Bryce stood patiently in the middle of Railroad Avenue awaiting her cue to walk past mingling jazz musicians and antique automobiles early Saturday morning.
The star and the crew of “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond” were in Donaldsonville’s historic district filming scenes through the night Friday and into the morning Saturday. Three separate scenes were shot in locations along Railroad Avenue. The crew set up base camp at the American Legion Hall on Veterans’ Boulevard.
The final scene set up the avenue to look like Memphis’ Beale Street in the 1920s. Extras from Marksville, several antique automobiles and horses and carriages were used in the night scene. The entire block of the avenue was secured for filming and the exteriors of the buildings were adjusted to reflect the period.
Written by Tennessee Williams, “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond” is the story of Fisher Willow (Howard) the disliked debutante daughter of a plantation owner. After returning from studies overseas, she falls in love with Jimmy (Chris Evans), the down-and-out son of an alcoholic father (David Strathairn) and an insane mother who works at a store on her family’s plantation. She tries to pass him off as an upper-class suitor to appease her spinster aunt (Ann-Margret) who controls her family’s fortune. When she loses a diamond, it places their tenuous relationship in further jeopardy.
Actress Lindsay Lohan was set to play Fisher but was replaced by Howard, who is the daughter of actor-director Ron Howard. Jodie Markell will be making her feature directorial debut with the film. The crew also filmed scenes at Nottoway Plantation in nearby White Castle and in several other locations in Louisiana.