A five year absence from the silver screen can generally kill one's career but we guess it's testament to HBO and cable television nowadays that former "Boardwalk Empire" star Michael Pitt can walk right back into the game to produce and star in his own indie project, an adaptation of Jack Black (the adventurer, not the actor) autobiography "You Can't Win."
Pitt has now found a leading lady with up and comer Hannah Marks ("The Runaways," "The Amazing Spider-Man") joining the project, which follows Black's experiences in the hobo underworld and the shenanigins he gets up to around the Western U.S. and Canada in the 1800's including becoming a highwayman and member of the yegg (criminal) brotherhood, getting hooked on opium, doing stints in jail or escaping, often with the assistance of crooked cops or judges.
Marks plays tomboy-turned-prostitute who forms an unusual friendship with Black who, in turn, helps her escape that lifestyle. The novel is in fact a personal favourite of Beat Generation icon William S. Burroughs, who has an introduction in most versions of the novel.
The script is being penned by Barry Gifford with Robinson Devor ("Zoo") helming the period adventurer, which probably means Pitt can retain his 'Boardwalk Empire' haircut for another couple of months. [Variety]