Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen, who were previously married and have not worked together since their 1990 divorce, will star in the upcoming film "Last Train to Fortune," directed by Adam Rifkin. The period Western, comedy, and family movie reunites the pair after decades apart on set. Produced by Brad Wyman, the project had been shelved multiple times due to unforeseen circumstances but finally came together during the pandemic era.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Sparks flew between Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen on the set of the 1978 time-travel thriller “Time After Time.”
asserted
Sparks → fly → Time
The pair’s onscreen chemistry carried over off-screen, and they wed in 1980 — a marriage that produced two children including director Charlie McDowell.
asserted
that → carry → McDowell
But by 1990, they split and never again appeared together in a project.
asserted
they → split → project
The “A Clockwork Orange” leading man and the “Melvin and Howard” Oscar winner will share the screen once again in Adam Rifkin’s “Last Train to Fortune.”
asserted
man → share → Fortune
The film, produced by Brad Wyman, is a period Western, comedy, family movie and an unlikely reunion all in one.
asserted
film → produce → one
Ironically, McDowell first read the script for “Last Train to Fortune” back in 1986, at the height of his relationship with Steenburgen, and agreed to star opposite Bill Paxton, with legendary Brit Lindsay Anderson directing.
asserted
Anderson → read → Paxton
Rifkin, then a recent USC grad, was poised to produce alongside Brad Wyman.
asserted
Rifkin → poise → Wyman
(Rifkin’s mother Michelle, an 83-year-old former English teacher, wrote the screenplay.)
asserted
mother → write → screenplay
But Anderson died suddenly of a heart attack in 1994, and the project was placed on the back burner.
asserted
project → die → burner
Over the ensuing decades, Rifkin turned his attention to other films, like the Edward Furlong starrer “Detroit Rock City” but tried to find a way to revisit his passion project.
asserted
Rifkin → ensue → project
Then in 2017, Paxton died following open heart surgery, putting that dream on ice.
asserted
Paxton → die → ice
As the Covid pandemic was ending, Paxton’s son James was coming into his own as an actor, and McDowell lobbied for his fellow Ojai denizen to play the illiterate cowboy role he himself had eyed decades earlier.
asserted
he → end → role
McDowell instead would play the story’s erudite teacher.
asserted
McDowell → play → teacher
The filmmakers still needed someone to play Miss Maybelle, the story’s other schoolteacher.
asserted
filmmakers → need → Maybelle
“We’re thinking, ‘Who would be great for that role?’
asserted
Who → think → role
Someone said, ‘Mary Steenburgen!’
asserted
Someone → say → Steenburgen
And everybody’s like, ‘Yeah, she’d be great, but would she and Malcolm want to work together?’”
asserted
she → want → ?
Rifkin tells Page Six Hollywood.
asserted
Rifkin → tell → Hollywood
“Obviously they’re a big modern family, and they all see each other at all the holidays, and everybody obviously gets along.
asserted
everybody → ’re → holidays
But do they get along enough to want to work together again?”
asserted
they → get → ?
(Charlie McDowell’s wife Lily Collins is the most recent addition to the sprawling blended clan.)
asserted
wife → sprawl → clan
The team took the Steenburgen prospect to McDowell.
asserted
team → take → McDowell
“He said, ‘I think it’s a fantastic idea.
asserted
it → say → ?
James should ask her.’
asserted
James → ask → her
And James was like, ‘Why should I ask her?’
asserted
I → ask → her
He said, ‘Well, it might be a better way into the conversation if you broach it with her.’
uncertain
you → say → her
So James texted her and said, ‘Hey, we’re doing this thing.
asserted
we → texte → thing
This is a wonderful role for Malcolm and for me, and we just thought you’d be great in the role.’
asserted
you → think → role
And she said, ‘Intriguing.’
asserted
she → say → ?
She read it.
asserted
She → read → it
She said, ‘I’m in.’”
asserted
I → say → ?
They quickly found themselves falling back into the easy rhythm and camaraderie they shared in “Time After Time.”
asserted
they → find → Time
Rifkin says it was evident they still enjoyed working together even if they are happily married to others (Ted Danson for Steenburgen and Kelley Kuhr for McDowell.)
asserted
they → say → McDowell
“Both of them, independently of one another, said to me, ‘You know, working with Malcolm…’ or ‘Working with Mary, it just feels like old times.
asserted
it → say → times
It’s just so natural.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s like putting on a comfy pair of slippers.
asserted
It → ’ → slippers
”
“Last Train to Fortune,” which also stars Bernadette Peters and Laura Marano, opens Sept. 17 at the Angelika in New York.
asserted
which → star → York
The Aporia
