Normally, I wouldn’t bother commenting on a World War II-set “indie comedy” about quickie divorces in Nevada, but there’s something about the pairing of Chloe Sevigny and Zooey Deschanel that intrigues me in a not altogether prurient manner. The project is titled Divorce Ranch, and it sounds like a two-hander; Sevigny will play an actress who heads out to the ranch in search of a wealthy husband, while Deschanel will co-star as her assistant (thus answering the question of whether Sevigny’s character is a successful actress). There’s also a six-year-old kid in the mix, which should give Harry Dean Stanton something to do.
Michael Lindsay-Hogg, best known for observing the end of The Beatles, will direct from his own screenplay, while Anne Clements will produce. Lindsay-Hogg isn’t really known for his screenwriting prowess (his sole effort as a writer-director was the forgettable The Object of Beauty), but maybe he’s got something here. Sevigny and Deschanel are at their best when playing strong-willed women, so if there’s an acrimonious undercurrent to their professional relationship, I could see the film evincing a sort of low-key, Candace Bergen v. Jacqueline Bisset, Rich and Famous-type vibe. Only good. (And, holy shit, George Cukor directed Rich and Famous at the age of eighty-one!)