Lily James Set To Star in True-Crime Bank Robbery Film PEGGY JO
Lily James (Baby Driver, Yesterday) has taken the lead role in an upcoming true-crime love story film titled Peggy Jo, and it will be directed by Philip Noyce.
The film is loosely based on the life of Texan Peggy Jo Tallas, who takes to robbing banks while posing as a man. The script for the movie is being written by Robert Knott (Appaloosa) and it sounds like it’ll make for a great movie.
Here are the details that were shared:
Peggy Jo (James) is a beautiful person, prone to be romantically lost in books and films; however she is not the sort of person who lets life and people get the better of her. When her latest beau turns out to be married to his bank co-worker, she takes matters into her own hands, robbing his bank disguised as a man with a big beard and a back-to-front cowboy hat.
Inspired by her love of stories such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and eager to support her struggling family financially, Peggy Jo starts holding up a string of banks as her now famous alter-ego “Cowboy Bob.” She becomes more and more daring, hotly pursued by astute FBI agent Bishop. But along the way she loses her heart to damaged soul Charlie. Like Peggy, Charlie also seeks escape and solace in the fantasy world of books and poetry. As Bishop draws nearer and her love-story with Charlie is threatened, Peggy chooses, like her heroes, not to give up, but to go down in a blaze of glory.
Before today, I was not familiar with this story, but I’m looking forward to watching it play out on the big screen, especially with James in the lead role. She’s a very talented actress and this seems like a great character for her to play.
Producer Simon Brooks said in a statement:
“I have been looking to make a movie with Phillip Noyce for years and ‘Peggy Jo’ is finally the one. It is a great emotive and thrilling story that will capture audiences worldwide.”
HanWay Films chief Gabrielle Stewart added:
“’Peggy Jo’ is all about wanting more than your life presents to you and celebrates with a wink and a nod, many of our favorite films from the 70s through to the 80s, in tone, fun, music, color and pure escapist entertainment, with a whole load of heart.”.
Source: Variety