Cave Creek welcomes Tinsel Town
by Kathleen Stinson

CAVE CREEK – Big Earl’s Greasy Eats in Cave Creek was transformed Monday into the Desert Queen, a burger joint with carhops on skates for the upcoming movie, “Jolene.”

This vintage gas station‑turned‑restaurant took on the density of a Hollywood set for one day as young actress/waitresses in midriff blouses and short skirts skated around waiting for a take.

“Jolene,”adapted from a novella by E.L. Doctorow, is the vision of Scottsdale‑based movie maker, Next Turn Productions, said co‑producer Zachary Matz, in an interview with The Desert Advocate on the set. The script was written by Dennis Yares.

“The movie follows Jolene’s relationships with various men as she develops as an artist–ultimately a graphic novelist,” Matz said.

In the Cave Creek  scene, Jolene, played by Jessica Chastain, meets Vegas bad boy, Coco, played by Rupert Friend. The Desert Queen set represents a Phoenix burger joint on a “classic car day” sometime in 1998, Matz said.

Big Earl’s caught the eye of a location scout about a month ago, said Eric Westerlund, café owner.

The producer said the property had the added advantage of allowing movie makers, with a single cut, to define the change of scene from the South Carolina pines to Phoenix. Big Earl’s has an ample view of the desert mountain scape behind its lot. Some South Carolina scenes were shot in Prescott.

“It’s great to have all kinds of exposure of the business and the building,” Westerlund said.

Westerlund said the production company added several feet of concrete, worth about $4,000, to the exterior of his building to allow Jolene to skate to the cars.

The Desert Queen is an important locale in the context of the  movie.

There, Jolene meets “dangerous boy Coco and she’s ripe for the pickin’,” Matz said.

Co‑producer Reva Rares chose Jolene’s story because it touched her, and for its universal relevance, Matz said. Girl meets boy and girl is under boy’s thumb. Ultimately, Jolene finds her destiny in self‑actualization through her art.

Actors Donald Sutherland and Dermot Mulroney also star in the film. Sutherland was not on the set and is filming his scenes only in Las Vegas, Matz said.

The film used a local talent agency in part to cast the Cave Creek scene. One of Jolene’s fellow carhops, 13‑year‑old actress Jameelah Lee, lives in Phoenix.

Asked what she likes about the movie, Lee said, “I like skating and the cast.”

Lee is not the only local flair to appear in the movie.

Classic cars appear prominently in the scenes.  The cars lined up outside the fictional drive‑in came courtesy of local car owners, approached at a classic car show Friday in Phoenix.

Cave Creek resident John Rice said he was at the car show when someone connected to the film  asked to hire the car for a scene. Rice owns the burgundy‑colored 1967 Dart GT used in one scene. Steve Hibbard of Phoenix  rented his gold 1964‑½  Mustang to the production company.

Neal Dederich of Phoenix and Ernie Rhodes of Glendale also earned a little extra money the easy way Monday renting out their classic cars.

“They paid me $300 for the car and an extra $75  if I am in the car,” Dederich said.

“Jolene” director, Dan Ireland, gave actress Renee Zellweger her first part in the movie, “The Whole Wide World,” leading to her big break starring opposite Tom Cruise in “Jerry Maguire,” he said.

Ireland directed the movie, “Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont,” which was filmed in London and is currently showing at Harkins Camelview Theatre in Scottsdale.

 David Roberts, a friend of the director, appeared in a scene as the customer who leaves Jolene a $10 tip. He said he supposedly is leaving the big tip because she is “such a hotty.”

Reach the reporter at kathleen@thedesertadvocate.com.