Florida Father and Son Return Home with Third Movie

Thirty years ago, Bertie Higgins was cranking out pop hits like “Key Largo,” “Casablanca” and “Just Another Day in Paradise.” These days, he's still revisiting those, especially while on tour in the Pacific Rim. But he's also producing, co-writing and co-starring in movies directed by his son Julian.

Under the Burbank, CA banner of Cayo Largo Productions, the Florida pair have made three films so far: The Wrath (2007), Poker Run (2009) and Through the Eye (2011). The last one is screening Wednesday and Thursday, October 5th and 6th, at the Muvico Palm Harbor 10 in Palm Harbor, Florida, the very same movie theater where Julian got his first job at age 16.

This third collaboration was also filmed in and around the family's former Palm Habor stomping grounds, with this week's screenings marking the movie's Sunshine State premiere. The action drama is set in the mid-1970s and involves the DEA, the rough-water straight between Mexico and Cuba, a corrupt cop (Tom Sizemore) and a whole lot of marijuana.

 

Cayo Largo is a total family operation, with another Higgins son, Aaron, handling the unit production management on each film. The company's next project may be a 1930s historical drama that would require on-location filming in Beijing, China and approval of the Chinese government. Or it may be a Christmas themed movie.

Either way, it looks like the Higgins crew is on track to keep at their every-other-year release pattern for many years to come.

[Through the Eye]