From page to screen: ‘On the Rocks’ makes its way to film
Courtesy of Maria Palmer
By now many people in the Pittsburgh region are familiar with the book “On the Rocks, The Primadonna Story.” Written by restaurateur Joe Costanzo’s daughter Maria Palmer, along with her mentor Ruthie (Dines) Robbins, the memoir chronicles the life and work of Costanzo, a beloved figure whose restaurant became a local staple, drawing celebrities like Danny Aiello and Jamie Lee Curtis to McKees Rocks.
Costanzo likes to think his presence made a difference in the neighborhood. “When I was there, I didn’t have a security system-no one ever tried to rob me and I did over a million dinners and never had a problem. Now the area has changed,” he said.
Most media outlets these days describe Costanzo as “larger than life,” a label that seems to foreshadow his next act. These days, he’s looking forward to appearing on the big screen as the book moves into its first phase of film production.
Sitting down with the filmmakers
A chance meeting during a snowstorm at a local radio station brought Ryan Rust and Palmer together. Rust recently wrapped up work on “Beyond the Sole,” a documentary about cobbler Mario Ulizzi of Sewickley Shoe Repair. Rust is teaming up with producer Krystle Grandy on the project. “Between the two of them, they have 20 years of production experience,” said Palmer.
Filming began in October at Rico’s Restaurant in Ross Township, where Joe, his wife Donna and his cousin Pino-who worked as part of the kitchen staff after immigrating from Calabria, Italy-sat for interviews.
“Rust interviewed my dad for three hours and my mom and Pino for an hour and I can tell you that it was emotional at times,” said Palmer, referring particularly to her mother’s interview. “I was in awe of her; she told Ryan things that I never heard before.”
Rust said that people will understand the triumphs and the toll. “I think anybody will find Joe relatable in a sense, especially those who own businesses. We’ll be talking about his trials and tribulations, the good and the darker side of things too,” he said.
Just joking around
“After all that happened to me, I always said that it could be movie material, but I was really just joking around,” said Costanzo, pointing to Netflix’s recent success with Nonnas, a film about a restaurant and the importance of family, food and friendships. “In the interview I did say a lot about the integral parts of my life, so we’ll see if Netflix-or somebody else-picks it up.”
And Joe’s story isn’t finished yet. “In the next interview, they’re going to ask me about things that aren’t in the book,” he said.
Palmer said that the family hired a professional organizer who helped them to categorize Joe’s many mementos. “Ryan has been immersed in our family-he spent a lot of time getting to know my dad and braved the garage full of relics,” she said with a laugh.
What’s next
According to Palmer, the immediate goal is to complete more interviews for a sizzle reel. After that, it’s up to the director’s vision.
“Of course it depends on who finances it. We’d like to have a documentary with reenactment scenes and to build Primadonna on a sound stage. I think we’re a documentarian’s dream-my dad throws nothing away and it’s all organized, so we’re looking forward to what the future holds,” she said.