PM gets a taste of Depression on film set

Colin Hanks (left), Naomi Watts, a slim Peter Jackson and (right) Jack Black welcome Helen Clark to New York, New Zealand. Picture / Mark Mitchell

She kicked off her heels, donned her gumboots for the grimy streets of Manhattan and had Oscar winner Peter Jackson to direct her.

There, cuddling alongside Jackson, Tom Hanks' son Colin and two of Hollywood's hottest, Jack Black and Naomi Watts, was the photo opportunity Helen Clark must have dreamed of.

What better way to erase memories of that speech Don Brash gave at Orewa a couple of nights ago.

The only thing missing was a gigantic lovesick ape.

"Welcome to New York," the Prime Minister beamed as she stepped from her ministerial limousine on to the Petone set of Jackson's big budget King Kong remake.

It was a rare glimpse into the $200 million movie, made even more remarkable as filming, which began only this week at the specially constructed set, continued around her.

This was a make-believe New York, circa 1933. It was at the worst of the Great Depression, when up to 15 million Americans were jobless and millions more had their wages slashed.

On Jackson's imitation Allen St, just off Broadway, Roland Keough's pawn shop offers "Fast cash when you need it". Across the road the Lyric Theatre Vaudeville Revue has closed "until further notice".

They've been filming the scenes with the now unemployed actress and Kong love interest Ann Darrow, played by Australian-raised Watts, who is desperately searching for a job.

Around Darrow the streets are busy with the homeless and hungry and a fleet of vintage cars, some owned by the moviemakers, some hired from local enthusiasts. Computer-generated images of cars will fill any blanks.

It's still the days before new President Franklin D. Roosevelt will tackle America's depressed economy by embarking on his New Deal spendup on public works, something Helen Clark chats to Jackson about.

The Prime Minister says she has seen some of Watts' scenes and compliments her on her passion.

It's an authentic Depression setting, which a slimmed-down Jackson says he needs to create if people are to find his movie believable.

"This whole thing about New York being in the Hutt Valley is kind of funny," he says. "But I am determined to make this the most realistic period version of New York anyone's ever seen. One of the fun things we can do with this movie is blow people away with just how epic New York is.

"I want to have blocks and blocks, just like New York, endless avenues and buildings, thousands of cars ... the Depression was very crowded - we've got lots of extras in the street."

Some of those 150 acting extras, mainly drivers, are gathered a couple of blocks away down Hester St, waiting for their next call.

It's where Helen Clark finds the working-class poor as she tours the set and is offered a cloth cap and a yarn about the fun of being in a Peter Jackson movie.

So what does she think Don Brash's plans for getting tough on beneficiaries would have done in 1933?

"They would have made the Great Depression worse."