Dutch Treat

Director Robert Benton and writer Tom Stoppard are teaming to bring to the screen E.L. Doctorow’s 1989 novel “Billy Bathgate,” winner of the National Book Critics’ Circle Award.

Set in New York, circa 1935, it mixes fictional and nonfictional characters as it traces the rise of the fictitious title character--a 15-year-old poor boy from the Bronx--and the fall of his gangster mentor, real-life Dutch Schultz.

Arlene Donovan--who’s teamed with Benton on four previous projects--produces for Disney/Touchstone.

Will Doctorow be involved?

“One wants him to be, yes,” says Donovan. “I don’t know exactly what his title will be. Let’s say he’s our muse.”

As for Benton exploring a gangster theme: “This won’t be a machine gun-type gangster film. It will be literary--about characters.

“But,” she adds, “you shouldn’t be surprised that Robert’s doing this. After all, he did do ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (which he co-wrote, in 1967), and he is from Texas.”