HEARTS are set to go all aflutter as the most gentlemanly of Hollywood's leading men comes to town.

Residents of Portland are on the lookout this week as Colin Firth- best known for his role as Mr Darcy- will be filming on the isle.

Oscar-winning Firth will be at Portland Harbour to shoot scenes for an upcoming film in which he plays doomed yachtsman Donald Crowhurst. A stage has also been set up at Chesil Cove.

The film is a tale of ambition, adventure, madness and tragedy that follows the true story of Crowhurst, whose attempt to circumnavigate the world solo ended catastrophically.

Crowhurst was a British businessman and amateur sailor who died while competing in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, a single-handed, round-the-world yacht race.

He had entered the race in hopes of winning a cash prize from The Sunday Times to aid his failing business.

Now his story is set for the Hollywood treatment.

Actress Rachel Weisz, known for her roles in The Mummy, About A Boy and Runaway Jury is also set to star in the film.

The script for the movie, directed by The Theory of Everything’s James Marsh, will be penned by Bourne Ultimatum writer Scott Z Burns.

Firth is most famously known for his role as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary, The King's Speech, The Single Man and more recently, Kingsman.

He left heads turning last month when he was spotted visiting Portland, taking time to stop off at the Harbour Lights Bar and Restaurant for a hot drink.

It is understood that he will back at Portland Harbour later this week. A stage set has also been built at Chesil Cover.

Adam Saint, general manager at the Harbour Lights Bar and Restaurant at Portland Marina said: "We were all delighted when Colin Firth came here last month. We couldn't believe it.

"I hope that he comes in again and I am sure that all the girls will be going weak at the knees like they did last time."

Crowhurst's tale was told in the 2006 film Deep Waters, directed by Louise Osmond and Jerry Rothwell.

Firth and Weisz have most recently been filming in Devon where residents and holidaymakers lined the seafront to catch a glimpse of the A-listers.

The name of the new film is yet to be revealed.

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