Quick Takes: Woody Allen’s new film to open Cannes Film Festival

Woody Allen’s 41st feature, “Midnight in Paris,” starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (wife of the French president), will open the Cannes Film Festival on May 11, organizers announced Wednesday.

But if you’re not in Cannes that night, you still might be able to catch the romantic comedy — it’s to be released in some 400 theaters across France on the same day.

“‘Midnight in Paris’ is a wonderful love letter to Paris,” festival director Thierry Frémaux said in a statement. “It’s a film in which Woody Allen takes a deeper look at the issues raised in his last films: our relationship with history, art, pleasure and life. His 41st feature reveals once again his inspiration.”

Allen’s “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” played at Cannes in 2010.

The rest of the lineup is to be announced in April, and the festival runs through May 22.

— Julie Makinen

Smithsonian collects Fawcett

The swimsuit worn by the late Farrah Fawcett in the iconic pinup poster that sold more than 12 million copies in 1976 was donated Wednesday to the Smithsonian Institution’s popular culture history collections, along with other items related to her career.

Longtime love Ryan O’Neal and friend Nels Van Patten, who was at the 1976 poster shoot, were scheduled to attend the ceremony in Washington. O’Neal is the father of Fawcett’s son, Redmond O’Neal.

“If you were to list 10 images that are evocative of American pop culture, Farrah Fawcett would be one of them,” Robert Thompson, a professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University, once told The Times. “That poster became one of the defining images of the 1970s.”

Also included in the estate’s donation to the Smithsonian: an original copy of the poster, a leather-bound book of the actress’ personal copies of scripts for the first season of “Charlie’s Angels,” magazines with her on the cover, a Farrah doll, a Farrah jigsaw puzzle and a Farrah’s Glamour Center hairstyling toy.

Fawcett died of cancer at age 62 on June 25, 2009 — shortly before news broke the same day about Michael Jackson’s death.

— Christie D’Zurilla

White Stripes no longer solid

The White Stripes are done.

The groundbreaking rock duo announced Wednesday they are splitting up and “will make no further new recordings or perform live.”

Jack White and Meg White say there are a “myriad of reasons” for the breakup, but the main reason is to “preserve what is beautiful and special about the band.”

The last recording by the White Stripes was the live album “Under the Great White Northern Lights,” released last year.

Over the years, Jack White has focused attention on other projects, including the bands the Dead Weather and the Raconteurs, as well as his Nashville-based Third Man Records.

— Associated Press

That’s just the way Elton is

Billy Joel’s reaction to Elton John’s declaration that the Piano Man needs rehabilitation is one big shrug.

In a statement released Wednesday, Joel says: “Elton is just being Elton.”

John took his former touring partner to task in an interview for the Feb. 17 edition of Rolling Stone, saying Joel needs to do “something better with his life” and get serious about rehab. He also said that the pair had to cancel many tours because of Joel’s illnesses and “alcoholism.”

While John predicted Joel would “hate” him for his comments, Joel says he’s enjoyed their relationship so much he’s not going to let the comments change his affection for him.

Joel went to rehab in 2005 and 2002.

— Associated Press

‘Avatar’ pays up for Cameron

Director James Cameron cashed in on the worldwide box office success of “Avatar” to become the top Hollywood movie earner of 2010, easily outdistancing actor Johnny Depp in second place.

Cameron earned an estimated $257 million last year for writing, producing and directing his 3-D hit “Avatar,” based on its worldwide 2010 box-office gross of $1.95 billion, as well as his share of DVD and pay-television sales, according to a Vanity Fair survey released on Wednesday of the top 40 Hollywood earners in 2010.

The 56-year-old director easily beat actor Johnny Depp, who scored the No. 2 spot earning $100 million after collecting paychecks from several 2010 films including “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Tourist,” as well as up-front payments for the next “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” which is due for release in May.

The Vanity Fair list only included creative professionals — producers, writers, actors, etc. — and the money they earn from film. It did not include earnings from non-movie related projects, such advertisements or television show earnings.

Steven Spielberg earned $80 million for Universal theme-park royalties, as well as consulting fees and for directing and producing the upcoming “War Horse,” edging out “Inception” director Christopher Nolan who brought in $71.5 million.

“Inception” star Leonardo DiCaprio, who earned $62 million, took the No. 5 spot.

— Reuters