Herman, USA

Released 2000
Stars Michael O'Keefe, Kevin Chamberlin, Wally Dunn, Beau Jorgensen, Randal Berger, Bob Davis
Directed by Bill Semans

This is a sweet, sweet film based on a true story that took place in a small Minnesota town named Herman. In 1994, the town noticed their businesses were slowly closing and their tiny population of 485 was dwindling. They realized this was partly due to the fact they had 78 eligible bachelors (aged 20-50) and only 10 single women (the film says 6). To solve this problem, they decided to put an ad in a local newspaper inviting bachelorettes to a town festival to acquaint themselves with Herman's bachelors. They thought it may draw a handful of women and a few businesses. How wrong they were. After the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported it as a human interest story, it was picked up worldwide by the Associated Press. The town was flooded with thousands of letters, phone calls and eventually women at the festival.

All of this actually happened, however the film mixes fiction with truth to create its story. The film opens with a group of friends at the coffee shop discussing matters in town, when Dan Ellison (Michael O'Keefe) reminds everyone to show up at the commerce meeting because he has a surprise. This is where he drops the idea, and after some prodding, the men become excited about it. In no way, however, are they prepared for what's to come. The festival occurs very quickly in the movie, and we follow the subsequent successes and failures of a handful of bachelors.

Summary by Bill Alward

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