The Mosquito Coast - Production

Production

Producer Jerome Hellman bought the rights to Theroux's novel as soon as it was published, and Weir committed to filming it. Jack Nicholson was originally offered the lead role, but backed out partly because he could not watch the LA Lakers from Belize, where part of the film was to be shot. He instead went on to star in Terms of Endearment, a role Ford had also been offered.

As the film went into pre-production, and Weir was in Central America scouting for locations, the financial backing for the film fell through and the project was suspended indefinitely. In the meantime, Weir was approached to direct Witness starring Harrison Ford. The film, which was Weir's first American production, was a critical and commercial success, garnering eight Academy Award nominations including Weir for Best Director, Ford for Best Actor, and the film itself for Best Film. During the production of Witness, Weir discussed The Mosquito Coast with Ford who became interested in the role of Allie Fox (though Ford's agent was less enthusiastic). With Ford attached to the project, financial backing and distribution for the film was easier to find (ultimately from Saul Zaentz and Warner Bros.).

Filming began the week of February 7, 1986 in Belize and finished there on April 26 before moving to Georgia (Weir and Ford famously missed the Academy Awards ceremony for which they had both been nominated for Witness). (the film won two Oscars, for Best Screenplay and Best Film Editing). Some post-production editing was done in Australia.

The film contains the last feature film role of Butterfly McQueen, who had a prominent role in Gone with the Wind. She plays a lapsed churchgoer, and in real life was a vocal atheist. The film also features a brief appearance by Jason Alexander, who would go on to star as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld.

River Phoenix and Martha Plimpton started dating after the two met while making this film; the relationship lasted for several years, during which they also co-starred in Sidney Lumet's Running on Empty. It was also his performance as the son to Harrison Ford's character that led Ford to recommend Phoenix to Steven Spielberg for the part of teenage Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.