Director Adam Rifkin’s new Western comedy, LAST TRAIN TO FORTUNE, will have two special Q&A screenings starting at 7 p.m. at Dallas’ Angelika Film Center Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 23 and 24. Both Adam Rifkin and James Paxton, the son of Bill Paxton, will be in attendance at the screenings and Q&A sessions.
Last Train to Fortune Plot Synopsis
Set against the backdrop of the American frontier, Last Train to Fortune is about the life-changing power of literacy and how knowledge is the key that opens the door to all possibilities.
The film follows two unlikely companions—an uptight schoolteacher Cecil Peachtree (Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange) and fearsome outlaw Jedidiah Dooley (James Paxton, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Twisters)—who embark on a perilous journey to the town of Fortune, where Peachtree has been hired as the new Schoolmaster.
What unfolds is an arduous yet heartfelt journey where our travelers encounter harrowing horse chases, bawdy saloon gals, raucous bar-room brawls, and an exciting jailbreak, while forming an uncommon bond along the way.
Behind the Scenes
The script/film was originally intended for Bill Paxton to star in. Instead, his son, James Paxton, plays outlaw Jedidiah Dooley, the role his father would have played in the Malcolm McDowell–starring Western. Paxton describes the film as “a love letter to great teachers.”
McDowell had been trying to get the movie made for decades. In 1994, the legendary Lindsay Anderson (who McDowell had teamed up on for the classic IF… had planned to take it on, however he died before the film could go into production.
Last Train to Fortune also reteams McDowell with his former wife, Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen. The duo previously starring together in the 1979 sci-fi drama Time After Time and the 1983 Martin Ritt drama Cross Creek.
In addition to the special event screenings and star Q&As, the Last Train to Fortune film is also being used as a catalyst to help promote reading and lifelong learning, partnering with literacy organizations, schools, libraries, educational groups, and book clubs, tying in with the film’s celebration of books, reading, and education.
Cast and Creatives for Last Train to Fortune
Directed by Adam Rifkin (The Last Movie Star), the film also stars Bernadette Peters (The Jerk, Pennies from Heaven), Mary Steenburgen (Elf, Book Club), and Laura Marano (The Royal Treatment).
Last Train to Fortune Director: Adam Rifkin; Writer: Michele Rifkin; Producers: John Farrier, Michael P.J. Gerstein, James Paxton, Adam Rifkin, Carl Steen, Matt Williams, Brad Wyman.
Editor: Daniel Flesher; Cinematographer: Chase Bowman; Composer: Jack Ryan Sullivan. Cast: Malcolm McDowell, James Paxton, Mary Steenburgen, Bernadette Peters, M.C. Gainey, Laura Marano.
TRT: 94 min; Country: USA. For more information, please visit angelikafilmcenter.com/dallas/movies/details/last-train-to-fortune.
