Cinefile

United Artists folks are at the serious talking stage with Robert Redford to star in Pat Conroy’s best-seller “Prince of Tides” (a big however : The project is still searching for a director following Barry Levinson’s departure to “Rainman”). A studio source said that Barbra Streisand may join the cast should Redford accept. . . . Rappin’ Rodney Dangerfield joins the boys of summer (in August) as “The Scout” for Orion, with Anson Williams to debut as a feature director.

The oddly titled “Men Don’t Leave” is next for Jessica Lange, reteaming “Risky Business” producer Jon Avnet and director Paul Brickman (who co-wrote with Barbara Benedek) for Warners. Based on the French film “La Vie Continue,” it concerns a woman picking up the pieces of her life after her husband’s death. . . . Also on the remake trail is “Cousins” at Paramount, based on the Oscar-winning “Cousin, Cousine,” to film in Vancouver in May. Stephen Metcalf adapted; Joel Schumacher (“Lost Boys”) directs. . . . Yes, Virginia, there is a “Dick Tracy” (a.k.a. Warren Beatty) at Fox. The latest writer (all WGA strikes aside) to come aboard is two-time Oscar winner Bo Goldman.

Lorimar, taking a cue from Touchstone, is looking to the small screen for big screen casting. Following projects with Bronson Pinchot and Tony Danza, it has writers Seth Winston and Michael Nathanson, who wrote “Daddy’s Little Girl” for Danza, developing a film for “227’s” Jackee. . . . Joni Mitchell sings the theme to Monte Hellman’s “Iguana,” premiering at the Cannes Festival in May.

“Jimmy Reardon” writer-director Bill Richert starts filming “Will You Marry Me?” next month in NYC. The modern romance of a writer who can’t cope with intimacy also has Richert in the lead. . . . Another actor moving behind the camera: Tim Matheson. He co-produces Tri-Star’s “Blind Fury,” an Americanization of the hugely successful Japanese Zatoichi (Blind Swordsman) series, with Rutger Hauer starring and Phil Noyce directing.