MADAM OF THE WILD HORSE AND THE MUSTANG RANCH BROTHELS RETAINED AS TECHNICAL EXPERT FOR MOVIE ‘LOVE RANCH’
Susan Austin has been retained by the director of the movie “Love Ranch,” as a technical scene and set consultant. Austin is presently Madam of the now the richly refurbished World Famous Mustang Ranch and its neighbor The Wild Horse Resort and Spa, also a plush, upscale brothel.
“Love Ranch” is a fictionalized love story about two individuals who made an indelible mark on the colorful history of Nevada. The two were Joe and Sally Conforte who opened the Mustang Ranch in 1971 as the first legal brothel in Nevada.
The story does not focus on the Mustang Ranch, but more the complex love shared by this couple, their relationship and the triangle of infidelity that led to violence at their brothel named the Love Ranch for the movie.
The movie is directed by Taylor Hackford (“Ray,” “Officer and a Gentleman”) and stars academy award winners Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci. Hackford will be working with his wife Mirren (“The Queen”) for the first time since the two did “White Nights” in 1985. Pesci (“Raging Bull,” “Casino,” and Goodfellas”) retired in 1999 but decided to come back to the big screen after reading the screenplay.
The story is told from the perspective of the brothel madam played by Mirren. Austin was retained to bring as much brothel authenticity to the film as possible.
Mirren and Hackford spent a weekend with Austin touring and taking photographs in the World Famous Mustang Ranch, to assist in creating authentic sets for the movie that has started filming in New Mexico. There are also scenes planned for Reno, Carson City, and Storey County, where the Mustang Ranch is located.
Hackford recently flew Austin down to New Mexico to work with the actors and set personnel.
“My responsibility will be to work with Mirren, showing her specific brothel etiquette. How to “walk the walk and talk the talk” explained Austin. “I will also work with the seven extras they hired to play the working girls of the brothel. We are looking at the proper clothing and sets reminiscent of, the ‘70s. I anticipate returning to the shooting several more times. I am pleased the brothel scenes are to be as authentic as possible. This movie is a wonderful love story with historical roots, the very finest of actors, actresses, and a producer, and I’m grateful to be involved.