Matthew Modine is attached as an executive producer on a new documentary series exploring the life and career of Scottish filmmaker Michael Caton-Jones. The project, Michael Caton-Jones: This Broxburn Boy’s Life, will trace the director’s path from his upbringing in the working-class town of Broxburn, near Edinburgh, to a prominent career in Hollywood.
The series is a collaboration between Modine and Adam Rackoff’s Cinco Dedos Peliculas and Scottish production companies Two Rivers Media and Partickular Films. It is currently in development without a confirmed distributor.
Caton-Jones is widely known for directing This Boy’s Life, which starred Robert De Niro and introduced Leonardo DiCaprio in a breakout role. His filmography also includes Scandal, Doc Hollywood, and Rob Roy. He is currently working on Eternity, a feature led by King Orba and Rachel Robinson-Zetzer.
The documentary will include interviews with Caton-Jones and longtime collaborators such as David Puttnam, Tim Roth, Letitia Wright, Ron Perlman, David Hayman, and Ewen Bremner. Archival footage from his four decades in the industry will accompany the interviews.
Modine worked with Caton-Jones on the 1990 film Memphis Belle, in which he played Captain Dennis Dearborn. In a statement, Modine said he wanted to highlight Caton-Jones’ work and introduce it to viewers who may not be familiar with his contributions to film.
The documentary is directed and produced by Joseph McLean of Partickular Films. Executive producing alongside Modine and Rackoff are Alan Clements of Two Rivers Media and McLean. Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly, Emmy-winning composers whose credits include From Roger With Love, are providing the original score.
Modine and Rackoff’s company recently produced Downwind, a documentary about the health consequences of nuclear weapons testing in the United States, narrated by Martin Sheen. Two Rivers Media’s recent titles include Barbie Uncovered: A Dream House Divided and The Last Musician of Auschwitz. Partickular Films has produced content including Cows, Cash & Cover-Ups: Investigating VCJD.
Clements noted that the filmmakers have obtained rare material to support the production. He described the documentary as a portrait of a director whose determination and work ethic shaped a long career in both UK and U.S. cinema.
