It's Disaster Film Month. If you want to watch alongside the Silver Screener, check out A Crack in the World on Netflix Instanttonight. Dana Andrews, Janette Scott and Alexander Knox. But for now...
We begin our special Disasterpiece Theatre edition of Casting Coup Tuesday with The Towering Inferno.
As the regulars know, I am not a huge fan of the film, which is disappointing since it's the most famous and awarded of a subgenre I adore. I see nothing wrong with a two-and-a-half-hour ensemble disaster flick (Independence Day clocks in at 2h33min and is masterful), nor do I have a problem with a disaster flick that takes itself seriously (it's how camp classics like The Swarm are born). No, the biggest crimes of The Towering Inferno are a lack of focus and a dull pace. Lead characters are poorly developed or quickly pushed aside, motivations are muddled, relationships are obscured, the editing is working against the thrills of the plot, etc.
The greatest shame is that The Towering Inferno should be amazing. The cast assembled is incredible, with most of the performances delivering. Steve McQueen, Richard Chamberlain and William Holden are best in show, along with surprising, brief turns from Sheila Allen and Susan Flannery. John Williams' score is better with repeated listenings, even if it doesn't measure up to Earthquake. I don't even hate that it's obviously two different books thrown together -- the buoy escape seems so dangerous that there has to be a backup plan, and even though keeping million-gallon water tanks on top of the roof seems...bizarre...I can totally accept that. Because it's outrageous. And that's the problem with The Towering Inferno: it gives you this outrageous situation and treats it with all the sobriety of Munich.
Which is why it needs a kick-ass remake. And isn't it fun to think about who can fill the shoes of the original actors? Click on the title below to continue....
I know Rotten Tomatoes is imperfect system, but it still seems absurd to me that For Colored Girls is at a 33% "Rotten" rating. Tyler Perry turns in his most mature, subtle, courageous, beautiful work to date, and people are going to smack it with a one-star rating? Surely there's some bias and denial at work here, for I went to see For Colored Girls this evening with a Tyler Perry hater -- I mean teeth-gnashing, head-smacking HATER -- who loved what he saw. Me, I don't hate Tyler Perry, so perhaps I have a different bias, but I also loved what I saw.
For Colored Girls is, of course, based on Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, a collection of 20 choreopoems to be performed by seven women, all identified by a color. Tyler Perry writes much of his own material for the film, but incorporates the poems sometimes powerfully, sometimes out-of-place. Tessa Thompson's "graduation nite", for example, comes out of nowhere, with no one reacting to it. It's a long monologue set beautifully to some dance exercises, but the overall feel of the scene is off; it's a recitation. Compare that to her later "abortion cycle #1": her performance is natural, unforced, beautiful. The transition between Perry's dialogue and Shange's is fluid here, whereas in "graduation nite" the leap from one to the other is alarming.
That was always going to be the challenge. Shange's masterpiece is an abstract theatre piece, relying on dance and poetry, with the Ladies sometimes interrupting each other, taking over a verse, finishing a thought. Her poems are not always direct, but they are consistently moving. Perry, known primarily for his Madea films, is generally unsubtle and inconsistent, his broad comedy usually peppered with alarmingly melodramatic treatment of serious issues (the incest/rape dialogue in Madea's Family Reunion is a perfect example of this).
That he makes it work as well as he does is impressive. This isn't faint praise either, for Perry has upped his game considerably. Most of the poems do work with the rest of the film, and exposure to such complicated material has clearly done some good. In a typical Tyler Perry film, morality is black and white, the villains twisting their wicked mustaches as the damsel in distress waits for a man to save her from her plight. In For Colored Girls, there are no such clear divisions. One need look no further than the powerhouse scene between Thandie Newton and Whoopi Goldberg for evidence. Even Janet Jackson's two-timing husband is sympathetically, almost tragically, portrayed by Omari Hardwick. Jackson is fine, too, and her performance of "sorry" is layered and heartfelt. It's too bad she and Hardwick are saddled with the weakest and least interesting storyline.
Let it not be assumed that this is merely a good movie for Tyler Perry; it's a great movie, period. Flawed, but fantastic. Perry never loses sight of the connection and sisterhood between these women. He even remembers to bring them together, as the play so often did, in dance: the film opens with Anika Noni Rose's ballet and closes with a party. The final shot of the ladies in their "layin' on of hands" is effective, and it is not clear that everyone will be okay. The layers each actress puts into this final moment is incredible.
Indeed, if one is to commend the film for anything, it is the performances: Phylicia Rashad, Whoopi Goldberg, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise, Macy Gray, Anika Noni Rose and Loretta Devine are unforgettable. Rashad and Devine have several poems apiece, and they are the most natural and entertaining of the actresses to watch. Certainly, every time Devine showed up, my entire theater was overjoyed. Goldberg is unhinged, delivering her most un-Whoopi'd performance in ages. She's frightening and pitiful, but the aforementioned scene with Newton adds so much to both characters. Newton, an actress I usually cannot stand, is sexy and angry, and though she just about straddles the line between camp and believable hysteria...she maintains a balance. Gray's cameo as a back-alley abortionist is creepy and genuine; her "i used to live in the world" is one of the stand-outs. Rose is beautiful, as always, but also vulnerable as the dance teacher raped by a man she trusts. And Kimberly Elise? Astonishing. She will break your heart and uplift it.
But again, it's not perfect. The journey to the back-alley abortionist is almost silly: gamblers, junkies, drug dealers, and a pit bull all congregate outside, played to the rafters by pantomiming actors in close-up. Truly a bizarre moment. The decision to intercut a rape scene with an opera is interesting, but the staging of the latter takes away the impact of the former; it also goes on for way too long. Jackson's character is underwritten, Thompson is inconsistent (though promising), and Kerry Washington is both. The editing is sometimes too abrupt. And while I usually commend a director for holding on a performance, Jackson's "sorry" monologue goes on for about three minutes without so much as a push-in. I admit, I started zoning out in the middle of it. Where utilized, the special effects are, shall we say, unpolished. This is no small matter, as it very nearly kills "a nite with beau willie brown", arguably the most important sequence in the film.
But then I come back to the score by Aaron Zigman, the costumes by Johnetta Boone, the production design and art direction of Ina Mayhew and Roswell Hamrick, the performances by Rashad and Goldberg, Devine and Elise. I come back to it all and think, "Damn!" It may not be completely successful in its attempt to bring Ntozake Shange's work to the screen, it certainly does the play justice.
Since it's announcement, I've been following whatever news I could find on the film adaptation of For Colored Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. I keep silent here because I don't want to blow the proverbial load prematurely, but so much about it has me chomping at the bit. I'm familiar with the show from my days in high school theatre, and have recently re-read the original play by Ntozake Shange, who also wrote the screenplay. If anyone can bring this choreo-poem to the big screen, surely it would be the original author!
Oh, sure, there was the initial thought of "uh-oh" at the idea of Tyler Perry directing...but then I realized how unfair that was. I've never seen a Perry film, my only exposure to his work being the cliche-ridden trailers, his two awful and unfunny TV shows, and his performance in Star Trek. But I've never seen Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Meet the Browns, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, etc., etc., so to have a knee-jerk reaction against Perry just because the majority of the other cinephiles do is dishonest. Having decided this, I could continue on with my excitment.
Which, of course, is all about the cast. I love me some strong female performances, ever since I was in third grade and fell for Dianne Wiest in Edward Scissorhands (her performance, that is; I actually fell for Winona Ryder). To be able to see an actress-dominated film with strong roles is catnip enough, but to have those roles embodied by this legion of actresses?! What did I do to reap this reward? There's deserved Oscar Winner Whoopi Goldberg, Hollmann Award Nominee Anika Noni Rose, old favorite Loretta Devine, legendary MILF Phylicia Rashad, undervalued chanteuse Macy Gray (who was great fun in Idlewild), jaw-droppingly beautiful Kerry Washington...and, fine, there's Thandie Newton, who I've never seen deliver a good performance, and Janet Jackson, who I've never seen act. And, truth be told, I don't know who Kimberly Elise is. But look at the rest of that cast list! Amazing!
I was willing to wait until January to catch it, but when it was announced that For Colored Girls... would be released this year on November 5th? You better believe I texted my friends, e-mailed my professor (we're reading the play in her class soon), cleared my calendar! And there it was. Two months. I had to sit on this for two months, but I could do it. I could always read my copy of the play if the anticipation got to be too much, just to calm me down. I was excited, but able to keep it in check.
Then the posters came out. Lord, I want this movie now:
How excited are all y'all right now? Because I am PUMPED.
I toyed for a moment or two with just letting CCM go. A lot has been on my plate this semester, what with a premiere this Thursday, thesis classes starting, and a new 3D project being sprung on us. It's been crazy.
But then I realized that I had promised All About Eve. And dammit, I am going to deliver on that promise.
All About Eve is the definition of A Classic. Popular with critics and audiences alike, it scored a record 14 Oscar nominations, a feat not to be matched until Titanic in 1997. Based on the short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, the film depicts the rise of Eve Harrington in the theatre world, as told by a theatre critic, a playwright's wife, and Broadway legend Margo Channing. Writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz takes the story, originally told solely through the eyes of the playwright's wife, and builds a dazzling story about aging, sexism, and the Theatre that has yet to find an equal. Really, he's a lot more understanding of women than Orr, who wrote about a bunch of back-stabbing bitches. Mankiewicz humanizes all the characters -- well, maybe not the dastardly Eve -- while upping the bitchery! A true master of the craft!
And so, instead of smug British windbag Clement Howell, we get charismatic, faithful, patient Bill Sampson, a director who has been Margo's Man for years, though they've yet to marry. Rather than having Margo meeting Eve first, Karen Richards is the one who meets Eve and introduces her to Margo as a gesture of kindness. Then, of course, there are the two characters Mankiewicz created: Margo's companion and confidante, Birdie; and the renowned theatre critic Addison DeWitt. Can anyone imagine the film without these two?
Of its 14 nominations, All About Eve went home with six Oscars, including Best Picture. Surprisingly, though it had five acting nominations, it only won Best Supporting Actor for George Sanders' career-defining portrayal of Addison DeWitt. Vote-splitting is the only reasonable cause for the losses of Bette Davis and Anne Baxter in Best Actress (Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday), and Thelma Ritter and Celeste Holm in Best Supporting Actress (Josephine Hull in Harvey). Mankiewicz won, of course, for Director and Best Writing - Screenplay. And, of course, there are the two technical wins: Best Sound Recording (Thomas T. Moulton) and Best Costume Design - Black-and-White (Edith Head and Charles le Maire). Its technical losses: Cinematography - Black-and-White (The Third Man), Editing (King Solomon's Mines), Set Direction - Black-and-White (Sunset Boulevard) and Best Music - Dramatic or Comedy Score (Sunset Boulevard).
Oh, but do you think that was the end of its run of awesome? No, no, kind sirs and madames. In 1970, Broadway herself saw the premiere of Applause, a musical based on Mankiewicz's film and Orr's short story. Updated to the then-present, the story switches out Birdie for Duane, combines the roles of Addison and producer Max Fabian into producer Howard Benedict, adds a bunch of dancers, gets Margo to a gay bar, and holy shit the FRINGE ON DISPLAY MY GOD THE FRINGE!!! Though Mankiewicz and some others, notably All About "All About Eve" author Sam Staggs, took issue with both these changes and the the sidelining of Eve in favor of more Margo, the show was a hit. And why not? It was, after all, the Broadway musical debut of Hollywood legend LAUREN FUCKING BACALL:
Yes, yes, yes! Of course, she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, and the show itself won Best Musical. It was later made into a TV Movie that was basically the stage show with cut songs and larger sets. And you can watch all of it here.
And why all this attention on the musical? Because after that TV special, it was mostly forgotten. The idea of recasting All About Eve has been bandied about before by many others, including Sasha Stone at Awards Daily (she chose Streep and Amy Adams as Margo and Eve, respectively). Me, I feel it can not be touched...unless one were to adapt the musical. Because wouldn't you kill to see something like this in a movie:
And so, let the great experiment begin!
BONNIE Who is She: Written for the musical, Bonnie is a dancer who meets Eve through Howard. She spends her time with other Broadway hopefuls at a restaurant where they all mingle, dreaming of making it on the Great White Way.
Songs: Applause, She's No Longer a Gypsy That happy sound goes over you And just like that Everything's bright, this is your night Love hits you right where you're at 'Cause You've had a taste of The sound that says love Applause, applause, applause
My Choice:
Julianne Hough ("Dancing with the Stars", Burlesque) Can she act? Who cares? She's a dancer, she's a singer, there's not really much else required for the role, other than the ability to sell it. And I'm sure she can.
BIRDIE COONAN/DUANE FOX Who is This Person: Margo's assistant and confidant/e. S/he is the only person who suspects Eve of ulterior motives from the very beginning. Birdie/Duane is also sharp-tongued and quick-witted, but who isn't in this story?
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts, She's No Longer a Gypsy Fasten your seat belts It's gonna be a bumpy night Eh, eh, eh, eh Margo in action Critics have called an awesome sight
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (All About Eve, The Mating Season, With a Song in My Heart, Pickup on South Street, Pillow Talk, Birdman of Alcatraz), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (All About Eve, The Mating Season, Boeing (707) Boeing (707)) Thelma Ritter (Miracle on 34th Street, Rear Window)
My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Dreamgirls)
Keith Robinson (This Christmas, Dear John) Hell of a presence, this guy. He sings magnificently, he can dance, and imagine him palling with...but no, I won't tell you who Margo is yet.
HOWARD BENEDICT/ADDISON DEWITT/MAX FABIAN Who is He: Benedict combines Addison and Fabian. He is a successful Broadway producer who is tired of working with Margo. He does take an interest in Eve, however, and even checks up on her story. What he learns about her is rather interesting...but he's willing ot keep quiet for a price.
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts Thanks for the party Wow what a blast Get your coat Where's the door Man it's been Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh A bumpy night
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (All About Eve) George Sanders (Village of the Damned, The Jungle Book) Gregory Ratoff (What Price Hollywood?, I'm No Angel)
My Choice:
Martin Short (Mars Attacks!, Prince of Egypt) Short has played the skeezy suit many, many times before this. He is also a theatre vet himself, what with that Tony Award for Little Me, touring in Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, playing Leo Bloom in The Producers in LA, doing Godspell in Canada in 1972, with Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy and Gilda Radner. Above, he's the skinny guy; Steve Martin is the fat one.
BUZZ RICHARDS/LLOYD RICHARDS Who is He: Buzz in the musical, Lloyd in the movie and story, Mr. Richards is a playwright. He is Karen's husband, Bill's friend, and Margo's sparring partner. Eve selects him as one of her many conquests as she climbs the ladder of success. He is a bright and kind man, but feels unappreciated.
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts, Inner Thoughts, Good Friends Good friend, who could care less If you're a failure or a success They're there, whatever you do They like you for you Not your money or your gorgeousness
Originally played by: Hugh Marlowe (Twelve O'Clock High, Come to the Stable)
My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Kinky Boots), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Talk to Me), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (American Gangster)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity, 2012) Ejiofor is such a classy guy. I can see him as the frustrated smart guy who thinks he isn't being taken seriously (2012), or as the guy who is more naive than he should be (American Gangtser). Plus, I just like watching him act.
KAREN RICHARDS Who is She: Buzz's wife and Margo's best friend. She is the only one without a career in theatre. Karen sees Eve waiting outside the theatre, and it is she who introduces the girl to Margo. She tries to help the girl in her career and against Margo, not for any malicious reason, but because Karen is just so damn nice.
Songs: Fasten Your Seat Belts, Inner Thoughts, Good Friends
Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Gentleman's Agreement) Celeste Holm (Champagne for Caesar, High Society)
My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble and Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Dreamgirls)
Anika Noni Rose (From Justin to Kelly, The Princess and the Frog) A great singer who deserved more credit than she got for Dreamgirls. This Tony Award-winning actress is usually stuck playing second banana in most of her films, and while that would also be the case here...she's just so damn good at what she does with her characters. Plus, I believe she could have chemistry with anyone, so seeing her with our Margo would be dee-lightful!
BILL SAMPSON Who is He: A great director, Bill and Margo have been an item for a while...though she still refuses his marriage proposals. Bill leaves to direct a motion picture in Rome, but he returns to find Eve living as Margo's assistant, and Margo growing increasingly suspicious of her. Suspicious and drunk. Bill is younger than Margo, but that doesn't lessen his passion for her. He is often the most sensible person in the room.
Songs: Think How It's Gonna Be, Fasten Your Seat Belts, One of a Kind, Something Greater Dry your pretty eyes, come on And let me have a smile Think how it's gonna be When we're together again I don't wanna go But planes come back, you know Think how it's gonna be When we're together again
Originally played by: Gary Merrill (Twelve O'Clock High, Mysterious Island)
My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Chaplin) and Best Supporting Actor (Tropic Thunder), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (Chaplin), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Sherlock Holmes), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Tropic Thunder) and Best Ensemble (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Robert Downey, Jr. (Heart and Souls, Lucky You) Downey is young enough, I think. Oh, he may not be 35, but he is still younger than our Margo and quite sexy, if I say so myself. He has a rascally charm, and though he rarely gets the opportunity to play just a nice guy, I would love to see him in this role. Really, it's either him or George Clooney, and Clooney doesn't sing. Downey does.
EVE HARRINGTON Who is She: Why, it's all about her! Eve shows up outside the theatre with a tale of woe: a dead husband, small-town dreams, "everything but the bloodhounds snapping at her rear end." Eve soon manages her way into Margo's life, and it is only too late that everyone realizes what a clever schemer she is. The modesty and fragility masks a ruthless woman out to become a Big Star. And hey, she gets that Tony, doesn't she?
Songs: The Best Night of My Life, One Hallowe'en Drop dead, Daddy Look at your little girl now! She feels twitchy, and bitchy, and manic Calm and collected, no sign of panic She's alive, she's alive, so alive!
Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (The Razor's Edge) Anne Baxter (I Confess, The Ten Commandments)
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Brokeback Mountain), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Ensemble (Synecdoche, NY), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (The Station Agent, Brokeback Mountain)
Michelle Williams (The Baxter, Blue Valentine) She's beautiful, but in a way that would allow her to appear mousy. Apparently, she can sing, too. Michelle is probably the best actress under thirty working today. It's hard to believe she's as young as she is, what with her mastery of comedy, drama, and dramedy.
MARGO CHANNING Who is She: The Grande Dame of Broadway. Margo is always putting on a show, whether on stage or off it. She is conscious of her aging, which causes her to erupt at Eve more flamboyantly than she should. But she also initially trusts Eve, leading her into the trap. Margo may have mood swings, but people love her anyway. And truly, what's not to love? Who the hell else would say, "You have permission to breathe!" What an awesome lady.
Songs: But Alive, Who's That Girl, Hurry Back, Fasten Your Seat Belts, Welcome to the Theatre, Inner Thoughts, Good Friends, One of a Kind, Something Greater, Finale A theatre full of strangers adoring you blindly There's something greater There's something greater The friends who know you're lonely and treat you too kindly There's something greater There's something greater
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (Jezebel, Dangerous), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Foreign Actress (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Drama (All About Eve, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?) and in a Musical/Comedy (Pocketful of Miracles) Bette Davis (Of Human Bondage, The Whales of August)
My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (American Beauty, Being Julia) and Best Supporting Actress (The Grifters), BAFTA Award/SAG Award Winner for Best Actress (American Beauty), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Being Julia), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (American Beauty) Annette Bening (Mars Attacks!, The Women) Yes, Andrew, cheer away! Annette is truly the only actress of our time who could do Margo justice. She's got the spunk, the attitude, and the age. Although I've never seen the evidence myself, I hear she can sing, too - I've yet to see Love Affair, apparently she sings in The Kids Are All Right, and she was once considered for Sweeney Todd when it was a Sam Mendes project. The best thing is, there really is no such thing as Too Big with this role.
Love it? Hate it? Either way, make sure you take a look at the TV special on YouTube. It's an interesting piece...
*A relic from the days of Livejournal. The week before this one, I asked readers (mostly friends from high school) to suggest books, plays, etc., for me to cast. Some of them may look familiar. Instead of listening to their suggestions immediately, though, I took advantage of the English class I was in. Because I was into hot-linking back in the day, I found it necessary to use new pics of my own.*
So, I guess I'm getting a little lazy with the Casting Coups lately, since I missed last week's. But here we go with this week's edition.
First of all, thanks for your write-ins, most of you. And Allie and Ben, thanks for the verbal messages. I'll count them.
Lea suggested Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Pippi Longstocking. I worried a bit over the second one, since I didn't know what version of Pippi she was referring to (the new adventures?), until I discovered something awesome. Both of those movies are based on books. Books available in my library. Awesome.
Also, Pippi Longstocking is originally a Swedish character, known as Pippi Långstrump.
Gemma suggested Slaughterhouse-5, Invisible Monsters, Water for Elephants, The Dead Zone, and American Gods. I did Slaughterhouse-5 last night, so it's just a matter of time. Water for Elephants is in the library, and I know I can get The Dead Zone--maybe for October.
Amanda recommended I do more Children's stuff, like Disney. I have a list made up of the ones I'll do. Becca specified Beauty and the Beast. I may get to it, but I can't decide between the Disney film, the Cocteau film, the Villeneuve tale, or the Beaumont tale.
Ben suggested The Pillowman, a play by Martin McDonagh, and Don Quixote, of which there are 6 billion translations. Maybe. Allie suggested The Count of Monte Cristo. Holy shit, people, what's with the tomes?
OKAY, now for today.
I'm in a Southern Women in Literature class, and we recently finished the fifth and last book of the semester. It was not a short story collection, like The Golden Apples and The Old Order. It was not a sprawling epic, like The Devil's Dream. No, it's a present-day family drama with only five characters. Awesome.
Long story short: Mudear's dead. Her three daughters come down for the funeral. During the night, they and their father reflect on the woman Mudear was, and how they all pretty much feared her. She was not the best of mothers, and no one's turned out well. Let's get to it.
ERNEST "POPPA" LOVEJOY Who is He: Ernest is first seen as a husband who does not know how to deal with his wife's death. Understandable, right? We gradually learn that Ernest was kind of a prick to Mudear throughout their marriage, and that's pretty much why she "changed". He ordered her around, made silent demands, and cheated on her. Now, this man who put work first finds himself alone. And free. My Choice: He's one of my favorites, and I feel that he does not get enough acclaim. Respect, yes, but why has he not been Oscar-nominated? Or Hollmann-nominated, for that matter?
Danny Glover (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Color Purple)
ANNIE RUTH LOVEJOY Who is She: The youngest of the Lovejoy girls. Annie Ruth is a newscaster in California, having moved there from Virginia after her nervous breakdown. See, Annie Ruth is a little crazy. She's more outspoken than the other two about her feelings for Mudear, and even goes down to the funeral home to yell at the corpse. Which is odd, but, you know, the South. Oh, also, she sees cats that aren't there.
My Choice: Again, no noms ever? A solid actress who can play younger than she is. She's also fine, which works for the more sexually open Annie Ruth. Taraji P. Henson (Hustle & Flow, Smokin' Aces)
EMILY LOVEJOY Who is She: A historian who works in Atlanta, Emily has some issues of her own. It's not just that she's a pothead. It's not just that she sits out in the rain, fantasizing about throwing herself in the lake. It's not just that she was married to a man suffering from PTS, nor is it the fact that she had a secret abortion with Annie Ruth at her side. I think it's the combination. It is mentioned that she, too, suffers from PTS, but instead of Vietnam, it's Mudear.
My Choice: She's actually a year or two younger than Taraji, but they look like sisters. Besides, everyone knows how much I love this woman. Hollmann Award Nominee Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, The Princess and the Frog)
BETTY LOVEJOY Who is She: The oldest and most together of the girls, she runs a chain of beauty shops in Mulberry. She is the only one who remembers the sweet Mudear of the past. As the oldest, she's the one taking care of Mudear and Poppa most of the time, and even lives nearby. She has male trouble, though: the man her own age thinks she should do all the cooking and cleaning, while the other man in her life is nineteen years old.
My Choice: Another actress that doesn't get enough love. Indeed, her character doesn't even have a name in her most recent flick. She's been on Boston Legal and Lost, though. April Grace (Magnolia, I Am Legend)
ESTHER "MUDEAR" LOVEJOY Who is She: God Almighty. In her mind, at least. She was a cheerful wife, until one day, she decided to no longer be taken for granted. Then she stopped cooking for and feeding the family, declaring herself independent. She works on her garden at night. She gets her own inter-chapters, narrated in the first person. Also, she's dead. Mudear is not the perfect mother, nor is she selfless, but she certainly looks out for her girls.
My Choice: She's like my go-to girl for old black women. Academy Award Nominee Ruby Dee (American Gangster, Do the Right Thing)
For those of you who read the book, I hope this was satisfying. For the rest, I hope it's piqued your interest. It really is a good book.
*What was I thinking here? First of all, my run-down of the Best Picture nominees of 1972, though meant to be amusing, isn't that funny, and almost reads as offensive. Second...a blaxploitation Godfather isn't a bad idea, really, but...what was I trying to prove here? Why Tommy Lee Jones as Moe Greene? Weird.*
CASTING COUP MONTH remembers the wisdom of Michael Caine, who did the Sleuth remake precisely because it was different from the original. After all, he reasoned, what's the point in doing the same damn thing all over again?
There are many remakes that have gone for the shot-for-shot, exact same thing "re-imagining". They say it's different, but it's not. Gus Van Sant's Psycho was the same film, but in color! John Moore's The Omen tacked on a "prologue" about the End Times approaching, but then gave the same story with better death sequences. Rob Zombie's Halloween had a forty-five-minute prologue begging us to love Michael Myers before making the same movie, only with worse dialogue and no acting. It was pathetic.
So, what's the point in doing The Godfather (1972) is you're not going to spice things up a bit? After all, the original was AFI's #3 greatest film of all time in 1997, before moving up to #2 in 2007. Many critics and film scholars consider it superior to Citizen Kane. And sure, it won only three out of its eleven Oscar nominations, but fuck you, you know?
Besides, three of those losses were in one category, so there was probably a lot of vote-splitting. Oh, yeah, you knew that, right? RIGHT? Three of the five Supporting Actor Nominees were from The Godfather. The Oscar went to Joel Grey for Cabaret, making him that rare breed of actor, winning an Oscar and a Tony for the same role. This happened seven times previously (and if they keep making decisions like replacing Cherry Jones with Meryl Streep, may never happen again). Anyway, Robert Duvall, James Caan, and Al Pacino were all deserved nominees--though can't we agree that Pacino should have been in the Lead Actor category?
Nino Rota lost the Oscar for Original Score, as it was deemed ineligible, its nomination withdrawn. Apparently, he was re-using old themes from Fortunella, an earlier film. Ironically, the Oscar went to Charlie Chaplin, Ray Rasch, and Larry Russell for Limelight, a film made in 1952 but not released in the USA until 1972. Meanwhile, Anthony Powell's Costumes for Travels with My Aunt (starring Maggie Smith) triumphed over Anna Hill Johnstone's designs.
Cabaret was the big winner that year. Besides Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather lost the Sound (Charles Grenzbach/Richard Portman/Christopher Newman to Robert Knudson/David Hildyard), Film Editing (William Reynolds/Peter Zinner to David Bretherton), and Director (Francis Ford Coppola to Bob Fosse) to the Kander and Ebb musical. It seemed poised to take the Best Picture Oscar; alas, this was not to be.
If The Godfather would only get three Oscars, it was going down swinging. First off, one of the most important awards, that of Best Adapted Screenplay, went to director Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo, the original novelist. Writing a best-selling novel, then getting the Oscar for your script? Bad-ass, Mario. Marlon Brando (the title character?) won Best Actor, and famously decided not to accept his award until the Native Americans were better treated. A Hispanic actress dressed as an American Indian accepted the award, and made the entire thing just plain weird.
Best Picture. The Godfather won Best Picture. It had to win Best Picture. It kicked way too much ass not to. Deliverance? Just a hicksploitation flick, really. Cabaret? Fairy musical. Sounder? Please. A black folks movie? Please. The Emigrants? Just a Swede film, pass it by. It HAD to be The Godfather. Look, see the movie. It's got film noir bad-assery dripping out of its ears. The movie shits gold. Pure fucking mountain gold. Brando? Pacino? Duvall? All Gods. In a Zeus way, not in a Yahweh way. This thing put Coppola on the map.
Dare we consider, though, that the time of the Italian Mob flick has come and gone? That The Sopranos is over, whereas American Gangster is nominated at the Oscars? See where I'm going with this?
What if The Godfather was a blaxploitation gangster flick?
JACK WOLTZ
Who is He: A film producer who loves horses, but doesn't want any part of them in his bed.
Originally played by: Philip Baker Hall's brother, John Marley
My Choice: I've decided to make everybody who's not in the family white. And a comic actor. Because that's funny. Plus, wouldn't you love to hear this guy hurling racist obscenities at people?
Academy Award Nominee Elliott Gould (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Ocean's Thirteen)
CAPTAIN MCCLUSKEY
Who is He: A corrupt cop who screws over the Corleones. Bad idea, man, bad idea.
Originally played by: Sterling Hayden
My Choice: Less Irish, more Dutch. Let's call this character Captain Notirish.
Rutger Hauer (The Hitcher, Blade Runner)
VIRGIL "THE TURK" SOLLOZZO
Who is He: A glorified drug dealer. Dangerous and deadly. He says things like, "Try the veal, it's the best in the city." He's in league with Capt. McCluskey.
Originally played by: Al Lettieri
My Choice: Finally, we're getting to the actual inner workings of the Black Mafia. Virgil "The Man" Solomon would say things like, "Try the motherfuckin' veal, it's the motherfuckin' best in the motherfuckin' city!"
Academy Award/Hollmann Nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Black Snake Moan)
JOHNNY FONTANE
Who is He: The Godfather's godson, a popular crooner who wants the lead role in a film that is most certainly not From Here to Eternity with Frank Sinatra. Not at all. Uh-uh.
Originally played by: Al Martino
My Choice: I won't do "gangsta rap", but there is a man out there able to combine hip-hop with Sinatra's charisma.
Academy Award Nominee Will Smith (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness)
BONASERA
Who is He: An undertaker who asks the Godfather to kill the men who raped his daughter. Has the first lines of the movie.
Originally played by: Salvatore Corsitto
My Choice: As Goudet, I'm all about revitalizing careers
Sherman Hemsley ("The Jeffersons", "Amen")
DON EMILIO BARZINI
Who is He: The head of one of the Five Families. His hand-shaking with the Godfather is a great moment indeed.
Originally played by: Richard Conte
My Choice: As Emilio Boss, I've been waiting to see this guy go toe-to-toe with my Godfather for quite some time.
Delroy Lindo (This Christmas, The Cider House Rules)
LUCA BRASI
Who is He: The most famous man to ever sleep with the fishes. He hoped Connie's first child was a masculine child.
Originally played by: Lenny Montana
My Choice: As Luke Brands, the only actor who consistently gives top-notch performances in shitty movies.
Faizon Love (Blue Crush, The Perfect Holiday)
MOE GREENE
Who is He: A big deal in Vegas. Michael wants to do business with him.
Originally played by: Alex Rocco
My Choice: Let's dress this up a bit, give it a bit of down-home flair.
Academy Award Winner Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, In the Valley of Elah)
SALVATORE TESSIO
Who is He: Family friend, and also a friend of Vito's. Hooray!
Originally played by: Abe Vigoda, still defying death at 126
My Choice: As Sam Tessly, an old veteran.
Academy Award Winner Sidney Poitier (Lilies of the Field, A Raisin in the Sun)
CLEMENZA
Who is He: A fatty who can cook--and kill. One of the awesomest characters, he remembers to leave the gun, but take the canollis.
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Richard S. Castellano (Lovers and Other Strangers)
My Choice: Well, he needs to be deadly, yet have comic timing.
Academy Award Winner Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland, Battlefield Earth)
APOLLONIA CORLEONE
Who is She: Michael's bride when he is exiled in Italy.
Originally played by: Simonetta Stefanelli
My Choice: When Michael goes to Nigeria, he meets the beautiful Abali. Here is the beautiful Abali.
Academy Award Nominee Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda, The Martian Child)
CARLO RIZZI
Who is He: Connie's abusive husband. Gets the shit beaten out of him by Sonny.
Originally played by: Gianni Russo
My Choice: As Carl Ross, a favorite of ours here on Planet Earth.
Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow, Crash)
CONNIE CORLEONE RIZZI
Who is She: The Godfather's daughter, whose wedding to Carlo opens the flick.
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Talia Shire (The Godfather: Part II, Rocky)
My Choice: As Connie Tyson Ross, an actress that I hope gets more and more exposure as time goes on.
Hollmann Nominee Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, The Princess & the Frog)
FREDO CORLEONE
Who is He: The weakest of the sons. Spineless, willing to take sides against the Family, not cool. Guy's just a mess.
Originally played by: John Cazale, ex-fiance of Meryl Streep (he died of bone cancer)
My Choice: As Freddie Tyson, this guy can play anything, from a psychotic sociopath (Devil in a Blue Dress) to British explosives expert (The Ocean Movies).
Academy Award Nominee Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Talk to Me)
SONNY CORLEONE
Who is He: The hot-headed oldest son, he is quick to react with his fists, but is not the best thinker.
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee James Caan (The Godfather)
My Choice: As Sonny Tyson, again: bona fide bad-ass.
Idris Elba (This Christmas, American Gangster)
TOM HAGEN
Who is He: The German-Irish orphan adopted by the Godfather, he becomes the consigliere to the Family. Here's a secret: he's my favorite character.
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Robert Duvall (Tender Mercies)
My Choice: Like I said, if you're not in the Family, you're a whitey.
Academy Award Nominee John C. Reilly (Chicago, The Hours)
KAY ADAMS CORLEONE
Who is She: Michael's fiancee and eventual wife, she remains out of the loop. She flip-flops between willful ignorance and angry demands for the truth.
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Diane Keaton (Annie Hall, Something's Gotta Give)
My Choice: She's a white woman. And slightly older. And a feminist. Oh-ho, she most certainly does NOT fit in with the mob wife stereotype!
Janeane Garofalo (Ratatouille, Wet Hot American Summer)
MICHAEL CORLEONE
Who is He: He may be the youngest of the brothers, but he's the only competent one. Takes over the Family Business after the Godfather's retirement. Goes from War Hero to Crime Lord within a two hour film.
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman)
My Choice: As Mike Tyson (lol), only the greatest actor under forty to come out of this generation.
Chiwetel Ejiofor (American Gangster, Kinky Boots)
VITO CORLEONE
Who is He: The Fucking Godfather
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Marlon Brando (On the Waterfront, The Godfather)
My Choice: Are you ready? Bear with me here, people, because you will see the wisdom of this choice. This guy's playing Vincent Tyson.
Danny Glover (The Royal Tenenbaums, Gone Fishin')
