FILM · 2000 · CANADA
Lakeboat
31 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (31)
- #001
Writer David Mamet has real-life experience sailing on cargo ships, where he worked as a cook.
- #002
At roughly the 52nd minute of the film, the Seaway Queen is shown entering a massive, box-like structure, one of six visible in the frame. These are the famous Flight Locks on the Welland Canal in Thorold, Ontario, which raise and lower ships a total of about 150 feet in three stages, either up toward Lake Erie or down toward Lake Ontario. Essentially, this is how a giant cargo ship gets around Niagara Falls. The Flight Locks can be viewed from the observation platform at Lock 3 in the regional museum in St. Catharines. The camera's viewpoint appears to be near the top of the Glendale Boulevard lift bridge on the Niagara Falls road.
- #003
The ship used in the film is the S.S. Seaway Queen, a 713-foot Great Lakes bulk freighter built in 1959 and operated by Upper Lakes Shipping of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For the film it was painted with a Toronto stern, which was replaced with Chicago. It was sold for scrap in 2003.
- #004
It is adapted from an earlier David Mamet play that was staged with the same cast at the Tiffany Theater in West Hollywood, California.
- #005
It is one of the numerous collaborations between Joe Mantegna and David Mamet.
- #006
It is one of two theatrical films written by David Mamet and starring actor Charles Durning that were first released in 2000. The films are 'Lakeboat' (2000) and 'State and Main' (2000).
- #007
The film's cast includes four Oscar nominees: Peter Falk, Charles Durning, Andy Garcia and Robert Forster; writer David Mamet is also an Oscar nominee.
- #008
The project was previously being developed with Prelude Pictures and Neufeld/Rehme Productions.
- #009
It is the first theatrical film directed by actor Joe Mantegna.
- #010
The boat's name was the "Seaway Queen" of the Port of Chicago.
- #011
The boat's make and model are described in the film's dialogue as a steel freighter for the Great Lakes.
- #012
The film was made and first released about thirty years after David Mamet first wrote the source play of the same name in 1970.
- #013
The film was made and first released about twenty years after the revised 1980 version of David Mamet's source play of the same name was first staged.
- #014
Lakeboat is one of only three feature films to involve both actor Charles Durning and writer David Mamet. The films are The Water Engine (1992) (TV), Lakeboat (2000) and State and Main (2000); the last of these is the only one of the three that Mamet directed.
- #015
Actor Robert Forster's name is misspelled as Robert Forester in the film's trailer.
- #016
Tony Mamet, who plays Dale Katzman, received a 'presentation' credit in the film's trailer. This came despite Tony Mamet's earlier appearances in The Spanish Prisoner (1997), Above Suspicion (1995), Body Shot (1994) and Homicide (1991).
- #017
The film was selected as the Opening Gala Special Selection Film at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in 2000.
- #018
Lakeboat is one of at least eight feature-film collaborations between David Mamet and actor J. J. Johnston. The films are: Lakeboat (2000), Homicide (1991), Spartan (2004), Redbelt (2008), Things Change (1988), State and Main (2000), The Spanish Prisoner (1997) and The Water Engine (1992) (TV).
- #019
Lakeboat is one of roughly a dozen film collaborations between David Mamet and actor Jack Wallace. The titles are: Redbelt (2008), Edmond (2005), Homicide (1991), Lakeboat (2000), Things Change (1988), State and Main (2000), House of Games (1987), Phil Spector (2013) (TV), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), The Lost Masterpieces of Pornography (2010), Inventing Nothing, Denying Nothing: Five Men from Mamet's Homicide (2009) and the 'Dedication' episode of the television series The Unit (2006-2009).
- #020
The film was selected as an Evening Standard Film on the Square at the London Film Festival in November 2001.
- #021
The world premiere of Lakeboat, David Mamet's source stage play of the same name, was held on 24 April 1980 at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
- #022
Chicago is a place often associated with David Mamet. The source stage play of this film had three major productions staged there, in 1982, 2001 and 2011.
- #023
The UK premiere of the film's source stage play was held in 1998 at the Lyric Theatre in London, England, roughly two years before this film version was made and first released.
- #024
Lakeboat is the first, last and only feature-film collaboration to date [as of December 2018] between David Mamet and music composer Bob Mamet. The two are stepbrothers.
- #025
This film, written by David Mamet, was a feature-film collaboration with two of his stepbrothers, actor Tony Mamet and composer Bob Mamet.
- #026
Lakeboat is music composer Bob Mamet's last filmed production credit [as of December 2018].
- #027
Lakeboat is one of at least seven feature-film collaborations between David Mamet and his actor stepbrother Tony Mamet. The films are: Homicide (1991), Redbelt (2008), Spartan (2004), Lakeboat (2000), Phil Spector (2013) (TV), State and Main (2000) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997).
- #028
Although the film was written by David Mamet, the source stage play of the same name is not listed in the film's credits.
- #029
Lakeboat is actor Tony Mamet's first feature film as both producer and second unit director.
- #030
Lakeboat is one of six film collaborations [to date, as of October 2015] between actor Joe Mantegna and writer-director David Mamet. The films include Edmond (2005), Redbelt (2008), Lakeboat (2000), Homicide (1991), Things Change (1988) and House of Games (1987).
- #031
All of the two lead roles and six supporting roles are male characters.
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