In this fresh new look at a classic story, Russell Brand reinvents the role of loveable billionaire Arthur Bach, an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and the good sense of his lifelong nanny and best friend Hobson (Helen Mirren), to keep him out of trouble. 
Kind-hearted, fun-loving, and utterly without purpose, Arthur spends every day in the heedless pursuit of amusement.  But when his unpredictable public image threatens the staid reputation of the family foundation, Bach Worldwide, he is given an ultimatum: marry the beautiful but decidedly unlovable Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner), an ambitious corporate exec who can keep him in line, or say goodbye to his billion-dollar inheritance and the only way of life he knows.
It's a deal Arthur would be inclined to take…if he hadn't just fallen for Naomi (Greta Gerwig), a New York City tour guide who shares his idealism and spontaneity.  The independent Naomi sees Arthur not only for who he is, but for who he could be, and finally gives him a reason to take charge of his own life.
All he needs to do is stand up for what he wants.  But at what cost? 
With some unconventional help from Hobson--the one person who always believed he could do anything--Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and learn what it means to become a man.
Directed by Jason Winer (TV's "Modern Family"), the screenplay is by Peter Baynham, story by Steve Gordon. 

Like a Kid with the Biggest Allowance in the World
"My favorite kind of comedy is not only laugh-out-loud funny but has a lot of heart and even a note of poignancy," says director Jason Winer, one of the creative forces behind the award-winning series "Modern Family," marking his feature directorial debut.  "I love stories about characters we can root for as they try to become better people."
It was these elements that made the idea of a modern "Arthur" so appealing to Winer, as well as the belief that "there's a whole generation of people who don't know this story and will be experiencing it for the first time, in a way that feels contemporary and fresh.  And for fans of the original--myself included--it's also something new, not an imitation but a re-imagining, with its own humor and emotion."
What everyone on the "Arthur" team was most excited about was the inspired pairing of charismatic British comedian Russell Brand with Oscar^®-winning actress Helen Mirren, in roles based on the 1981 performances of Dudley Moore as Arthur, and Sir John Gielgud as his strait-laced butler.
"Russell and Helen bring their own style and perspective to these two characters in a way that makes you feel you're seeing old friends in a different light," states Winer..  "If there's one actor on the planet who can re-invent this role for a new generation, it's Russell Brand.  And with Hobson as a nanny, played by Helen Mirren, instead of a butler, the idea of the two of them together was irresistible."
As sole heir to the family fortune, Arthur Bach is accustomed to getting everything he wants.  But he's about to realize he could lose it all….unless he can finally grow up and take responsibility for his own life. 
For Arthur, that will be no simple challenge. "This is a guy who has successfully extended his adolescence indefinitely," notes producer Kevin McCormick.  "I think there's a part of all of us that wishes we could wake up every day like that--full of enthusiasm and with limitless possibilities for fun, provided by endless amounts of cash."
"He's the man-child to end all man-children," says Mirren, whose Hobson is a point of flawless composure amidst the endless whirling party that defines Arthur's existence as the story opens.   But that party could soon be over as he faces a momentous choice between the two young women in his life. 
Susan, played by Jennifer Garner, is an ambitious Bach Worldwide manager, deemed the most suitable match for him, and offers a sure, if loveless, continuation of the only lifestyle he knows.  Naomi, played by Greta Gerwig, is an unlicensed tour guide with a sparkling sense of humor, whom he meets by chance on a Manhattan street.  She could be the love of his life, but choosing her carries the price of disinheritance and a world for which he is completely unprepared.
Russell Brand, who also serves as one of the film's executive producers, calls the story and its core dilemma "funny, sweet and romantic, a beautiful depiction of a world in which love is important and people overcome obstacles to find truth."
"Arthur and Naomi bring out the sweetness in one another and, though she wishes he would grow up in some ways, she doesn't want him to lose that quality," says Gerwig.
Stating Susan's case, Garner counters, "As far as she's concerned, Arthur can either make this easy or make it difficult, but their marriage is going to happen."
As Arthur deals with this pressing decision, it raises larger and more pertinent questions about what he plans to make of his life and what he really wants.  Does he have the courage to follow his heart, choose love and be a man…or will he surrender to more of what Hobson tartly calls "your safari into the pointless"?   
While no one believes Arthur is capable of change, Hobson still has hope.  Clearly, her stern disapproval and acid-tongued remarks belie a deep affection for her errant charge, and she has been waiting a long time for this to happen. 
Screenwriter Peter Baynham, an Oscar^® nominee for his work on "Borat," says, "What I like about 'Arthur' is its many facets.  It goes beyond the boy-meets-girl romantic comedy structure with an equally engaging connection between Arthur and Hobson; it's a coming-of-age story as well as a romance." 
Throughout, the relationship between Arthur and Hobson is fundamental. Ostensibly an employee, yet more of a treasured friend, she is Arthur's companion, assistant and critic and the only person who cares for him unconditionally.  In a twist on the original, Hobson is a woman, and Arthur's nanny, not butler.  Hired when he was a baby, she guided him through childhood and then presumably stayed on because, by all accounts, he hasn't quite reached the age of maturity.   
"For a number of reasons, he's been incapable of fully growing up.  Though he's enormously kind and generous of heart, he's rudderless," offers Mirren.
Without altering their essential dynamic, putting Hobson into skirts skews the relationship slightly.  Says Winer, "Helen reminded me that a nanny wipes a baby's bottom and so the nature of their bond is uniquely close.  Though they tease each other mercilessly, they love each other like a mother and son.  Plus, the very fact of a grown man having a nanny is funny by definition, and led to some particularly comedic sequences."
Similarly, Brand's Arthur is entirely his own, though faithful to the character's most endearing and exasperating foibles.  Producer Chris Bender, who feels this set the tone for the entire production, says, "For fans of the first film, I believe they'll see there was a lot of consideration that went into this.  We felt it was a story worth telling again, and made funny in a way that applied more to our times, without losing touch with the themes and relationships that made it so special in the first place."
Regarding his predecessor's performance, Brand says, "Dudley Moore was a joyful example of what can be accomplished through comedy and I have the greatest respect for him.  His Arthur continues to exist and there's no way we could take anything from it."
Producer Larry Brezner, who was the presenting producer of the 1981 release, agrees.  "The understanding, going into it, was that this would be different.  Still, the film pays homage in certain details that will be fun for audiences to pick up on, and I'm glad we were able to do that.  People still come up to me and say it's one of their favorite movies, which I'm delighted to hear, because it's a great story."   
"Essentially it's a feel-good romantic comedy about an eccentric, incredibly lovable and innocent character, a big kid at heart, who's finding his way in the world.  There's a lot of broad, physical comedy but also some touching moments between Arthur and the special women in his life," says Winer.
Ultimately, adds Brand, "It's about how love inspires us to be our best selves."


THE FRIENDSHIP
Arthur's days typically begin with a champagne breakfast, followed by a series of whimsical pursuits and extravagant purchases that take him all over Manhattan, and end with bringing back any number of newfound friends to crash with him in his lavish penthouse atop the Pierre Hotel.  He knows Hobson will sort things out in the morning.   With practiced efficiency she will open the windows, collect the receipts and oust any remaining revelers--after reuniting them with their clothing and conducting a quick frisk for any Bach valuables that may have fallen into their pockets during the previous night's debauchery--while dryly suggesting that Arthur might consider doing something a bit more useful with his life.  Then, the two will settle in to read the paper. Read more

THE CHALLENGE
For Brand, "a shared sense of humor fuels any good relationship, and that's what draws Arthur to Naomi"--inconveniently enough, just hours after he's promised his mother to marry Susan Johnson, under threat of disinheritance. "Arthur likes Naomi because she has the kind of wit and imagination that he does.  She's someone he can laugh with, have fun with, and share his thoughts."Read more

THE OTHER WOMAN
Arthur's romance with Naomi may never have a chance to blossom…not if his fiancée, Susan, has anything to say about it.   And she does.   Jennifer Garner, who stars as the laser-focused social climber with her sights on the heir to the Bach fortune, says of her character's rival, "Susan doesn't take Naomi seriously, she's just an annoyance.  Susan isn't after the money, because she has money of her own, but the position and power Arthur's name can provide.  Her family came from poor beginnings and she made something of herself the hard way, but that ultimate status eludes her and she's savvy enough to know this is the only way to get it." Read more

ARTHUR'S WORLD
Shot on location in New York City, primarily Manhattan, "Arthur" opens with Arthur and Bitterman on a late night joyride that ends with a collision into the great bronze beast known worldwide as The Wall Street Bull.  "This is a quintessential New York movie," producer Michael Tadross declares.  "I don't believe there's any other place in the world we could have shot 'Arthur.' There's no back-lot to substitute for it; the iconic landmarks, the streets, the crowds."  Read more

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

JASON WINER (Director) received the 2010 Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award for Outstanding Direction of a Comedy Series for the ABC pilot "Modern Family" and was recently named  one of  Variety's 2011 "10 Directors to Watch." The Baltimore native makes his feature directorial debut with "Arthur."
In 2010, Winer also received an Emmy Award as a producer for Outstanding Comedy Series as well as a nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for the "Modern Family" pilot.  He served as the producing director, directing thirteen of the twenty-four episodes of the show's first season, which ultimately won the Emmy for Best Comedy Series in 2010. 
His previous television credits include writing and directing several highly regarded pilots for CBS, FOX and ABC, including "Giants of Radio," "Sluts" and "This Might Hurt."  In 2004, his short film "The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend" was purchased by 20th Century Fox and turned into a pilot, which Winer also co-produced. 
A graduate of Northwestern University and an alumnus of the Improv Olympic Theatre, Winer began his career as an actor and photographer before making the transition to directing.

PETER BAYNHAM (Screenwriter) is an acclaimed screenwriter whose credits include the hit comedy "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," for which he earned Academy Award and Writers Guild Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay.  The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy and was on the American Film Institute's 2006 Best Movies list.    Baynham also wrote the story for "Bruno," its successful follow-up.
Baynham's television credits include writing two seasons of the BBC's critically acclaimed, extremely popular "I'm Alan Partridge," starring Steve Coogan.  The show won a British Comedy Award and Baynham received a BAFTA Award for Best Series.  He also received a BAFTA Best Comedy Series nomination as co-writer of BBC 2's highly acclaimed, groundbreaking series "The Day Today," which was also nominated for a British Comedy Award for Best Series.  In addition, Baynham co-wrote Channel 4's controversial comedy series "Brass Eye" and "Jam." 
Baynham's performances on television include the popular character Peter from the BBC's "Fist of Fun" and a co-presenter of the satirical comedy series "Friday Night Armistice."  He also wrote and directed his own BBC 2 animation comedy series "I am Not an Animal."  
Set for release in November is Sarah Smith's animated family comedy adventure about Santa's high-tech operation, "Arthur Christmas," created and co-written by Baynham, with a stellar British voice cast, including James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent.  He is also an executive producer on Larry Charles' "The Dictator," a comedy feature starring Sacha Baron Cohen, set for a May 2012 release.  Another upcoming project in development with Baron Cohen is comedy feature "Accidentes," charting the rise of a Latino ambulance-chasing personal injury lawyer.      
Baynham's career path was circuitous to say the least.  He fled Wales at 16; however, his encounter with the romance of the high seas was an unmitigated disaster and he was asked to leave the Merchant Navy.  He headed to London and pursued a more suitable job as a writer.  He remains an awful navigator.

THE ART OF REMAKES

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