ROMANIAN writer- director Cristian Ne mescu wrapped shooting on his first feature, “California Dreamin’, ” on July 8, 2006.
On Aug. 24, he and a friend were killed in an auto accident before Nemescu, who was a mere 27, could finish editing the sexy comedy.
Instead of another director coming in to supply the finishing touches, Nemescu’s rough cut – all 155 minutes worth – was screened at Cannes, where it won a prize. Now that version is opening at the IFC Center.
It’s 1999 and a train full of US Marines carrying a secret American radar system to Kosovo is stopped in a provincial Romania burg by the local stationmaster. The stationmaster – who moonlights as a black marketeer – won’t give the green light until he gets certain customs papers.
The train is stuck in town for just a few days, but a lot happens as the stationmaster and the top Marine (no-nonsense Armand Assante) go head to head.
Most of the action involves sexual entanglements among the Marines and the town’s young women. One is the stationmaster’s lusty daughter, Monica (Maria Dinulescu), who wastes no time in bedding a visitor.
“California Dreamin’ ” shows Nemescu’s talent as a writer and director. He’s especially good at screwball comedy. The highlight is a party at which an Elvis impersonator sings “Love Me Tender” and the Marines and maidens meet and mate.
We will never know how the film would have turned out had Nemescu lived to finish it. As it is, the movie goes on longer than the story warrants, and there is a lot of flab that could be cut to give the story more zip.
But, for now at least, we have to be content with this pleasing comedy in search of an editor.
vam@nypost.com