Cinefile

Michael Caine plays the suave, cultured womanizing con man in Orion’s “King of the Mountain” to film in Nice next month. Caine joins Steve Martin, who at one time toyed with playing that role but will now portray his less couth, more awkward competitor. Based upon the 1965 Stanley Shapiro comedy “Bedtime Story,” which starred David Niven and Marlon Brando, “King” is being directed by Frank Oz from a Dale Launer adaptation. . . . He made you laugh (Michael J. Fox’s Pepsi ads), he made you cry (John Hancock Financial Services), he’s the hottest commercial director in town--Joe Pytka. How good is he? Well, good enough to get the OK from Richard Dreyfuss for “Let It Ride,” a comedy about the gambling bug. David Giler produces Nancy Dowd’s screenplay for Paramount. . . . Daphne Zuniga, “Spaceball’s” Princess Vespa, gets to hold Eric Stoltz’s rapidly transforming hand in Brooksfilm “Fly II.”

Danny DeVito will follow his “Twins” assignment acting and directing “War of the Roses,” based on Warren Adler’s novel about a ferocious divorce. DeVito plays the warring couple’s best friend. James L. Brooks’ Gracie Films produces for Fox. . . . John Ritter’s will play a screenwriter in Blake Edwards’ “Changes,” a Tri-Star production to film in August. We’re told the story is a character comedy and not another “S.O.B.” salvo at the industry.

Oscar-winning writer John Briley (“Gandhi”) will script, and make his directing debut, with the adaptation of his novel “How Sleep the Brave,” about American soldiers who broke ranks to fight with the Viet Cong in Vietnam. A fall start date is planned. . . .

Is there something going around about white men and boys and black prostitutes? Check: Producer Allan Carr has signed director Adrian Lyne for “Silence,” a David Rayfiel script about a white North Shore Chicago doctor who gets romantically entangled with a young black South Shore lady of the night. Bill Forsyth will direct John Sayles script “Breaking in,” about a white teen-age boy who learns a new trade from a seasoned burglar and learns about love from a black prostitute. And, in case we’ve forgotten, Paramount still owns Robert Goldberg’s novel “The $100 Misunderstanding,” about a white 17-year-old boy with a C-note who falls in with a black 15-year-old girl who works the streets. At various times, Elaine May and Robert Kaufman have each taken shots at rewrites.