HARMONY — Borough officials and local residents are anticipating the release of a movie filmed in the area last year.

“American Pastoral,” directed by and starring Ewan McGregor, will premiere Friday in theaters nationwide.

Part of the movie, including an explosion scene, was filmed in the borough last October.

“The people were great to work with,” said Councilman Jason Sarver of the film crew. “They were very respectful, kind people. We’re all ready for it.”

A prop convenience store/post office was built across from the Harmony Fire District headquarters for filming, and a sign for the fictional “Old Rimrock” town was erected on Mercer Road.

The Harmony Museum’s Stewart Hall also was used by the film crew and actors.

“I think we’ve all been looking forward to see what the end product is going to be after all the excitement from last year,” Historic Harmony President John Ruch. “They (film crew) were a pleasure to work with.”

McGregor and co-stars Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning were in the area for shooting. McGregor greeted local spectators and thanked them for letting him and his film crew work in the borough.

Sarver, who met McGregor, said he was “very genuine and kind,” and “respected local businesses.”

“He’s a real down-to-earth kind of guy,” Sarver said. “He went to the Wunderbar (coffee shop) on a regular basis.”

Scenes also were shot in Pittsburgh soon after the film crew finished production in the borough.

The movie is based on the 1997 Philip Roth novel of the same name that won a Pulitzer Prize.

The borough was reimbursed for an undisclosed amount for the film crew’s time in the area.

Ruch also said the movie could increase tourism to the area.

“That’s a pretty big plus,” he said. “We all hope it will be a success.”

For one Cranberry Township native, the movie was a way to advance his singing career.

Nick Marzock, who graduated from Seneca Valley High School in 2008, has a song featured in the film.

He sings Harry Nilsson’s “Lullaby in Ragtime” in the film’s reunion scene early in the movie.

“This is where they kind of frame the movie and set it up,” Marzock said.

Marzock also met McGregor, who worked with him last year on the song in Pittsburgh’s Red Caiman Studios.

“Ewan (McGregor) said he chose that song because it was one of his favorites,” he said. “He wanted to find a way to put in the piece.”

Marzock also described McGregor as “the most delightful” person to work with and “intelligent.”

Cindy Marzock, his mother, said he first expressed interest in singing when he was about 4 years old.

“He came in from playing outside and told me that he wanted to play the ‘ice cream man song’ on the piano,” Cindy Marzock said. “To my amazement, he sat down and played ‘The Entertainer.’ We signed him up for piano lessons in kindergarten.”

From there, Nick Marzock performed on the keyboard and drums throughout middle and high school. He graduated with honors from Duquesne University and is now represented by the Docherty Agency.

He resides in Los Angeles.

The agency sent him a request to audition for the “American Pastoral” song.

“It was a very fun process,” Marzock said.