Lawsuit alleges 'Runaway Jury' ran off business

NEW ORLEANS -- A kite store in the heart of the French Quarter filed a lawsuit Thursday against the makers of a movie being made here, alleging crews blocked the store entrance for two days.

The Kite Shop, on Jackson Square near the St. Louis Cathedral, filed the lawsuit against 20th Century Fox and Jury Productions Inc. seeking compensation for business lost due to the filming of "Runaway Jury," starring John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman.

Movie-making equipment blocked access on Tuesday and Wednesday while 20,000 real estate agents were in town for a convention.

"Dustin Hoffman came in and bought a kite," said Luke Fontana, a lawyer who owns the store. "But on the other side, there were over 20,000 Realtors in town for a convention and they couldn't get through."

Fontana claims the filmmakers failed to compensate him for the lost business because the shop is small. The shop sells elaborately designed kites for up to $450.

"The Kite Shop has a message to 20th Century Fox: 'Go fly a kite,"' Fontana said.

The movie's location manager, Elston Howard, said the movie-makers had discussed some compensation figures with the shop. Howard said he typically compensates French Quarter businesses when a film shoot breaks up their routine business day.