'Recruit' preem full of party intrigue

'Farm' title nixed to help sell pic

By ANTHONY D'ALESSANDRO

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Colin Farrell has a word with co-star Al Pacino at the bow of their thriller 'The Recruit' Tuesday at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

 

The cast was forthcoming about their war stories making "The Recruit" during the Sunset Room party following its Tuesday preem, but they couldn't say the same about the set's CIA consultant.

"The CIA doesn't tell you anything," barked Colin Farrell, who prepared for his role as a spy recruit by reading up rather than relying on the film's adviser.

When it came to researching his role as a duplicitous field-op instructor, Al Pacino seemed to milk more from our nation's spies -- especially how they behave with one another. "What struck me the most about the CIA was that no one really knows who they are in the organization. I found this very strange and intriguing," Pacino said.

Spyglass topper Roger Birnbaum had no qualms revealing one piece of privileged information: the film's last minute title change from "The Farm" to "The Recruit."

"Disney's marketing department told me they really needed to sell this movie simply; that people wouldn't know what to expect from a film titled 'The Farm' with Farrell and Pacino," Birnbaum explained. "However, by changing the title to 'The Recruit,' audiences would be aware that Pacino is recruiting somebody for something, and hence the story begins to unfold."

Those able to wiggle through the tight security of the pic's after-party included director Roger Donaldson, co-star Bridget Moynahan, as well as Farrell date Britney Spears, Beverly D'Angelo, Jon Voight, Michelle Rodriguez, Salma Hayek, Jake Busey; producers Gary Barber and Jeff Apple; and Disney brass Chuck Viane, Oren Aviv and Nina Jacobson.