmmakers were pleased to cast Oscar winner Jon Voight. “I always felt we needed someone of real stature to play Nicolas Cage's dad,” explains Turteltaub. “Jon brings the kind of charisma and strength to the part that we needed. At the same time, we discovered how sweet and awkward and funny he can also be. He was the biggest, and most wonderful, surprise in the movie for me.”
Voight immediately said yes to the part purely on the basis of his long-lived relationship with Jerry Bruckheimer, with whom he has collaborated four times, including on the upcoming “Glory Road.” “Jerry's movies are always exciting and he is a person who really cares about every piece that goes into making them,” says Voight. “So when he asked me to take a look at the National Treasure script, I was honored to do so - and immediately found that here was a very fun adventure story with a lot of unique characters and elements to it.”
The character of Patrick Gates, a treasure hunter who walked away from the hunt when the danger and heartbreak became too much, also appealed to Voight. “Patrick is someone who has become disillusioned and bitter after giving up so much of his life to find something so seemingly intangible. Now, after all these years, his son Ben pulls him unwillingly back into the search, and also pulls him back into life a bit,” he explains.
National Treasure also presented Voight with his first opportunity to work with Nicolas Cage. “We had a lot of fun working together and discovering a real chemistry that made us a pretty good pairing for father and son,” says Voight.
Adds Nicolas Cage: “Jon and I wanted to create one of those relationships where, over time, the son starts to becomes more like the father and the father more like the son, and this was something that felt very natural with us.”
For Jon Turteltaub, the exceptional supporting cast became a key part of bringing National Treasure's character-driven story to life. “I was really impressed at how generous these extremely accomplished actors were,” he says. “They were devoted first and foremost to telling this story and to focusing on the big picture.”
A Distinctly American Adventure
Most tales of high adventure unfold in exotic lands and long-ago times - but with National Treasure, a hunt for one of greatest bounties in history comes home to contemporary America. From Philadelphia's Independence Hall to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to New York City's Trinity Church, Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turteltaub took the production to authentic U.S. historical locations - and recreated others - that have rarely been seen in the light of an action-adventure.
For Jerry Bruckheimer, there was no other choice but to go directly to the source of the film's inspiration: the most intriguing locales of America's past. “In order to create the strongest possible reality for the story, we had to go to the monuments and cities where so much of our American history has unfolded,” says Bruckheimer. “So, while the focus is always on the story and action that Ben Gates is wrapped up in, you get a little bit of a sense of history from the backgrounds and production design.”
Of course, the very idea of filming inside the nation's most hallowed and protected landmarks, especially in the post 9/11-world, was no simple proposition. The task of negotiating shooting permits for these often off-limits places fell to executive producer and long-time Bruckheimer associate Barry Waldman. Waldman not only negotiated for access, he also found ways to assure that each of the film's historical locations were showcased in an exciting yet appropriate manner.
Explains Waldman: “Every location in Washington and Philadelphia has its own prestige - and they each wanted to make sure they were going to be portrayed authentically and in the best possible way. So, for instance, we went through a lot of script revisions to film inside the Library of Congress because they wanted to make sure that audiences see the characters researching something that's actually there. So we have Ben and Riley looking at street grids and blueprints of the National Archives, which are housed there. We also added a line about the Library of Congress being the largest library in the world, housing 22 million books, just to give you a better sense of how amazing it is.”
Getting permission to film at the Lincoln Memorial, where Ben and Riley plan their heist much to Riley's dismay, was also an early challenge for National Treasure. “The Park Service didn't want us to obstruct the public access to it, of course, so we could only shoot at the Lincoln Memorial up to the second tier of its steps,” says Waldman.
Yet the atmosphere of caution only seemed to heighten the filmmaking. “There is a real feeling of hallowed ground at the Lincoln Memorial. This actually gave us even more respect and a real sense of awe for where we were shooting - which translated into the actors' performances, how we shot it, and how we behaved while there,” explains Turteltaub.
Due to ongoing renovations, the filmmakers were able to obtain only limited access to the National Archives - where the Declaration of Independence is housed, along with the Bill of Rights and Constitution - although even that was highly unprecedented. “Few people have been in there with a movie camera, let alone a crew and actors, and it turned out phenomenal,” says Bruckheimer.
In several cases, such as with the National Archives, when filming proved limited or impossible, the filmmakers relied on building extensive sets based on reality. Says Jon Turteltaub: “I really wanted to shoot in every national landmark that we could, but some places were just unable to accommodate a giant Hollywood production. We're not exactly dainty little flowers - we're more like the hippos from Fantasia and the last thing we wanted to do was endanger any of the places that we are trying to help preserve in the course of this film.”
Turteltaub continues: “We were still very lucky to be able to shoot at so many amazing landmarks. When you go to places like this and you see that this stuff really exists, you suddenly realize all these childhood stories you read about are real. It's very exciting and this sense of awe at our history helped to inspire the visual style of the film.”
Bruckheimer and Turteltaub brought in a team of accomplished artists and artisans to help fully create the intricate world of National Treasure, including production designer Norris Spencer and director of photography Caleb Deschanel.
Notes Bruckheimer: “We were looking for something different in the look of these cities so we brought in a British designer, Norris Spencer, who sees America through very different eyes. His strong feeling for American history comes from his outsider's perspective - and he brought a distinctive design sense to creating this adventure. Then we brought in Caleb Deschanel, who is an amazing cinematographer, and brings a real warmth and beauty to it all.”
For Norris Spencer, the creative challenge was clear, but one that excited him by its very nature. “The most attractive part for me is that National Treasure is the rare adventure movie that doesn't wind up in Syria or Petra or one those exotic places. Instead, it winds through the U.S. and concludes amongst the awe-inspiring skyscrapers of New York, and I thought that was magic,” he says. “I thought it brought the treasure hunt motion picture right up to date.”
Spencer also welcomed the collaborative process. “To achieve the look and style we wanted, we all worked together - Jerry Bruckheimer, Jon Turteltaub, myself and my whole department,” he says. “Jerry never stops contributing, which is great. He had many suggestions and we incorporated them into our designs.”
Production began in Washington, D.C., where the heady atmosphere prepared cast and crew alike for the epic task ahead. “It's pretty exciting to start a shoot with the glow of the Capitol behind you,” notes Turteltaub. Still, once the permit was snagged for the Library of Congress, there proved to be another impediment, this one outside of anyone's control. As the shooting date for that locale approached, Hurricane Isabel hit Washington D.C. and its surrounding areas, virtually shutting down the city. “This left us with a very small window of time to shoot at the Library of Congress the following Sunday. We got eight hours from the time we loaded in to the time we loaded out,” recalls Waldman.
But even with the lightning-pace, it was worth it to the filmmakers. “The Library of Congress is one of the most extraordinary interiors of any building I've ever seen,” exclaims Turteltaub. “It was amazing to be able to shoot inside.”
In addition to the Library of Congress and Lincoln Memorial, other authentic locations used in Washington D.C. include the 1902 Daughters of the American Revolution Building, which doubles for Andrew Jackson's White House in 1832. Here, the story of National Treasure kicks off with a scene featuring Ben Gates' ancestor and Charles Carroll, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, who passes on to him a vital clue to the treasure.
Intriguingly, while filming at this location, an old man approached Jon Turteltaub and introduced himself as Charles Carroll Carter, a direct descendent of Charles Carroll himself! “This really drove home the fact that so many places and events we refer to in the film are based in reality,” says the director. “To have Charles Carroll's relative on the set seemed to bring it all full circle.”
Since the production couldn't shoot the extensive heist sequences inside the then-closed National Archives, this key site was later recreated in heightened detail and as close as possible to the real thing by Norris Spencer on a Hollywood soundstage. “With the cooperation of the Archives, we were able to do a lot of research before we began to build our sets,” Spencer explains. “We were even able to get access to key rooms and measure them. They also gave us drawings and computer pictures of what the renovation was going to look like. So we took all this and developed our own look from there.”
Obviously, the filmmakers would not be able to shoot the badly faded original Declaration of Independence for security and preservations reasons - so they worked with experts to create a close replica which also allows the audience to see the 200-plus year-old document with its title and signatures somewhat more intact.
After Washington, D.C., production moved to Philadelphia, where the earliest history of America is still palpable in such monuments as Independence Hall and The Liberty Bell. The National Treasure production then obtained very rare permission to enter the original Liberty Bell tower which now houses the 1876 Centennial Bell which rings to this day - and plays a crucial role in bringing Ben and his friends closer to the treasure while they're under the gun.
“I don't think a movie had ever filmed in the Liberty Bell's tower,” comments Barry Waldman. “In the beginning, frankly, they really didn't want us to either because, again, there were worries about impeding public access and security. But we worked closely with the Superintendent of Parks and came up with a whole system that comfortably re-routed tourists, and gave us access to what we needed at the same time. We were thrilled to be able to accomplish this because it not only is one of the most significant buildings in our nation's history (it is one of twenty World Heritage sites), it also played such a pivotal role in our story.”
Once again, stepping onto sacred American ground kept cast and crew's spirits high. “Shooting at Independence Hall was one of the huge treats in making this film; to stand where the Liberty Bell once rang, and to film our characters talking about it there,” says Turteltaub.
Other Philadelphia locales included The Franklin Institute, the Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia City Hall, Society Hill - where cobblestones from the 1700s still line the streets -- and the Pine Street Church Cemetery, with its centuries old grave markers.
Not all of National Treasure unfolds inside the continental United States, however. When audiences first meet Ben Gates, he has gone literally to the ends of the earth in search of clues to the Knights Templar treasure. For the scenes that take Ben to the glacial arctic looking for a mysterious hint on the shipwrecked Charlotte, the production created a truly frosty interior set at the Union Ice Company in Los Angeles. “We based our set on the research we did on typical ships of that period, many of which were ultimately stranded in the frozen wastelands of the Arctic and Antarctica.,” says Spencer. “Shooting in a real ice house gave us the ultimate in real cold effects,” he adds. “It was pretty harrowing for the cast and crew, but they certainly looked authentically cold. Best of all, the air was thick with their visible breath.”
The central clue that Ben Gates discovers on The Charlotte is a Meerschaum pipe. These beautiful, hand-carved 17th century smoking pipes are often elaborately sculpted from a rare mineral which appears like a white clay and adds a unique flavor to the smoke. To create a Meerschaum in the shape of the Charlotte, Norris Spencer asked his art department to design an elaborate replica along with a wooden carrying case which looks like it might have come from George Washington's Mount Vernon.
For the exteriors of the icebound Charlotte, the production journeyed to Strawberry Reservoir, just outside Park City, Utah, which was previously used to film re-enactments of Ernest Shackleton's famous shipwreck for a PBS special. Here the production began building the remains of the ship in summer, just in time for an early blizzard that buried part of the set in the perfect amount of snow. Later, all the crew's hard work was blasted apart to recreate the near-disastrous explosion caused by Ben Gates' attempt to escape from a deceitful Ian Howe.
The film's climactic scenes take place in New York City which, though it represents the height of urban modernity, also holds a tremendous amount of American history hidden within its confines. For one of the film's most spectacular sets, Norris Spencer recreated subterranean chambers much like those that actually exist beneath historical Trinity Church. The original Trinity Church, built at the corner of what is now Broadway and Wall Street, was founded in 1697 and was the sight of fierce fighting during the Revolutionary War. Though three churches have now been built on the same site, the original burial ground at Trinity still includes the graves and memorials of many historic figures, including Alexander Hamilton.
Visiting Trinity Church gave the filmmaking team a surprise introduction into the secrets old buildings can hold. Led by a caretaker, Norris Spencer descended into the bowels of the church where he discovered an eerie boiler room, mysterious shaft-like tunnels and a small crypt containing unidentified skeletons - most likely 200 years in age or older. This macabre setting inspired him to recreate a larger version as a set for the catacombs through which Ben must journey to get closer to the priceless treasure.
“What was really amazing is that we imagined all this stuff for the film, and there it all was in existence,” says Spencer. “We even imagined a secret gravestone entrance -- then we discovered there really was a secret gravestone you could push to exit the church. What began as fiction turned out to be intriguingly close to fact.”
Ultimately the sprawling subterranean sets would take five months to build, with a large crew working double shifts, on a Los Angeles soundstage. Says Spencer: “The catacombs were ultimately one of my favorite designs. The set had a very strong feeling to it, an odor that was damp and plastery and yet almost airless. It was very eerie, and hopefully that feeling really comes across on the screen. This was a big part of our overall concept - that through the sets we would be continually building clues and building intrigue.”
To complete his designs for this underground realm's secret rooms, Spencer immersed himself in Masonic architecture, with its cryptic symbols and meaningful layouts. “I literally read hundreds of books about Ben Franklin, George Washington and the Freemasons. I also visited Masonic temples and lodges in order to get ideas and learn about their symbols and their rituals,” says Spencer.
One of Spencer's favorite designs would the Treasure Chamber itself, with its long, dusty walkways of endless wonders. “This was a lot of fun to create,” he says, “and I was really pleased with what we achieved because it has an incredible feeling to it, and gives you that sense of amazement that Ben, Riley and Abigail are experiencing.”
For Jon Turteltaub, the design was a key element in creating the film's labyrinth of intrigue and spirit of fun. “Norris was extraordinarily creative and passionate in all of his designs,” says the director. “Whenever I walked out onto his sets, I always found myself in the middle of a world that felt at once majestic and authentically real.”
Working closely with Norris Spencer throughout the production of National Treasure was award-winning cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, whom the filmmakers brought on board due to his exceptional technical abilities. “With Caleb, a shot is never just a shot. Every shot is about telling the story,” says Jon Turteltaub. “He is so intent on making sure every image represents the point of view of a particular character in the movie - and when you add to that his extraordinary ability with light - we knew he would create something gorgeous.”
Deschanel felt an immediate affinity for the story of National Treasure. “I love the idea of a great fantasy adventure that at the same time takes you to all these wonderful places that are part of American history,” he says. “I mean I've always been a fan of American history and for me it was very exciting to go to all these places in Washington and Philadelphia. I really loved working on this film.”
In conversations with Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turteltaub, Deschanel came up with a unique look for the film from the start. “I wanted to breach the gap between reality and fantasy by finding a style in the middle ground between the two,” he explains. “You want to believe that Ben Gates is a real person who exists in real time so we used a certain amount of naturalism with him in terms of time and space and lighting, but when we got to the great monuments, we used more of a romantic look, with lots of wider lenses because when you go to these places, you're in awe.”
In the end, Deschanel most loved shooting in the tower of the Liberty Bell, where he says the full vision of the film came together. “To be up there, to get that incredible view and capture a little bit what it must have been like 200 years ago - all in the middle of a fast-moving, adrenaline action sequence -- was really tremendous.”
 Production notes provided by Touchstone Pictures. |
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National Treasure
