Beginner’s Pluck

Marcia Dinneen concedes that she’s a bit naive about the ways of the film industry. The Minneapolis writer--currently working there as a shipping clerk--only discovered that her original screenplay for “An Unremarkable Life” had started filming when star Patricia Neal called to chat--six weeks into production.

“She said, ‘This is Patricia Neal--I’m starring in your movie,’ ” recalled Dinneen, who added, “This is my very first attempt at writing a screenplay, so I’m learning the ropes. When it was sold, I just assumed it would automatically be produced.”

The recently released pic is about two small-town Pennsylvania sisters--played by Neal and Shelley Winters--whose self-protective routine is upset when a local auto mechanic (Mako) begins courting Neal’s character.

After selling her script to producer-director Amin Q. Chaudhri, Dinneen wasn’t involved in revisions, and is vague about her reaction to the movie. She’s just completed her second screenplay and is talking with L.A. agents.

“A lot of people think it’s a glamorous life,” she said of her years of writing--from articles to radio scripts. “They don’t know how much work goes into it.”