Dec. 15, 2013 8:11 p.m. ET  When Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. purchased what would become "American Hustle" in late 2009, it was simply an original idea from screenwriter Eric Singer. No director was attached and the script, based on the late 1970s sting operation that paired con artists with the Federal Bureau of Investigation known as Abscam, was incomplete and heavily procedural.  To create a commercially marketable feature, the studio hired director David O. Russell in early 2012, prior to the debut of his Oscar winning "Silver Linings Playbook."  Mr. Russell deeply reworked the story, creating a 170-page shooting script that centered on a cast of characters versed in "the art of survival and reinvention that was very [much] less about the plotting of the con and more about the people," said Richard Suckle, a producer on the film who also helped Mr. Singer secure the life rights of Mel Weinberg, a real life con man for whom the main character, played by Christian Bale, is loosely based.  "The fact that it was a hard story to tell and to pull off that degree of difficulty, we wanted to be smart about managing exposure and risk," said president of Columbia Pictures Doug Belgrad, who oversaw the development of "American Hustle" and helped hire Mr. Russell. Columbia Pictures is part of Sony Corp.'s 6758.TO -1.05% Sony Corp. Japan: Tokyo ¥1794 -19 -1.05% Dec. 16, 2013 3:00 pm Volume : 7.00M P/E Ratio 26.90 Market Cap ¥1883.05 Billion Dividend Yield 1.39% Rev. per Employee ¥49,003,500 12/16/13 Reaping Profits From Soundtrac... 12/15/13 Getting the '70s Look for 'Ame... 12/04/13 Sony Has New Battle Plan in Co... More quote details and news » 6758.TO in Your Value Your Change Short position Sony Pictures Entertainment.  The studio co-financed the about $40 million film with Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures. Ms. Ellison's international sales arm, Panorama Media, secured approximately $30 million in international presales at the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival, more than enough to begin principal photography.  "American Hustle" takes place in 1978 New York and stars Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner and Robert De Niro. The film was shot over 42 days, primarily in and around Boston, with two days in New York.  To emphasize the dramatic nature of the film and avoid the possibility of falling into parody, Mr. Russell and Judy Becker, the film's production designer, agreed to avoid all the period clichés as the script was being finalized: "American Hustle" would have no lava lamps, the color avocado was forbidden, as were black velvet paintings, and none of the film's characters would own any recognizable designer furniture of the period.  " 'Mad Men' has pretty much covered that," said Ms. Becker, who has served as the production designer on Mr. Russell's last two films. "We didn't want to be part of their world."  The film does however tap into the widespread popularity of fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg's wrap dress, which according to the company had sold a million units by 1976.  "David is a filmmaker with a particular vision and style and we were going down the road with him, that was the bet we made," said Mr. Belgrad.  Sony executives are hoping that Mr. Russell's period drama will resonate with audiences familiar with the period. For those too young to remember, the studio is looking to its stars in their promotional efforts, in particular Ms. Lawrence, who has a following among young adults due to her high-profile role in "The Hunger Games" trilogy.  "American Hustle" opens wide on 2,300 screens Friday. A handful of theaters in New York and Los Angeles have already screened the film, where it opened to $690,000. At $115,000 per theater average, it marks the highest opening for any live action movie in 2013.  Write to Alexandra Cheney at alexandra.cheney@wsj.com
In trying to be 1970s genuine without being a parody, the production designer for "American Hustle" avoided clichés like lava lamps and the color avocado.