Casting Coup Tuesdays: The Big Chill

The Big Chill 

Best Picture - Nominated

Best Supporting Actress, Glenn Close - Nominated

Best Original Screenplay, Barbara Benedek/Lawrence Kasdan - Nominated

Some time before eighth grade -- we were still living in the duplex, so I know it wasn't later -- The Big Chill came on AMC. Who can forget "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" playing while a sleeve was pulled over the stitches of a slashed wrist? My father identified it as a personal favorite, but was hesitant to have me watch it. I was too young, not for the sex and drugs, but for the experience of loss, regret, reunion. As my cousin Kathy would say, I had no patina. And after about ten minutes...I realized he was right.

The film takes place over one weekend. Alex (wrists and ankle played by Kevin Costner) has committed suicide, and his seven college friends reunite to mourn him, joined by his much-younger girlfriend. They look back on the past, pick it apart; they look on their present, some favorably, most with disappointment. These were college radicals, kids who protested and demonstrated and believed they were going to change things for the greater good. Only Harold, who owns the house they're staying in, seems content with his life, but his music selection is exclusively hits from the late 60s-early 70s. They're all stuck on the past, in one way or another.



I eventually watched it in college, and have revisited it once or twice in the years since. Each time I do, I pick up on something else. My feelings change, my perception shifts, and I think, "Oh, I must not have really understood it last time." Like my realization that the title was not, in fact, referring to Alex's death, but to the steady cool that comes when you're no longer young and idealistic. But I see it -- I have friends that I've known for years, friends who seem to be coasting, friends who are disappointed with where they are, friends who are doing well but want more, friends who think they were their best selves ten years ago. You're never too young for disillusionment.

Now, after all that, here's what I love about The Big Chill: it offers that introspection, but it's not so damn glum about it! Ultimately, it's about bonds and friendship, and when you get a close knit group of people together, whether it's the family God gave you or the one you formed yourself, shit gets fun. They know each other, they became themselves around each other -- they dance and get stoned and push each other's buttons and argue and make up and, yes, fuck. As Harold says, "How much sex, fun, and friendship can one man take?" It's a timeless story.

Which is why it's perfect for a Casting Coup!

Of course, the difficult thing about casting The Big Chill with today's actors is the idea of putting that story in a modern context. Timeless though the experience may be, it is a movie that's tied to the experiences of the 60s and 70s. Frankly, the 90s and 00s were neither idealistic nor radical in the same way. But, you know...it's fun. So we're doing it.

Casting Coup Month: Jaws

NOMINATIONS

Best Picture

Best Music, Original Dramatic Score - John Williams (WON) 

Best Film Editing - Verna Fields (WON)

Best Sound - Robert L. Hoyt, Roger Heman, Jr., Earl Madery, John R. Carter (WON)

Poor Steven Spielberg.

I know, I know. How does one begin a post about Jaws by lamenting anything about its director, who has three Academy Awards in addition to twelve nominations, is a multi-millionaire (billionaire?), and is one of the most revered and beloved names in Hollywood?

(Perhaps you'll find out apres le jump)

Casting Coup Tuesdays: The Man Who Came to Dinner

DAY SEVEN OF HOLLMANN HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA

Today's Holiday Casting Coup is one that I've always wanted to do.

Years and years ago -- I was probably still in elementary school -- I fell in love with The Man Who Came to Dinner. It's the story of popular radio personality Sheridan Whiteside, who arrives in a small town for a dinner with one of its bigwigs; I think it's a publicity thing or something. Anyway, on his way out, he winds up breaking his leg when he slips on some ice, forcing him to remain with his hosts. Only then do they realize that Whiteside is a temperamental, tyrannical, childish man prone to lobbing insults at anyone and everyone in his path.

Written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, the original play was based on their experiences with their friend, radio personality, essayist, critic and founding member of the Algonquin Vicious Circle Alexander Woolcott. The legend tells us that Woolcott stayed at Hart's for a weekend and absolutely terrorized everyone, servants and family alike, even writing a note upon his leaving to assure Hart that it was "one of the most unpleasant times I have ever spent". Hart told Kaufman about the experience, saying, "Can you imagine if he broke his leg and had to stay?" Thus the story was born.

I was exposed to it, like many of you I imagine, through the magic of film. The 1942 film starred original Broadway star Monty Woolley as Whiteside, in one of those performances that audiences adore and critics appreciate, but divides the actual Hollywood people: Orson Welles (who later did a made-for-TV version) and Nathan Lane (star of the Broadway revival) thought Woolley's performance to be awful and misjudged, respectively. Actors. I disagree, but I can understand Lane's displeasure with the performance, thinking Woolley played it too mean. I get that. I love it, but I get it. Bette Davis, who played Whiteside's secretary marvelously, thought the direction was unimaginative, and was forever disappointed that first choice John Barrymore was too drunk to play the role.

Well whatever. Woolley is fantastic, and The Man Who Came to Dinner is a Christmas tradition in my house. My mother and I try to catch it whenever it's on, and TCM obliges annually. It's a true Christmas movie, taking place from the week before Christmas on through the 25th of December. Yes, friends, there's a Christmas Day finale, as well as a Christmas Eve radio broadcast featuring a boys' choir and several live penguins. The exchange of gifts plays a crucial role in the narrative, especially where it concerns Lorraine Sheldon and Aunt Harriet; if you don't know what I'm talking about, see the movie!

So, why recast something if I'm already a great fan of the original? Because (a) I would like to see a less mean-spirited Whiteside, and (b) that's what I do! Let me know what you think:

JOHN & SARAH

Who Are They: The butler and cook, respectively, of the Stanley Home. Long employed by the snobbish and tyrannical Mr. Stanley, they not only welcome the relief of Mr. Whiteside's company -- they positively dote on him.

My Choices:

Zeljko Ivanek (Hannibal, In Bruges) and Cleo King (Dogville, The Hangover)

I like them is all. Cleo King is funny, and boy it would be a relief to see Ivanek at least smile. Without irony, I mean.

AUNT HARRIET

Who is She: Mr. Stanley's sister, a batty lady with a secret past who adores Mr. Whiteside.

My Choice:

Ellen Greene (Little Shop of Horrors, Leon)

Greene can play crazy without going full Crawford. She also looks high-class, as Aunt Harriet should.

MISS PREEN

Who is She: Mr. Whiteside's nurse, a patient woman who finds it difficult to maintain her poise amongst her charge's verbal abuse.

My Choice:

Kristen Schaal (Toy Story 3, Going the Distance)

Funny without being distracting, though she can deliver when it's her time to shine, which works for Preen's eleventh-hour speech.

DR. BRADLEY

Who is He: Local physician who wants Mr. Whiteside to help him work on his memoirs of being a country doctor.

My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Foul Play)

Chevy Chase (Caddyshack, Christmas Vacation)

His recent turn on "Community" only reminds me that he's still got it, and works well as a member of an ensemble.

MR. & MRS. ERNEST STANLEY

Who Are They: Hosts for the dinner Mr. Whiteside came to. It is their home where he breaks his leg, and it is their home where he is forced to spend his convalescence. Meek Mrs. Stanley does her best to keep everything pleasant, but Mr. Stanley is a bit cantankerous, resenting Mr. Whiteside's manners and his intrusion into their lives.

My Choices: He's an Academy Award Winner/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Adaptation), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Male Lead (Lone Star) and SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (American Beauty).

She's an Academy Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Pieces of April) and SAG Award Nominee for Best Actress (The Station Agent) and Best Ensemble (The Green Mile, The Station Agent, Good Night and Good Luck)

Chris Cooper and Patricia Clarkson (Married Life)

I love them. We know she can be harried, he can be domineering, and they can both be funny while doing it.

BEVERLY CARLTON

Who is He: A British actor/writer/songwriter (based on Noel Coward). A good friend to Maggie and Whiteside, especially Maggie; he tries to stop Lorraine, an old enemy, from getting her hooks into Bert Jefferson.

My Choice: BAFTA Award Winner/Academy Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (A Single Man), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Shakespeare in Love), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Easy Virtue)

Colin Firth (Bridget Jones's Diary, Then She Found Me)

Funny. British. And a star, which actor characters should be. Do the math.


BANJO
Who is He: A friend of Whiteside's, crazy, ready with a joke, direct with women. Based on Harpo Marx, Banjo is a professional funnyman who also tries to stop Lorraine.

My Choice: Golden Globe/SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Quiz Show), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actor (Box of Moonlight), Best Supporting Actor (Five Corners) and Best Director (Mac)

John Turturro (Do the Right Thing, Transformers)
Great actor who can do zany comedy quite well: look at O Brother, Where Art Thou, or even at his somewhat comic role in Quiz Show. He could do that Harpo leer, too!


BERT JEFFERSON
Who is He: Local reporter who Whiteside actually admires, since Bert's quick-witted and charming -- he's also an aspiring playwright. Bert takes a shine to Maggie, and she to him, sparking a romance that disturbs Whiteside. What will he do without Maggie's service? Sweet and funny, his good looks come straight from central casting.

My Choice:

John Krasinski (Smiley Face, Away We Go)
Boyish and handsome, straight from central casting. Also possesses fine comic timing and wit. Also, I think we can imagine two women fighting over him. Man, what an under-appreciated talent.


LORRAINE SHELDON
Who is She: A pretentious actress with designs on a British lord. Shrill and irritating, she looks down on all those around her, except for Whiteside. Maggie hates her, especially when she starts to get her hooks into Bert Jefferson. A ruthless lush with sluttish tendencies.

My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Winner/BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress [in a Musical/Comedy] (Shakespeare in Love), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actress (Two Lovers), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Shakespeare in Love)

Gwyneth Paltrow (View from the Top, Proof)
Her recent stint on "Glee" reminded us just how hilarious she can be, and she could send up the perception of herself as a pretentious, holier-than-thou star. She seems like a good sport about those things. Lorraine is a high-class looker, too, and Paltrow, like her mother, just oozes with class.


MAGGIE CUTLER
Who is She: Whiteside's secretary, the only person who can successfully challenge him. He positively depends on Maggie, the woman whose whole life revolves around keeping his schedule in order and reading his thoughts. Maggie is tired, though, and when she finally sees happiness int he form of Bert Jefferson, she leaps for it.

My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Irreconcilable Differences)

Drew Barrymore (TV's Grey Gardens, Going the Distance)
She's already ravishing in 1940s attire. An accomplished comedienne who has played these business-y types before (Never Been Kissed, Fever Pitch), Drew may not seem like the most obvious choice for a Bette Davis sub-in, but she's definitely the best for this role. Warm, funny, smart; she's got all the tricks she needs to play Maggie Cutler.


SHERIDAN WHITESIDE
Who is He: The man who came to dinner, a celebrated writer/essayist with friends on every continent, a friend of the president as well as convicted felons. He encourages joy and freedom in the servants and children, but is also a tyrannical man. He is not a mean person, but viciousness just comes naturally to him. Utterly dependent on Maggie, he tries to prevent her from leaving by inviting Lorraine over to seduce Bert. The man is brilliant, caustic, and funny...and one of my personal heroes. Based on Alexander Woolcott.

My Choice: Academy Award/SAG Award Nominee/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit Winner for Best Actor [in a Musical/Comedy] (Lost in Translation), Indie Spirit Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Rushmore)

Bill Murray (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Get Low)
I feel like Murray's career has been a series of lovable cynics, men who aren't mean-spirited but naturally vicious. It's a difficult balance, but Murray's built his whole career out of it. He's funny and fantastic, and always generous to his co-stars. I don't know how much truth is in those reports of conflict on the Charlie's Angels set, but Murray and Barrymore are pros. He'd own this role, and he looks more like Woolcott than Monty Woolley.

Any ideas of your own? Got your own dream Whiteside in your head? Did I miss the mark with Lorraine (of course not!)? Are you a fan of The Man Who Came to Dinner? Let me know!

She Will Find Her Way, If She Can Be Strong

Drew Barrymore is the Unofficial First Lady of the Silver Screening Room, so naturally anything that comes up involving her is of great interest to us. It's usually good news (Golden Globe! SAG Award!), though every now and then there's a tiny hiccup (Everybody's Fine). This trailer for her latest romantic-comedy, Going the Distance (August 27), looks to be in the former camp:



It is, I believe, the first time she's headlining an R-rated rom-com. She's also signed on to star in a movie with SSR favorite John Krasinski, and may even direct Surrender, Dorothy, a Wizard of Oz sequel she was attached to produce and star in waaaay back when I was a freshman in high school.

Getting to the Gold?

At Universal's Oscar campaign site, they've finally given a listing to It's Complicated. And for now, they're only pushing four actors. Meryl Streep in lead, of course. Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin in supporting. But there's one other supporting actor campaignee on their roster.



Neato. I wonder how big a role he actually plays, though, Or just who he is, exactly. Still, once again, I am totally looking forward to this movie.

AHHHH THE TRAILER FOR IT'S COMPLICATED!!!!

Apple trailers has the EXCLUSIVE trailer online, so watch the thing, goddammit!:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/itscomplicated/


Oh, this looks so up my alley! I smell it right now. Meryl's the one to beat this year, surely. If it worked for the Keaton, why not La Streep? Oh, also? JOHN KRASINSKI. OH WHAT FUN!


UPDATE: And here it is:

Untitled Nancy Meyers Project Gets Titled

Yes, it is true. Somehow, without notifying the entire world (or, at the very least, me), Nancy Meyers' latest film has gotten a title. And it looks like we'll be hearing Meryl Streep get her Golden Globe Nom for...

It's Complicated



It certainly sounds like it, too! Meryl plays Jane, a divorcee who finds herself torn between her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin) and a new suitor (Steve Martin). At the same time, her children are flying the coop. Also, her ex's younger wife wants to start a family of their own. Crazy!

Nancy Meyers is, of course, an Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (Private Benjamin), and the director of the Mel Gibson comedy What Women Want. She also wrote and directed The Parent Trap remake, Something's Gotta Give (for which Diane Keaton almost won the Best Actress Oscar), and The Holiday (for which Eli Wallach almost won the Best Supporting Actor Hollmann Award). Having never seen The Parent Trap, the woman is three-for-three with me.



SSR favorite John Krasinski also stars.

[Photo: Totally from John Krasinski Web Photo Gallery]

Emmy Nominees

Well, it's that time of year again. The nominations for the awards body honoring television have been announced, with a few huge (I mean HUGE) surprises. First, there's a lot more than five nominees per category. Second...well, some of that's covered below.

EMMY NOMS I CARED ABOUT

MINISERIES/TV MOVIE
Grey Gardens
Prayers for Bobby
Also Nom'd: Coco Chanel, Into the Storm, Taking Chance
Why It Matters: Because I actually saw Grey Gardens (twice), as it stars the beautiful Drew Barrymore. I also loved the heck out of it. I hope it wins. As for Prayers for Bobby, I never saw it, but the TV spots for it were EPIC. I love that so many ads for movies/EPIC things use the score from The Island.

COMEDY SERIES

Family Guy
The Office
Also Nom'd: 30 Rock, Entourage, Flight of the Conchords, How I Met Your Mother, Weeds
Why It Matters: Family Guy is the first animated show to be so honored since The Flinstones. This is history. And it is getting better, in my opinion. And I know they nominate it all the time, but I love The Office and so I'm always excited when it gets awards attention.

DRAMA SERIES
Big Love
Damages
Also Nom'd: Breaking Bad, Dexter, House, Lost, Mad Men
Why It Matters: Big Love and Damages are the best dramas on TV right now. Period.

ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program
Also Nom'd: Christina Applegate, Toni Collette, Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Mary-Louise Parker
Why It Matters: I love Sarah Silverman, and when she didn't get a nomination last year, I was quite disappointed. I consider this retribution.

ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close, Damages
Also Nom'd: Sally Field, Mariska Hargitay, Holly Hunter, Elisabeth Moss, Kyra Sedgwick
Why It Matters: I flove Patty Hewes. Close is just...so...perfect in this show.

ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES/TV MOVIE

Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Also Nom'd: Chandra Wilson, Shirley MacLaine, Sigourney Weaver
Why It Matters: Lange was the best thing about a great movie. I admit, I think she deserves to win. But Barrymore. DREW BARRYMORE. Is nominated for an award. This is the first time she's been nominated for her acting in a major awards body since the 1993 Golden Globes. This couldn't be more exciting if it tried.

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Michael Emerson, Lost
William Hurt, Damages
Also Nom'd: Christian Clemenson, Aaron Paul, William Shatner, John Slattery
Why It Matters: First off, Michael Emerson remains the most consistently watchable actor on Lost. The episode where he greets the smoke monster's visions was incredible. I got choked up, I tell you what. Second, William Hurt is one of my favoritest actors. He's great on the show, too.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Kristen Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Also Nom'd: Jane Krakowski, Elizabeth Perkins, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, Vanessa Williams
Why It Matters: Because dammit, Pushing Daisies must get love somewhere, and it might as well be through the Chenoweth's bubbly, pitch-perfect portrayal of Olive Snook. I just want her to win.

ALSO NOMINATED
Pushing Daisies for Art Direction, "Mother Lover" for Song, Rachel Portman's score for Grey Gardens

WAG OF THE FINGER
No acting honors for the cast of Big Love. FOR SHAME.
John Krasinski continues to be snubbed.
Not enough hearts for Pushing Daisies.

Away We Go

I don't know how to properly review Away We Go. I know I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it all that much, either. There are performances that are naturalistic, and there are those that are mere caricatures. There are subtle moments that ring true, and bigger moments that are awkward and fumbling in their falsity.

Is it the screenplay? Perhaps, for while the relationship between the leads is so convincingly crafted, everything else feels like an afterthought. The director? True, though he manages to get his actors to actually make people out of characters, he seems to have little imagination everywhere else, while also allowing a great actress to turn in a grating performance. The actors? Definitely not, as they provide whatever saving grace the film has.

John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph play 30-somethings with a baby on the way. This makes them question where they are in life, so they road trip to find a perfect home for themselves and their unborn baby. On their journey, they learn that everyone is in a worse/unhappier relationship than they are. This of course leads to fears on Krasinski's part, with the increasingly self-conscious Rudolph trying to calm his fears.

So, I guess I understand that this is all from their point of view, and that it's about taking control of your own life and finding your own groove to move to and yada yada. But why did it feel like the Krasinski/Rudolph method was the only way to go? Even with all their uncertainty and (gasp!) refusal to marry, the way the movie sided with them felt so...abrasive. Like, almost worryingly so.

Why does overbearing Allison Janney also have to have no filter and be a monster mother? Why am I supposed to dislike Maggie Gyllenhaal before there's any real reason to -- because she spells her name LN instead of Ellen? Why is the only "normal" marriage one fraught with depression, dissatisfaction, and miscarriages? It could be to show us that not everything works out fine, that life's not fair, yada-yada. But the execution is just so damned condescending.

It's not all bad. The actors deliver alot more than what they're given, with the exception of Jim Gaffigan and SSR favorite Allison Janney, who is EXTREMELY disappointing in an abrasively offensive role taht just doesn't know when enough's enough (GET IT? SHE'S A HORRIBLE MOTHER!!! GET IT???). Maggie Gyllenhaal actually plays the role of hippie earth-mother sincerely, and I was kind of on her side for a while. The stroller thing...kind of makes sense. It's not for me, necessarily, but I'm not going to go OH HOW BIZAAAAAAARRE WHAT AN AWFUL PARENT! (Didn't understand Krasinski's shamefaced look at the mention of him going to Burning Man, either. Is Burning Man bad? I always thought it sounded pretty neat.)

The song score is distracting, the songs themselves forgettable. It really does play like a how-to on indie dramedy. Which is a shame, because Krasinski and Rudolph actually manage to make the material work a number of times. Perhaps Sam Mendes is to blame; much of his work is cynical and detached, and I feel like a little story like this needs so much more than that. Certainly detachment is not the way to go in such a personal story like this.

See it for the actors, if you must see it at all. But I really don't think you're missing much.

Top Ten Television Characters

Facebook has this new thing where you can pick your Top Five in several categories. Recently, I put up a list of Top Five Television Characters, and no one was surprised at all: 1-4 was the cast of The Golden Girls, with David Suchet's immortal Hercule Poirot at 5.

Only my sister Gia called my bluff, pointing out that out of all the shows ever produced, the fact that I chose all four GGs was either a testament to the show's brilliance or evidence of my laziness. And while it is MOST ASSUREDLY the former (for The Golden Girls is the greatest show ever made, bar none), it got me to thinking. While a Top Five on Facebook begs for quick clicking and not enough thought, a Top Ten on my blog will allow more room for debate.

I made just one rule for myself: no Poirot, as he is not an original television character. And while this may be true of a few TV icons (Carrie Bradshaw, Buffy), Poirot has never appeared in a single original episode. Each was adapted from a novel or short story written by the great Agatha Christie. So, my dear Hercule, I disqualify you.

So, Gia, I hope you're reading this. Consider this my retribution.

10. Daria Morgendorffer, Daria (MTV, 1997-2001) & Beavis and Butt-head (MTV, 1993-1997)

Jodie: You realize your negative approach to everything is self-defeating, right?
Daria: Well, it's nice to know there's someone I can defeat.
One of my all-time favorite shows. Daria gave me my first real taste of sarcasm used as a weapon. Up 'til then, I had only see it used as witty repartee. She saw through everybody's bull, and used her biting wit to reveal others' follies to themselves. It rarely worked, but she was awesome.

9. Jane Lane, Daria (MTV, 1997-2001)

Jane: Some day the curators will look back on these and say they're from my 'art colonies suck' period.
Daria: Curators?
Jane: Criminologists?
Daria's best friend. Jane was a relief on the show, a perfect match for Daria. Whereas Daria was stubbornly antisocial and cynical, Jane partied, went out with guys, and could see the good in others every now and then. To me, Jane was the show's conscience, the stable one, the one ready to bring us back to reality. And she was an artist, which was bad-ass.

8. President Josiah Bartlett, The West Wing (NBC, 1999-2006)

Abbey Bartlett: I'm going to the Residence. I'm taking a bath. I'm turning on Sinatra.
President Bartlett: How does Mrs. Sinatra feel about that?
The leader we all want. I've always had this weird fascination with old people, and Bartlett is just the cream of the crop, a brilliant scholar with a sharp wit. His simultaneous frustration and exultation of God is one I can identify with. Besides, it's Martin Sheen.

7. Jim Halpert, The Office (NBC, 2005-present)

I would save the receptionist.
Lord, I wish I could be as confident as Jim. And as boyishly handsome. I mean, I am, but less obviously so. A few friends say I'm more like Toby in HR, but to tell the truth, I've always felt a real kinship with Jim, especially in the first two seasons. Plus, Jim means Pam, and Jenna Fischer is just...wow.

6. Niles the Butler, The Nanny (CBS, 1993-1999)

Fran: Come on Niles. You know all about that fancy-shmancy stuff.
Niles: Yes. I'm very proud of my command of both the fancy and the shmancy.
As a child, I looked up to the butlers for some reason. They were gentlemen, sophisticated, wise, and full of dry wit. And no one personified this image better than Niles. A loyal British manservant, he was full of sage advice, though he often insulted both his employer and the "nobles" around him. Niles brought class to The Nanny, and the relationship between him and the bitchy C.C. Babcock was always entertaining.

5. Niles Crane, Frasier (NBC, 1993-2004)

Her lips were saying "no," but her eyes were saying, "read my lips."
There are many reasons why we choose favorite characters. Some of them represent what we want to be (Jim). Others are parental types we can look up to (President Bartlett). A few remind us of our sisters (Daria & Jane). But the big ones, the ones you keep in the Top Five, are the ones you love because they are you. Though I do believe Niles Crane is the epitome of...well, me. His snobbery, his faux British accent, his love for Daphne. That's me to a T. He's awkward and nebbish, like a character from a Woody Allen play, yet he prides himself on being intellectually superior to those around me. Like me. To not include Niles would just be wrong.

4. Mr Humphries, Are You Being Served? (BBC, 1972-1985)

Captain Peacock: We can't burst into song every time the lift opens.
Mr. Humphries: What a pity; I was looking forward to being a counter tenor.
Are You Being Served? started it all. I watched this show before I even started school, and oh how I delighted in the misadventures of the department store staff that was Grace Bros. And I felt a great affinity for Mr. Humphries of Menswear. He was undoubtedly the greatest salesperson on the floor, and would often comment stone-faced on the goings-on around him. Mr. Humphries also happened to be my first exposure to "girly men". Although Mr. Humphries' orientation was never confirmed on the show, he had a mincing step and effeminate air about him, but both the actor and the writers declared him to be more of a mama's boy than anything else, which I COMPLETELY identify with.

3. Rose Nylund, The Golden Girls (NBC, 1985-1992) & The Golden Palace (1992-1993)

Stop it all of you! What difference does it make that Lorraine's a little long in the tooth and Michael's a skinny white boy? Can't you see they love each other? We should be celebrating not arguing whether or not it's right. Now what do you say we all join hands and sing a chorus of 'Abraham, Martin and John?'
That joke's HILARIOUS when you know what she's talking about. Rose and I share a kind of naivete about some things. She much more so, of course, but there are times when she goes places that seem natural for me. And her St. Olaf stories are killer! Rose is always sweet and good-natured, no matter how poorly people treat her. Then we got to see crazy Rose, who would come out in a competitive situation, like coaching little league football, or participating in the bowling competition. She didn't often crack wise, but when she did, it was a hoot.

2. Dorothy Zbornak, The Golden Girls (NBC, 1985-1992)

Rose: The surprise is, you think it's a regular pie, like apple or cherry, but when you bite into it, it's herring!
Dorothy: Oh, what fun!
The sarcastic and most intelligent Golden Girl, Dorothy is how I imagine most of the women in my life will wind up in their 50s. Like, attitude-wise, not looks-wise. Dorothy always had the good ideas, although she was often led astray by her own determination. People say Sophia had the best lines, but no one could put as much character or pack as much punch into a line reading like Dorothy. Her signature, "Whoa" preceded Joey Lawrence by six years, and no one will ever say it quite like she did. And how can you not love a woman who loves her mother so -- and always knows when it's time to get the cheesecake?

1. Toby Ziegler, The West Wing (NBC, 1999-2006)

We're gonna see to all those things. In the meantime, at a time when the public is rightly concerned about the impact of sex and violence on TV, this administration is gonna protect the MUPPETS! We're gonna protect Wall Street Week, we're gonna protect Live from Lincoln Center, and by God, we are going to protect Julia Child.
The West Wing opened my eyes to this whole new world of politics. Before, I was but a follower of the Republican Party, blindly following the path my family was on. And The West Wing challenged me to think of a number of things I took for granted, and it was Toby who guided me. Toby, who with his acid wit and sullen face, reminded me of myself on my worst days. Now, turth be told, I am much more of a happy camper than Toby is, but goodness knows the man was my conscience. Like on gun control:
...if you combine the populations of Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and Australia, you'll get a population roughly the size of the United States. We had 32,000 gun deaths last year, they had 112. Do you think it's because Americans are more homicidal by nature? Or do you think it's because those guys have gun control laws?
Or on foreign policy:
Toby: Have them send us two.
Mandy Hampton: Second of all, China is not inclined to give us gifts right now.
Toby: Then get us two regular bears, a bucket of black paint, a bucket of white paint, bam-bam. Next case.
On loyalty:
You're gonna lose, and you're gonna lose huge. They're gonna throw rocks at you next week, and I wanted to be standing next to you when they did.
On etiquette:
Sam: Toby, do you really think it's a good idea to invite people to dinner and then to tell them exactly what they're doing wrong with their lives?
Toby: Absolutely, otherwise it's just a waste of food.
On debate:
No, I'm disagreeing with you. That doesn't mean I'm not listening to you or understanding what you're saying - I'm doing all three at the same time.
And, of course, teamwork:
We're a group. We're a team. From the President and Leo on through, we're a team. We win together, we lose together. We celebrate and we mourn together. And defeats are softened and victories are sweeter because we did them together... You're my guys and I'm yours... and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you.
And even though they completely screwed up his character in the last season, I always remember the Toby I started out with. He was the greatest role model a teenager could have, and, clearly, the best character to grace the television screen.

Casting Coup: A Season in Purgatory

Wow, okay, so get ready for this.

Dominick Dunne is a popular author of not-quite-fiction. Liberties are taken, names are changed, new characters and situations are introduced. It's all for naught--he means for people to know who the hell he's talking about. It's thinly veiled non-fiction, and since he always focuses on murders among the rich and privileged, it makes it that much juicier. Seriously, the man wrote eight books, only two of which are labeled "non-fiction", but everyone knows the real stories...

Take, for instance, the subject for this week's CCT. A Season in Purgatory focuses on the Bradley clan, a wealthy Irish-Catholic family looked down on by the WASP elite. The sons are all primed for success and politics, with the dashing Constant Bradley holding their greatest hopes. Constant befriends young Harrison Burns, an aspiring author orphaned by his parents' murder. He becomes a pseudo-son in the Bradley household, a position that proves to be none-too desirable when a local girl is murdered with a bat, her blood on Constant's clothes. Harrison helps the family cover up the murder, with the women blissfully unaware (or willingly ignorant).

Fifteen years later (the bulk of the tale), Harrison is a popular author of non-fiction books concerning crime and justice. While researching a new novel of his, he meets up with Constant's sister, Kitt. The two begin an affair, and the combination of this and the subject of his latest book lead him to turning in Constant to the authorities. A magnificent trial starts, and who knows what happens afterward?

There are similarities, of course, to the Michael Skakel case. Skakel is a distant relative of the Kennedys, the well-known Irish-Catholic family with political pursuits. In 1975, Martha Moxley was murdered with a golf club that belonged to the Skakel family. The case remained unsolved until a little over fifteen years later, when new details emerged with the rape trial of cousin William Kennedy Smith. Skakel was indicted in 2000, tried in 2002, and found guilty. He and his family still protest his innocence, and the appeals continue.

A Season in Purgatory is different, though. There is no doubt as to who the murderer is, no question as to the truth. The trial itself is a media circus, with a whizz-bang ending that will leave you open-mouthed in shock. Highly recommended reading. And if you do, see if you agree with this Casting Coup of thirty (!).


FRUITY SUAREZ
Who is He: A former schoolmate of Constant and Harrison's, Fruity was kicked out due to inappropriate conduct with one of the coaches. He knows a thing or two about the wrath of Constant Bradley--he even has a cousin who Constant beat up when he couldn't get it up for her. Fruity suspects Harrison's secret, and encourages him to act.

My Choice:

Jacob Vargas (Bobby)


GUS BAILEY
Who is He: A local reporter who first breaks the Utley case. He never leaves it alone, and eventually it is he who breaks the re-opening of the case. He first casts suspicions in Constant's direction.

My Choice:

Ray McKinnon (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)


CAPTAIN RIORDAN
Who is He: The investigating officer. He knows Harrison has a secret, but what? He also happens to be friends with Cardinal Sullivan, a friend of the Bradleys.

My Choice:

Richard Jenkins (The Visitor, Rumor Has It...)


DR. SHUGRUE
Who is He: The Headmaster of the school Harrison and Constant attend. He freely accepts gifts from the Bradley family in exchange for a pass to the troublesome Constant. He believes Harrison's soul is in danger.

My Choice:

Bud Cort (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Harold & Maude)


LUANNE UTLEY
Who is She: The mother of the dead girl. She, too, suspects Constant, but has no proof. The trial gives her some closure, thankfully.

My Choice: Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Infamous)

Hope Davis (American Splendor, Charlie Bartlett)


AUNT GERT
Who is She: Harrison's aunt, a poorer relation devoted to mission work. She distrusts the Bradleys, and later ends up in a nursing home.

My Choice:

Lois Smith (Hollywoodland, Minority Report)


CLAIRE LAFFERTY
Who is She: Harrison's wife, an older woman from whom he is separated when he meets Kitt again.

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (Little Women) and Supporting Actress (The Age of Innocence)

Winona Ryder (The Ten, Heathers)


RUPERT DI PITHON
Who is He: He used to be the center of everyone's social circle. Having alienated his friends by divulging too many secrets, however, he is desperate to please when Harrison shows up to research his new book.

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Chariots of Fire)

Ian Holm (From Hell, Alien)


ELOISE BRAZEN
Who is She: Rupert's realtor, she also happens to be the woman Gerald Bradley was sleeping with the night Winifred Utley was murdered. She would like to sleep with Gerald's son Constant, too, whether he bought her dinner or not.

My Choice:

Demi Moore (Ghost, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle)


MAXINE LONERGAN
Who is She: A former high-priced Lady of the Night who happens to know both Gerald Bradley and his inner circle. Harrison meets her while researching his latest book, as she's the mother of the victim.

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Song (Nine to Five, Transamerica)

Dolly Parton (Straight Talk, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas)


ESME BLAND
Who is She: The subject of Harrison's latest work. Esme murdered her father's gigolo when he blackmailed her. Admitted to an upscale asylum, she convinces Harrison to reveal his secret. She lives next to the Bradley daughter no one speaks of, the one who thinks she's a nun. Creepy.

My Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Actress (Coal Miner's Daughter)

Sissy Spacek (JFK, Blast from the Past)


CARDINAL SULLIVAN
Who is He: The Bradleys are devoted Catholics, especially the mother. Sullivan is her personal priest.

My Choice:

Henry Gibson (A Perfect Couple, Luck of the Irish)


SIMS LORD
Who is He: Gerald Bradley's lawyer. It's not enough that he handles all of Gerald's business affairs. He also conspires with the men to cover up the murder of Winifred Utley.

My Choice:

Paul Kaye (Marple: The Sittaford Mystery)


VALERIE SABBATH
Who is She: The high-priced defense attorney that handles Constant's trial. A ball-busting, cussing, aggressive lady, she's never lost a case. Obviously, it does not matter to her whether her client's guilty or not, just whether or not she wins the case.

My Choice:

Rosie O'Donnell (The Flintstones, A League of Their Own)


SALLY STEERS
Who is She: Decorator to the rich and famous! Bradley keeps her on for a number of years, even elevating her to level of mistress. When she is tossed aside, she warns Harrison against the family--a family he heeds too late.

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (Aliens) and Supporting Actress (Working Girl)

Sigourney Weaver (Infamous, Vantage Point)


JOHNNY FUSELLI
Who is He: Gerald Bradley's personal cleaner. Not like dishes or clothes, but crimes and murders. Connected to the Mob (and to Maxine Lonergan), Johnny destroys the evidence connecting Constant to Winifred Utley's murder. But he's no murderer himself, and fails when ordered to kill Harrison.

Who is He: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Godfather: Part III)

Johnny Fuselli (Dead Again, Smokin' Aces)


BRIDEY
Who is She: Loyal cook to the Bradley family, Bridey is a devout Irish Catholic with a fierce loyalty to her masters. She sees Constant and Harrison in the kitchen the night of the murder, but will she tell the truth when called on to testify?

My Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (My Left Foot)

Brenda Fricker (Angels in the Outfield)


SIS MALLOY
Who is She: The plain, poor cousin of the Bradley family. Sis is looked down upon byt he rest of the family, eventually ordered to serve as nurse when one of the clan falls ill.

My Choice:

Elisabeth Moss (The West Wing, Mad Men)


FATTY MALLOY
Who is He: Sis's brother, more in touch with his common roots than Sis. Verbally abused by his cousins as children, Fatty remains his own man, opting to work at a grocery store instead of accepting favors from the Bradleys. He secretly befriends Harrison during the trial.

My Choice:

Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille, Magnolia)


MARY PAT BRADLEY
Who is She: One of the Bradley sisters, she churns out kids like it's going out of style. She shares her mother's religious devotion, as well as the tendency to condemn those who don't adhere to her rules.

My Choice:

Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)


SENATOR SANDRO BRADLEY
Who is He: The first son to wield power in politics.

My Choice:

Neil Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, How I Met Your Mother, Old Spice ads)


CHARLOTTE BRADLEY
Who is She: Constant's wife. She knows all about Constant's affairs and woman-beating, and even considers divorce. Then the trial happens, and she stays on as the loyal wife, for a price.

My Choice:

Elizabeth Banks (Definitely, Maybe, W.)


MAUREEN BRADLEY
Who is She: The oldest Bradley daughter, she takes control during the trial, planning seating, statements, etc. She butts heads with Valerie often.

My Choice:

Drew Barrymore (Cat's Eye, Home Fries)


DR. DESMOND BRADLEY
Who is She: One-time rebel, he married one of the maids before his parents had it annulled. Now a successful surgeon, Desmond drugs Harrison after Winifred's body is discovered.

My Choice:

Simon Baker (Sex and Death 101, The Devil Wears Prada)


JERRY BRADLEY
Who is He: The oldest Bradley boy, he was the first to be groomed for a future in politics. The dream ends after a car accident involving him, a girl, a tree, and road head. Unable to walk without crutches, Jerry compensates through anger and bullying.

My Choice:

Aaron Eckhart (Thank You for Smoking, The Dark Knight)


GRACE BRADLEY
Who is She: The matriarch of the Bradley family, Grace is a devout Catholic. The night Winifred is murdered, she notices Constant's conspicuous absence from the ground. Will this pious friend of the Pope tell the truth in court?

My Choice:

Fiona Shaw (Jane Eyre, Super Mario Bros.)


KITT BRADLEY
Who is She: The youngest of the Bradley girls. Attracted to Harrison from the start, she begins an affair with him twenty years later. She, too, refuses to admit Constant's complicity, but she alone of the family listens to Harrison. She alone is well aware of the corruption within her family.

My Choice:

Isla Fisher (Definitely, Maybe, The Lookout)


GERALD BRADLEY
Who is He: The powerful, corrupt patriarch of the Bradley clan. Dominating over all with an iron fist, Gerald bribes Harrison to write essays for Constant and keep quiet about the murder. Twenty years of lies, adultery, bribes, and cover-ups eventually catches up with him.

My Choice:

Tom Skerritt (MASH, Steel Magnolias)


CONSTANT BRADLEY
Who is He: The youngest, handsomest of the Bradley boys. Athletic, handsome, charming, a good dancer. He's also hot-tempered, abusive, cocky, and amoral. Unable to get it up for a girl, this leads to him beating his conquests up. He is able to get it up for Harrison, though....

My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Brokeback Mountain)

Heath Ledger (10 Things I Hate About You, The Dark Knight). Seriously. He had the looks, the body, the charm, everything. He would have been perfect for this role. But, he's dead, so....

My Living Choice:

Jensen Ackles (Supernatural)


HARRISON BURNS
Who is He: The lead. A writer of true crime, Harrison carries the weight of what he knows throughout his life. Esme Bland makes him realize that it is time to stop writing about justice and start making it happen. Attracted to Constant as boys, married to Claire as adults, he has an affair with Kitt, dragging him back into the Bradley fold and necessitating his confession.

My Choice:

John Krasinski (Smiley Face, The Office)