Not since the Boston Tea Party has there been a tax event with as much impact as THF Pictures’ "The F Zone," a new, independent explosively dramatic action film about some of the horrors, strong arm tactics and ruthless behavior of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. All too often, in the opinion of this film, IRS policy is you’re guilty until proven innocent! "The F Zone" producers said they were motivated since the inception of their film to create an illumination about a common American injustice.

And that’s why "The F Zone’s" everyperson protagonist, Dennis Smith (portrayed by filmmaker William Harrity), tosses prudence to the wind and fights the most awesome adversary of them all--the Internal Revenue Service.

When Smith rebels by announcing to the IRS that he "refuses to pay the large levy imposed by them on him and his company" war breaks out between him and agent Lothar Gunter (Lee West), probably the most relentless pursuer since officer Javert in "Les Miserables" or Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive." Smith is motivated by the real-life facts that the sixteenth amendement to the Constitution, upon which all authority for modern taxation rests, was never legally ratified. The number of states that ratified it was less than the three-fourths needed to declare it an amendement, yet the then acting Secretary of State in 1913 declared it ratified. Patriot groups have used this information, as well as extensive knowledge of the laws, U.S. codes, and the Constitution, to "legally" avoid paying taxes.

"The F Zone" is co-produced, co-written by and stars William Harrity. Director is Michael Hansel. Costarring are Kelly Hunt and Lee West. Also producing are Diane Wilson and Melanie Brown, who collaborated with Harrity on the screenplay.

"The F Zone" story explodes into action when TV commerical producer Smith (Harrity) is financially crippled, forced out of business and pushed to the emotional edge by hounding agents of the Internal Revenue Service, led by Gunter. Cause of the conflict are changes in the tax standards for the entertainment industry. Brilliant tax attorney Loren Adams (Hunt) between falling in love with Smith, guides him into fighting the Goliath tax system by advising him to hide some of his surviving assets. She also prevails upon him to produce a film--not unlike "The F Zone" itself--that will expose IRS injustices to the world and advance a change in the tax system.

It was his wife Nicole LeTendre who initially told actor-filmmaker Harrity about how her father had been hounded by the IRS throughout his entire adult life. Then Harrity remembered that his uncle cannot return to the United States because of an IRS dispute. LeTendre also met a friend of a friend who shocked the Harritys by revealing to them that he hadn’t paid federal taxes for five years. Harrity was intrigued enough with this initial information to embark on a vast research project about taxes and the IRS. He uncovered numerous case histories of federal abuses, improper harrassments, cars and houses needlessly seized. . .and of lives ruined. Harrity’s collection of vast amounts of IRS information and facts motivated him to create "The F Zone" screenplay, one with built-in strong dramatic entertainment values. Prior to this Harrity had been writing a script about doctors in an emergecy room (even before the popularity of "ER" and "Chicago Hope")--another subject close to his life since he is a former ER doctor himself who now is also a practicing anesthesiologist--when not writing, acting, producing or editing.

Said Harrity:

"In my heart I believe god heard the wailings of too many good people who from personal experience are opposed to methods of the IRS. Consider the recent Senate hearings as well as organizations that are surfacing daily such as CATS (Citizens for Alternative Tax System) and CSE (Citizens for a Sound Economy), the various patriot movements, political forces from representatives such as Dick Armey and Bill Archer, who are all part of a mounting wrath against an agency that has gone bad and is often out of control. "

Harrity originally became interested in acting while attending Wayne State University Medical School in Detroit. While in medical school Harrity performed in "South Pacific" while cramming for surgery exams back stage. He did his internship in Los Angeles where a theatrical agent moved him around town. Weary about auditioning as an actor, Harrity started studying filmmaking at UCLA and the American Film Institute with the determination of one day making his own film. An interesting sidebar to his personal life is that he met his wife while removing her appendix as an intern.

Harrity had planned also to direct "The F Zone." But when he became overwhelmed from wearing the many hats of co-writer, co-producer, star, editor and fund raiser he sought help elsewhere. It was then that he met and was impressed by Michael Hansel. Harrity quicky concluded that Hansel was brilliant and very knowledgeable about films. Although handicapped and confined to a wheel chair, Hansel, in the opinion of Harrity, "has great insights into working with actors." Following a 10-year career of acting and directing, "The F Zone" is Hansel’s theatrical film debut as a director. He studied acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory and trained in directing at the Film Industry Workshop at CBS-TV.

Film production of "The F Zone" began in June and concluded four weeks later with all location work in the Los Angeles area and Mexico.

What does filmmaker-actor Harrity personally think of the tax system? "While I reluctantly abide by it as do most solid citizens," he says, "I now believe all of us would be better served by replacing personal income taxes with a national sales tax."

Between the making of "The F Zone" and acquiring some eight other independent films for international sales representation through his THF Pictures company that is run by Nicole LeTendre, Harrity continues to be a full time anesthesiologist. He is regularly on call for emergencies.

The budget for "The F Zone" came mostly from Harrity, his family and aquaintances interested in a story where the I.R.S. is the "bad guy".   Harrity’s dollars were originally set aside to buy a house. But the passion to do his own film caused him temporarily to postpone buying a house, using the money to produce the film. The Harritys have no regrets about that decision since 1999 now finds them with two sons, ages six and two, a bigger house than they would earlier have bought and a finished movie. During the filming Harrity’s wife served the production as assistant director and photographer.

Casting of the film was accomplished by open audition calls as advertised in the actors’ trade paper, DramaLogue. Kelly Hunt, who portrays Loren Adams the tax attorney, was Harrity and Hansel’s first discovery.

"Kelly and I had that instant chemistry," said Harrity. "It’s as if we had been friends for 20 years. She has that wonderful, unique ability to pump enormous life and energy into all her scenes. I’m convinced Kelly will be a major star."

The tough IRS agent, Lother Gunter, who pursues Smith with relentless and ruthless passion went to actor Lee West.

"We probably read 500 actors for the part of the revenue agent," said Harrity, "but the minute we saw and heard Lee West we knew we had the right person for that role by his sound, look and body language. We could now move on to filling assignments for the rest of the cast."

Said Harrity about the film:

"It’s about the little guy against the establishment along with a love story. The entire premise of our film is that an injustice may never exist without the knowledge to understand it. Once the knowledge is passed along, the injustice can be perceived. While being entertained, we’re hopeful audiences for this film will gain enough knowledge to question injustices in the tax system across other areas of life."

Said Hansel:

"This film is not a diatribe about the evils of government. To the contrary, our film is in keeping with the ideas our forefathers set up when they created this country. They felt that questioning the status quos was so important that the first amendment under The Bill of Rights was freedom of speech, press, and the right to petition, and that’s one amendement that should never be questioned."

Several members of the cast and crew of "The F Zone" each had their own personal "horror" stories about the IRS. The film’s location manager, Darold Westbrook, remembers his mother having her car seized by an IRS agent even though it was her only means of getting to and from work. Assistant director Pierre Lorillard also had his car seized.

Filming of "The F Zone" was done in and around Los Angeles on 15 diversified location sights. The Glasair plane, used in the film as one of the assets being hidden from the IRS, actually was built by filmmaker-actor Harrity. It took him seven years to build it in a hanger at a Southern California airport.

Director of photography is Steve Adcock. Music is by Michael Shapiro, who took the film assignment as his first immediately following graduation from the University of Southern California. It was John Ottman, composer of the musical score for "The Usual Suspects" who recommended Shapiro.