Now that Terrence Malick is pretty much a regular, working filmmaker, the mantle of cinematic recluse now passes to Warren Beatty, who will return with his first directorial effort in eighteen years, and first on-screen appearance in fifteen years with “Rules Don’t Apply.” And the first trailer has landed for what has been the filmmaker’s long-brewing passion project.
Co-starring Lily Collins and Alden Ehrenreich, the drama mixes comedy and romance to tell the story of an actress and driver, both employees under the eccentric Howard Hughes, who become involved, even though it’s forbidden by their boss. What happens next, we’ll just have to wait and see, but it’s certainly a unique spin on the “forbidden romance” genre. Here’s the official synopsis:
It’s Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen and devout Baptist Marla Mabrey (Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her personal driver Frank Forbes (Ehrenreich), only two weeks on the job and also from a religiously conservative background.
Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes’ #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have an intimate relationship with a contract actress. But Hughes’ absurd behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed.
“Rules Don’t Apply” opens on November 11th.
