by: Jay Carlson

There is a gap in which David O. Russell didn’t release a film between 2006’s I Heart Huckabees and 2010’s The Fighter. But, just because he didn’t have a film released doesn’t mean that he didn’t direct one.

Russell shot nearly an entire movie that ended up on the shelf after multiple instances of his financiers not being able to pay to keep the production going. During this time he also lost actor James Caan due to creative differences.

The film was Nailed and it consisted of an all-star cast comprised of Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Biel, James Marsden, Paul Reubens, Catherine Kenner, James Brolin and Tracy Morgan.

Nailed centered on the character of Alice Eckle (played by Jessica Biel) who gets accidentally shot in the head with a nail by a clumsy workman, eliciting wild sexual urges. The uninsured Eckle goes on a crusade to Washington to fight for the rights of the bizarrely injured. She meets an immoral congressman (Jake Gyllenhaal) who takes advantage of her sex drive and capitalizes on her crusade as Eckle heads into her own career in politics.

The film appeared to have been abandoned back in 2008, never to see the light of day. Turns out, the reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated.

Nailed now has a terrible new title, Politics of Love, and is slated to be released in the UK in 2015. David O. Russell has nothing to do with the film in its current state, it’s been edited by producer Kia Jam. the only thing shocking about this is that it took them this long to try and recoup some money off of a film with such pedigree. Empire reports that the scene in which Biel sustains her injury was unfinished and rough. Other than that, the film was nearly done with principal photography when the money ran out the final time.

I have a feeling this one should never see the light of day but I can’t say that I’m not a little bit curious about what Russell put on film and if they can create something from it. I’m always fascinated by films like this that end up unfinished. How about you? Would you be interested in seeing David O. Russell’s missing film?