O'Neal ends screen hiatus, takes 'Wife'

Oscar winner to star as widow in WWII-set saga

By MICHAEL FLEMING

O'Neal

NEW YORK -- In her first starring film role in a decade, Oscar-winning "Paper Moon" star Tatum O'Neal will join Tim Curry, Julian Sands and "Party of Five" star Lacey Chabert in "The Scoundrel's Wife," a film being produced by New Orleans-based Heritage Entertainment. Overseas Film Group will handle worldwide sales.

The film will be directed by Glen Pitre ("Belizaire the Cajun") from a script he wrote with Michelle Benoit. It's set in Louisiana in the summer of 1942, after U-boats have sunk American ships, when rumors fly in a small Louisiana bayou town that a local is helping the Germans.

The film's produced by Peggy Rajski and Jerry Daigle, with Michael Donaldson and Steven Stull exec producing and Michael Arata co-producing. It's a co-production of Heritage, Advantage Partners Pictures and Circle in the Sky Prods.

O'Neal is returning to film after putting her career on hold for 10 years to raise kids. She plays the lead role of an independent widow who's the focus of town suspicions.

Deals were completed in time for filming to begin Wednesday in Louisiana and continue for five weeks.