I do sometimes take requests, and this was one that I could not resist. Though I already cast James Hilton's classic novel Goodbye Mr. Chips, our friend Tom challenged me to recast the musical version. Released in 1969, the musical version starred Peter O'Toole (in an Oscar-nominated performance) and pop singer Petula Clark. I was going to respond that the actors I chose could sing already, and I might have left it at that, were it not for a chance screening of this very version on TCM. Hey, it was a chance to cross another film off ym list, so why not?
As my sister remarked when I described it to her later, "That sounds nothing like the book." Indeed, it isn't. Beginning in the 1920s, the musical version picks up with Mr. Chips as a veteran teacher, used to the idea of the boys dislking him. Well, all right, he was stuffy in the original, too. I wondered what Staefel would get to sing, and if Ralston was going to show up, and---
Oh, whoa, wait a minute. The first surprise was the appearance of women on the school grounds. The original made a point of Katherine being this young, vivacious, feminine spirit in a world completely sans women (except for the sexless Mrs. Wickett). Yet already we had the headmaster's wife as a major character. Fine, I get that. The story's been updated, it's only natural to want to bring in another woman. How much longer until Staefel and Chips go to Austria and he meets Katherine?
What the what??? In this version, Katherine is a music-hall singer, the girl who shows up to sing the show-stopping tune and then gets to go to all the fun parties. One of Chips' younger colleagues takes him to a performance, for he is smitten with the girl. They all dine together, but Chips' frankness means he and Katherine do not hit it off. By coincidence, though, they meet while on holiday...IN POMPEII!!! There they fall in love, and eventually get married, and it's the story as usual.
Incorrect. Whereas the novel and original film focus on Chips' career, this is about the great romance that both previous versions insisted changed his life. Here, we get to see that great change, as he warms to everyone, and his students go from singing about how much they dread his class to demanding he be made headmaster. Katherine also has to acclimate herself to life as a schoolteacher's wife, since the more conservative staff and parents do not approve of her past life or her friends -- among them your typical boozy, witty actresses based on Tallulah Bankhead and played by Sian Phillips.
If you can separate yourself from the previous ncarnations, you should enjoy it. Though a bit slow-going at times -- I feel like they excavated Pompeii in the time it took to get through those scenes -- it's got some beautiful songs, a winning performance by Petula Clark, some real touching and heartbreaking moments, and a strong turn by O'Toole. I like especially how much darker this Chips was. This wasn't the well-meaning, "Pip-pip-cheerio" old man of Donat, but a cynical, more morose incarnation that really brightens up when he falls for Katherine. There's much more commentary on the class system -- the students at Meadowood come from families that would never dream of having a teacher in the family, much less a chorus girl. And there are dance numbers.
Naturally, it was irresistible to me. A film I enjoyed but still had some flaws? Aren't almost-great films the one most in need of a remake, the ones who need a second going-over so that their greatness can be fully realized? And isn't the cast the perfect place to start?
THE HEADMASTER'S WIFE
Who is She: ...come on. She's a snobby woman who doesn't take to that common woman Chips married.
Originally played by:
Allison Leggatt (The Day of the Triffids, Far from the Madding Crowd)
My Choice:
Patricia Routledge (To Sir with Love, "Keeping Up Appearances")
One of those immensely talented comic actresses that I grew up watching, only to wonder whatever happened to them. Routledge does stage work, but she perfected middle-class snobbery as Hyacinth Bucket in "Keeping Up Appearances".
MAX STAEFEL
Who is He: Mr. Chipping's best friend at the school, an intelligent German who takes Chipping with him on holiday to Pompeii. When war breaks out, he returns to Germany to fight for the Fatherland.
Originally played by:
Michael Bryant (The Ruling Class, Gandhi)
My Choice:
Thom Hoffman (Dogville, Black Book)
THE HEADMASTER
Who is He: ...come on. Likes Mr. Chips, taps him as the replacement for when he retires.
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Mourning Becomes Electra), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best British Actor (The Night My Number Came Up, Time Without Pity)
Michael Redgrave (The Browning Version, The Dam Busters)
My Choice:
Clive Swift (A Passage to India, "Keeping Up Appearances")
He played Routledge's husband, the ever-patient Richard, on "Keeping Up Appearances". He's fairly versatile, though, and has appeared in a number of comedies, dramas, thrillers, epics, etc. I'd love to see him and Routledge together again.
LORD SUTTERWICK
Who is He: Father of one of Chipping's students, Sutterwick is giving money to the school for new playing fields. Alas, he recognizes Katherine from her showbiz days, and threatens to pull out both his money and his son unless Chips is canned. Little does he realize that Katherine knows a thing or two about his past...
Originally played by:
George Baker (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Spy Who Loved Me)
My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor & Best Director (Henry V), Best Short Film (Swan Song) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Hamlet), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Director (Henry V), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Picture (Much Ado About Nothing), SAG Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Othello)
Kenneth Branagh (Pirate Radio, My Week with Marilyn)
Not that he should be typecast as stuffy, stiff upper-lip types...but he's great at it. Maybe he could actually bring some humor to the role as well. Baker was so...colorless.
URSULA MOSSBANK
Who is She: A boozy, diva-licious stage star and friend of Katherine. Loud and unaware, Ursula thinks Chips is another actor, and so gladly invites him to her parties. It is Ursula who shelters Katherine when she runs away from the school, and it is Ursula who played a part in Lord Sutterwick's past.
Originally played by: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Goodbye Mr. Chips)
Sian Phillips (Valmont, The Age of Innocence)
My Choice: Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Shy People)
Martha Plimpton (The Goonies, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle)
Plimpton's brief appearance in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle showed a vivacious spirit who comfortably wears period flapper garb. Over the years, she's shown herself to be a gifted comedienne and dramatist, a gal who clearly knows how to have a good time while excelling at her craft. To see her playing a tipsy thesp would be fabulous.
KATHERINE BRIDGES
Who is She: A music-hall star who meets Mr. Chipping at the Savoy, where he says the wrong thing. Then she meets him on holiday in Pompeii, where she says the right thing and become inseparable. When they return to England, neither fits into the other's world...but they love each other, and their marriage is a joyous one.
Songs: London is London, And the Sky Smiled, Apollo, Walk Through the World, Fill the World with Love (reprise), What Shall I Do Today, And the Sky Smiled (reprise), Schooldays, You and I
Originally played by: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Finian's Rainbow)
Petula Clark (Here Come the Huggetts, The Runaway Bus)
My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit/SAG Award/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress [in a Drama] (Rachel Getting Married), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Love & Other Drugs), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Brokeback Mountain)
[at 1:10]
Anne Hathaway ("Get Real", One Day)
Not only does she boast some incredible pipes; Oscar night proved that she's quite the showman, as well. Katherine is BIG, but she's also a nice, sweet girl. Hathaway can go BIG, but she can also be the nice, sweet girl. Can she do an English accent, though? Hm...
ARTHUR CHIPPING
Who is He: A stuffy, middle-aged schoolteacher. He meets Katherine at the Savoy, where he unwittingly insults her show. Luckily, they run into each other in Pompeii, of all places, where he educates her on the history and mythology of the area. They somehow fall in love, and it is from her that he receives the nickname "Mr. Chips". With her help, he goes from hated, strict schoolteacher to beloved, humorous standby.
Songs: Where Did My Childhood Go, What a Lot of Flowers
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actor (Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter, Becket, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, Venus), BAFTA Award Winner for Best British Actor (Lawrence of Arabia), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actor in a Drama (The Lion in Winter, Becket) and in a Musical/Comedy (Goodbye Mr. Chips), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (Venus), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Ratatouille)
Peter O'Toole (Supergirl, King Ralph)
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Winner for Best Actor [in a Drama] (The King's Speech), BAFTA Award Winner for Best Actor (A Single Man), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (Shakespeare in Love, The King's Speech), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (A Single Man, The King's Speech) and Best Supporting Actor (Easy Virtue)
Colin Firth (Valmont, The Importance of Dorian Gray)
I thought he was quite good in Mamma Mia. He's no Pavarotti, but he has a capable voice, certainly more melodic than O'Toole's. And he is an Oscar-winner, after all. Forgive me for joining this bandwagon, but it's a worthy one.
Years ago, I heard Aaron Sorkin was writing a screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Follies, to be directed by Sam Mendes. As I said, years ago. At the time, I'd never heard of the show. One of my friends called it the one with old people, so I was intrigued: as a fan of The Golden Girls, I felt that older was better, and all too rare in entertainment. And yet, somehow...I never got around to knowing it. No CD, no libretto, nothing. I just didn't look for it.
It never left my mind, though. When I immersed myself once more in musical theatre during the summer, it went to the top of my list of things I needed to catch up on. Fortunately, my school's library had both the soundtrack and the libretto, so I was able to read along to the CD.
I loved it. The music was glorious, even if the book was bizarre. An old theatre is being torn down, and as it was once the site of the Weissman Follies, Weissman himself holds a farewell party for all the ex-showpeople. Chief among them are two couples, the Stones and the Plummers, filled with thirty years of regret and unrequited love. Throughout the night, while other stage vets reminisce with a song from the old days, the two couples dance, drink, fight, and carry on, all culminating in a recreation of a Follies show called Loveland. It's all very strange but beautiful. And since they already announced a movie version in the works, it didn't take much for me to think of one of my own...
Now, some things to know before you delve into this. I know everyone here is about ten years older than the characters in the play, but no one in the correct age range seemed right for these parts. Also, my source for songs and plot is the original libretto written by James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim. I understand that different versions have different songs or a different order, but I don't know those versions. Finally, because this is a show about the theatre, my usual awards rundowns on the actors includes Broadway honors; this is a one-time deal.
With that out of the way....
ROSCOE
Who is He: One of the old standbys of the Follies. Everybody knows him, everybody's worked with him. Even at his advanced age, he still has a beautiful voice.
Song: Beautiful Girls (2:25)
My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Cabaret), Tony Award Winner Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Cabaret, Chicago), Drama Desk Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical (Goodtime Charley, The Grand Tour, Cabaret)
Joel Grey (Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, The Fantasticks)
At seventy-eight, he's two years shy of the character's age. And he is an old standby. More of a theatre star than a film one, but if you're going to start things out right, it's best to get an Oscar Winner. That's what I say. The man's still got it, too.
MAX DEEMS
Who is He: Husband of Stella Deems. They had a radio show after the Follies, but after an on-air outburst from Max, they quit and opened a store in Miami.
My Choice: Tony Award/Drama Desk Winner for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (The Producers)
Gary Beach (The Producers)
I can see him playing well opposite my Stella. He's a pleasure to watch, and I see him playing a pleasant fellow who tells it like it is. The only thing wrong with this casting is the lack of songs for Max. So there.
STELLA DEEMS
Who is She: Max's wife, who leads the other ladies in an energetic mirror dance.
Song: Who's That Woman
My Choice: Tony Award/Drama Desk Winner for Best Actress in a Musical (Evita, Gypsy), Drama Desk Winner for Best Actress in a Musical (Anything Goes)
Patti LuPone (Driving Miss Daisy, State and Main)
Stella's the youngest of the show-stoppers, so it's only right that we get that great not-old-yet grande dame of the stage, Patti LuPone! Her voice is just perfect for the song, too, and she'd sell it's comic moments.
SOLANGE LA FITTE
Who is She: Fabulous French chanteuse who now has a perfume for men...called "Solange", of course.
Song: Ah, Paris! (2:40)
My Choice: Tony Award/Drama Desk Winner for Best Actress in a Musical (The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman)
Chita Rivera (Sweet Charity, Chicago)
Totally should've played Liliane la Fleur, especially since they didn't even give Judi a chance to be un-Dench'd. Here, Chita gets to be fun and French once more, with those rrrrolling r's and sexy septuagarianty. Brief numbers need solid performers, and Chita is Solid with a capital S.
HEIDI SCHILLER
Who is She: German singer once known for her soprano. She was so popular, even Hungarian composer Franz Lehar wrote a song for her! She has my favorite number of the non-leads.
Song: One More Kiss
My Choice: Tony Award Winner for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (The Music Man) and Drama Desk Winner for Best One Person Show (Barbara Cook: A Concert for Theatre)
Barbara Cook (Thumbelina, TV's Hansel and Gretel)
Broadway star known for her lovely soprano. She can add a real sadness to this song; her "Losing My Mind" above is effective enough, isn't it?
HATTIE WALKER
Who is She: Five-time widow. Direct and funny, she also gets a signature tune of her own.
Song: Broadway Baby
My Choice: Tony Award Nominee for Best Actress in a Musical (Sail Away, Company), Best Actress in a Play (A Delicate Balance) and Best Featured Actress in a Play (Bus Stop), Drama Desk Winner for Best Featured Actress in a Play (A Delicate Balance), Best Solo Performance and Best Book of a Musical (Elaine Stritch at Liberty)
Elaine Stritch (September, Krippendorf's Tribe)
I mean, hello? Elaine Stritch is Broadway. It'd be nuts to do Follies without her.
THE WHITMANS
Who Are They: Emily and Theodore Whitman are an elderly couple that had a duo act in the Follies. Theirs is a sweet, treacly little tune, and they're a sweet little couple.
Song: Listen to the Rain on the Roof (1:05)
My Choice: She is a Tony Award Winner for Best Featured Actress in a Play (The Good Doctor, The Heiress) and Drama Desk Nominee for Best Featured Actress in a Play (Equus)
He is a Tony Award Winner for Best Actor in a Musical (La Cage aux Folles) and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Sunset Boulevard) and a Drama Desk Winner for Best Actor in a Musical (La Cage aux Folles)
Frances Sternhagen (Misery, The Mist) & George Hearn (The Devil's Own, Barney's Great Adventure)
It'd be fun to see these two theatre stalwarts play off each other. It'd be short and sweet, but completely worth it. You'd get a sense of how long the Follies lasted and the talent it had.
DEMETRI WEISSMAN
Who is He: Why, he's the Weissman in Weissman's Follies, a cynical skirt-chaser who gets the gang back together for one last celebration of himself.
My Choice: Tony Award Winner for Best Actor in a Musical (The Rothschilds)
Hal Linden (Deathquake, Out to Sea)
Like Weissman, Linden is still strikingly handsome and remarkably spry at 79 years old. He has the sophistication required of the role, and he can do accents pretty well, too. This is a guy he probably knows all too well, too, having done theatre most of his life.
CARLOTTA CAMPION
Who is She: Star of the silver screen! She is a failed Follies girl; her one number was cut because it got too many laughs despite being a sad song. Carlotta "is the kind of woman who not only has seen everything but has liked the look of it". Still sexy thirty years later.
Songs: Who's That Woman, I'm Still Here
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Ghost), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Drama (The Color Purple), Tony Award/Drama Desk Winner for Best Musical (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Drama Desk Winner for Best One Person Show (Whoopi Goldberg)
(start 6:31)
Whoopi Goldberg (The Long Walk Home, Sister Act)
Carlotta needed to be sexy, funny, a little sad, and a STAR. And for this to work in a film, I wanted someone respected by fans of both the stage and screen. I flirted with the idea of Cher, or Bernadette, or Bette, but something didn't seem right. If Cher or Bette came along, it would be the Cher/Bette show; Bernadette, meanwhile, has been long forgotten by the casual filmgoer (not that this would be a movie for them anyway). No, I needed someone who was both an ensemble player and a legend. So I looked up the list of EGOT Winners, saw Whoopi's name right above Barbra and Liza and thought, "THAT'S IT!" I would kill to hear her sing "I'm Still Here". From Ted Danson to Frank Langella, Oscar to Razzie, comedienne to talk-show host, she's been through it all. And she's still here.
BUDDY PLUMMER
Who is He: A traveling salesman. He wasn't going to come, but he follows Sally when she catches a plane back to New York. Though he adores her, he's disappointed with their lives together, knowing that he's her silver medal. Buddy is also having an unhappy affair with a gal he met on the road, Margie.
Songs: Waiting for the Girls Upstairs, The Right Girl, Buddy's Blues
My Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor/BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (A Fish Called Wanda), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Soapdish, Dave, In & Out, De-Lovely), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (Life as a House), Tony Award/Drama Desk Winner for Best Actor in a Musical (The Pirates of Penzance) and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (On the Twentieth Century), Drama Desk Winner for Best Actor in a Play (Henry IV)
Kevin Kline (Sophie's Choice, A Prairie Home Companion)
I do think Kline and my choice for Ben could trade parts and still do a 100% effective job. I think I'd buy Kline's "The Right Girl" more, though. He's very effective at playing guilt. Man, I can't wait for that new Lawrence Kasdan film. I love Kevin Kline.
SALLY DURANT PLUMMER
Who is She: Former Follies showgirl, she was best friends with Phyllis. She also carried on an affair with Ben in the past. Now married to Buddy, Sally still believes she could have a future with her first love. In and out of mental clinics and alcoholic rehab centers, Sally is unhappy, choosing to live in a memory instead of the present. Gets the best overall solo, "Losing My Mind".
Songs: Don't Look at Me, Waiting for the Girls Upstairs, In Buddy's Eyes, Who's That Woman, Too Many Mornings, Losing My Mind
My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Cactus Flower), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (There's a Girl in My Soup, Cactus Flower)
Goldie Hawn (The First Wives Club, Everyone Says I Love You)
Still beautiful and girlish. If you've seen Everyone Says I Love You, then you know Hawn can sell the hell out of a sad song without overplaying it. I wish she'd been nominated that year.
BENJAMIN STONE
Who is He: A successful author who roomed with Buddy when they were younger. He dated Phyllis, but when she wouldn't put out, he spent his nights with Sally. Benjamin is a bit self-absorbed, and throughout the night he considers running off with Sally, fights with wife Phyllis, and tries to bed Carlotta. He wonders what might have been, more in love with Young Sally than with Now Sally.
Songs: Don't Look at Me, Waiting for the Girls Upstairs, The Road You Didn't Take, Too Many Mornings, Live, Laugh, Love
My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Pennies from Heaven, All of Me, Roxanne, Parenthood, Father of the Bride: Part II), WGA Award Winner for Best Adapted Screenplay (Roxanne)
Steve Martin (The Jerk, It's Complicated)
Martin's a great singer, first off. Second, he's a phenomenal actor, whether he's playing an asshole, a nice guy, or someone in between. The man's incredible. It's a juicy role, this, and Martin has proven that when given a challenge, he meets it head-on. Handsome and sophisticated, he seems like he could be an author who dines with members of the U.N. He'd be the man.
PHYLLIS ROGERS STONE
Who is She: Formerly a shy showgirl, now a bitter housewife. Always biting and sarcastic, her marriage to Ben is a cold one, and she regrets marrying the only man she's slept with. Attractive and high-class, Phyllis's class is the result of hard work. She's perhaps the most perceptive of the group.
Songs: Waiting for the Girls Upstairs, Who's That Woman, Could I Leave You, The Story of Lucie and Jessie
My Choice: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons) and Best Supporting Actress (The World According to Garp, The Big Chill, The Natural), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actress (Dangerous Liaisons), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in a Drama or Musical/Comedy (Fatal Attraction, Maxie, 101 Dalmatians), Tony Award/Drama Desk Winner for Best Actress in a Musical (Sunset Boulevard), Tony Award Winner for Best Actress in a Play (The Real Thing, Death and the Maiden)
Glenn Close (Air Force One, Mars Attacks!)
She's got that high-class look, the singing chops, the stage experience, the wit, the pathos: she's got it all. Plus she'd get to share the screen with Kevin Kline once more, and that's always a plus. She'd nail the triumphant bitterness of "Could I Leave You" and the bitter wit of "The Story of Lucie and Jessie". It's a Glenn Close role, for Heaven's sake!
I couldn't believe a show like Rock of Ages was being made. We'd gotten an ABBA musical, and Moulin Rouge! was made up of a number of popular songs...but a Broadway show celebrating hair metal? It was not to be believed. Yet there was Angela Lansbury at the Tonys with Twisted Sister, and this show actually looked kind of...awesome.
My girlfriend went to New York and saw the show on stage, and raved about it for -- well, she still is. But her enthusiasm led to my getting the soundtrack. I have to admit, it's a lot of fun. Unlike musicals like Mamma Mia!, the writers actually make the songs work for the story, not vice versa. And sure, this may mean a lot of dialogue to set up different verses of a song, but at least they're making a legitimate effort. And haven't we all dreamed up musical numbers for songs like "Don't Stop Believin'", "We Built This City" and "I Wanna Know What Love Is"? I know I have.
Rock of Ages is a show that completely depends on both the performances and the audience's affection for Bon Jovi, White Snake, Twisted Sister, etc. The sketchy plot revolves around small-town girl Sherrie arriving in L.A. to pursue Hollywood dreams. She winds up falling for busboy/wannabe rocker Drew, just as German city developers get the approval to uproot the awesomeness of the Sunset Strip and replace it with a cleaner alternative. Also, a popular rocker gets in the way of Sherrie and Drew's feelings for each other. This plot is stretched over two hours as the characters rock out to 80s songs. Also, there's Lonny, who is hilarious.
It's a charming show, and a film version was inevitable. Adam Shankman is working on his adaptation of it, though no cast has been announced. If I am to believe his Twitter, they haven't really begun that process. Anyway, while his choices for Hairspray showed that his instincts are top-notch, I can't help but offer some suggestions of my own:
FRANZ
Who is He: Hertz's son, he and his father are city developers. At first, Franz goes along with his father's plot to destroy the Sunset Strip and create a cleaner, conservativer city. That's complicated when he falls for city planner and anti-development protest organizer Regina.
Songs: We Built This City/Too Much Time on My Hands, Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown, Hit Me with Your Best Shot, Every Rose Has Its Thorn
My Choice:
David Kross (Adam & Eva, The Reader)
I have no idea whether or not he can sing "Hit Me With Your Best Shot". But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He's young and good-looking and German!
REGINA
Who is She: The mayor's city planner, she is appalled at Hertz's desire to rid the Sunset Strip of sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. She knows they built this city on the latter. A woman of action, she leads the protests against Hertz...even as she begins to fall for his son.
Songs: We Built This City/Too Much Time on My Hands, We're Not Gonna Take It, Cum On Feel the Noize/We're Not Gonna Take It [Reprise], Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice: SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Milk)
Alison Pill (Pieces of April, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Anyone who's seen her in Milk or Scott Pilgrim knows what a fierce presence she is. Anyone who's seen her in Pieces of April or "The Book of Daniel" know she's a singer. Now, does she usually sing less rock and more...not rock? Sure, but remember: she is a member of Sex Bob-Omb.
JUSTICE
Who is She: The owner/operator of the Venus Club, where gentlemen go to be entertained by ladies. Stripper-ladies. When Sherrie is at her lowest, she goes to work for Justice, who becomes a Momma Bear to the small-town girl.
Songs: Harden My Heart/Shadows of the Night, Any Way You Want It/I Wanna Rock [Reprise], Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice:
Tina Turner (Tommy, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)
We needed some sort of icon somewhere. How can we make a tribute to the genre without The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll herself?
DENNIS
Who is He: The owner of the Bourbon Room, a bar on the Sunset Strip. Dennis has seen it all, so imagine his horror the Bourbon Room is marked for destruction by Hertz. With best friend Lonny, he gets rock band Arsenal to play one last show there...the same place where they made their debut years ago.
Songs: Just Like Paradise/Nothin' but a Good Time, We Built This City/Too Much Time on My Hands, Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown, I Can't Fight This Feeling, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Stranger Than Fiction) and Best Supporting Actor (The Producers), Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (Stranger Than Fiction)
Will Ferrell (Superstar!, The Other Guys)
HERTZ
Who is He: German city developer bent on destroying the Sunset Strip's decadence in favor of a more squeaky-clean alternative. Father of Franz.
Songs: We Built This City/Too Much Time on My Hands, The Final Countdown, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Keep on Loving You, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe/SAG Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Inglourious Basterds)
Christoph Waltz (Death, Deceit & Destiny Aboard the Orient Express, the upcoming The Green Hornet)
A little obvious, but I'm not going to prevent a German who can sing from playing a German in a musical.
STACEE JAXX
Who is He: Lead singer of Arsenal, a rock band that's about to break up so he can start a solo career. Jaxx knows Dennis and Lonny from when Arsenal was unsigned and just starting out, so of course he repays a favor to his old friends -- after they blackmail him -- and Arsenal plays their last show at the Bourbon Room. It's the typical rock God character, egotistical and sexist. He dilly-dallies with Sherrie and proceeds to be a proper douchebag.
Songs: We Built This City/Too Much Time on My Hands, Wanted Dead or Alive, I Wanna Know What Love Is, I Hate Myself for Loving You/Heat of the Moment, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Renegade
My Choice: Golden Globe Winner/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor [in a Musical/Comedy] (In Bruges)
Colin Farrell (Pride and Glory, Crazy Heart)
Apparently tone-deaf, though his performance in Crazy Heart seems to contradict that. So I'm going with that. His own celebrity would lend credibility to Stacee's celebrity. And he's a sexy guy, right? Girls would fall for him.
LONNY
Who is He: The show's narrator, a man of great energy. Barfly and best friend of Dennis.
Songs: Just Like Paradise/Nothin' But a Good Time, Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown, Can't Fight This Feeling, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice: Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (School of Rock)
Jack Black (Be Kind Rewind, Tropic Thunder)
He's already proven himself to be great screen partners with Ferrell. He has the right energy for the role, and -- hey oh! -- he can rock out with the best of them! Remember Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny? That movie rocked. He rocked.
SHERRIE
Who is She: A small-town girl who comes to L.A. to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She starts out working at the Bourbon Room, falling for Drew until he gives the "friendship" speech. So she dilly-dallies with Stacee, who gets her fired, so she works at the Venus Club for Justice. Then all sorts of other things happen. And it's a musical, so (SPOILER ALERT!) True Love triumphs.
Songs: Sister Christian, I Wanna Rock, Heaven/More Than Words/To Be With You, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Wanted Dead or Alive, I Want to Know What Love Is, Harden My Heart/Shadows of the Night, Here I Go Again, Any Way You Want It/I Wanna Rock [Reprise], High Enough, I Hate Myself for Loving You/Heat of the Moment, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Oh Sherrie, The Search is Over, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice:
Alyson Michalka (Bandslam, Easy A)
Not the most demanding of roles, but needs a capable actress who can play heightened while still allowing us to believe Sherrie. Aly was great on "Phil of the Future", she's a hot blonde, she can rock out, and she's a relatively fresh face.
DREW BOWIE
Who is He: He works at the Bourbon Room, but dreams of becoming a Rock Star. A nice guy, he falls for Sherrie, but plays the friendship card to calm her nerves, because he's so nice. Opening for Stacee Jaxx's final Arsenal concert helps to get him noticed by a Record Company Man, but the label he reps does not care for Drew's rock 'n' roll dreams. What's a guy to do?
Songs: Just Like Paradise/Nothin' Like a Good Time, Sister Christian, We Built This City/Too Much Time on My Hands, I Wanna Rock, Heaven/More Than Words/To Be With You, Waiting for a Girl Like You, I Wanna Know What Love Is, Cum On Feel the Noize/We're Not Gonna Take It [Reprise], Here I Go Again, Any Way You Want It/I Wanna Rock [Reprise], High Enough, I Hate Myself for Loving You/Heat of the Moment, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Oh Sherrie, The Search is Over, Don't Stop Believin'
My Choice:
Constantine Maroulis
The show is so recent that it seems ludicrous to replace everyone in the cast. He's the star, he's the Tony nominee, he's the Idol, he's the one that my friend was obsessed with in high school. I have a rule that states every role shall be recast, but I'm always willing to make exceptions. And yeah, I probably should've chosen a Rock of Ages clip, but I can't resist the pull of Batman Forever.
I know it's been driving my girlfriend crazy, but ever since discovering it, Sunset Blvd. has been on repeat in my head. This ain't just the Billy Wilder film I'm talking about here, but the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical from the early 90s. Some people hate it, but then some people just plain hate ALW. I love him, and I love the musical (though I admit the titular song leaves much to be desired). As we speak, three songs from the soundtrack are among my iTunes' Top 25 Most Played -- Max's solo "The Greatest Star of All" at 13 times, the signature tune "With One Look" at 17 times, and Norma's triumphant Act Two solo "As If We Never Said Goodbye" at a whopping 27 times. I've watched YouTube clips of Glenn Close, Patti Lupone, Elaine Paige, and personal favorite Betty Buckley taking the stage as that great silent screen siren, Norma Desmond. I am, as they say, obsessed.
The movie version, of course, isn't far away from my mind...but how long must I wait? Since 2005, we've been hearing news that a film adaptation of the Tony-winning musical is in the works, but no movement has been made. In 2007, it was rumored that Meryl (of fucking course) was in contention for the lead, alongside Glenn Close (who won the Tony for this role) and Barbra Streisand. Naturally, whoever gets the role is probably a guaranteed an Oscar nom, so all the old divas are champing at the bit for this part. And surely, the role of Norma must be played by a STAR, a DIVA, a FACE.
But what of the others? What of cynical, handsome narrator Joe Gillis, the protagonist of the piece? What of ingenue Betty, a pretty girl with (gasp!) a brain? Or the mysterious Slavic manservant Max, fanatically devoted to Norma? What of the rest of the supporting cast? I've given it some thought, of course. I leave it to you to decide if I've made the right choice:
MANFRED
Who is He: The tailor Norma calls in to dress Joe on his birthday. A pompous, opportunistic guy.
George Hearn (Flags of Our Fathers, The Pagemaster)
He won the Tony for originating the role of Max. This is the original George in La Cage aux Folles on Broadway, too, so he can bring out Manfred's showmanship. It'd be a fun cameo for everyone!
SHELDRAKE
Who is He: A studio executive who Joe tries to sell a screenplay to. It doesn't over so well. A scheming, cigar-chopping schmuck. He also is the one who wants Norma's car for a movie.
Song:
Let's Have Lunch (4:42 in)
Originally played by:
Fred Clark (Auntie Mame, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine)
My Choice:
Barry Bostwick (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Evening)
Bostwick has a thing now for playing those sleazy exec types. To see him singing with a cigar-chomping relish would be too delightful to pass up. Plus, it's a comic role that requires great timing, and Bostwick is a learned comic actor.
CECIL B. DEMILLE
Who is He: The man, the myth, the legend. Working on Samson and Delilah, he receives an on-set visit from old friend Norma Desmond, who hopes for a comeback with her favorite director. DeMille is not so keen on the idea, much as he loves her.
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Picture (The Greatest Show on Earth)
Cecil B. DeMille (Star Spangled Rhythm, The Ten Commandments)
My Choice: Academy Award Winner/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor [in a Drama] (American Beauty) and Best Supporting Actor (The Usual Suspects), BAFTA Award/SAG Award Winner for Best Actor (American Beauty), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Drama (The Shipping News) and Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Swimming with Sharks), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actor (Swimming with Sharks), SAG Award Winner for Best Ensemble (American Beauty)
Kevin Spacey (Beyond the Sea, Moon)
With some makeup, why not? He's got a younger resemblance to the man, and he can sing. A cameo like this is in keeping with the effect the DeMille appearance gives anyway.
ARTIE GREEN
Who is He: An assistant director at Paramount. Artie is old friends with Joe, and is engaged to young writer Betty Schaefer. While the two work on a screenplay together, Artie is away on a set. He's a genuinely nice guy who hopes to marry Betty and raise a family with her. He hosts the New Year's Eve party that closes Act One.
Songs:
Let's Have Lunch, Every Movie's a Circus [Reprise], This Time Next Year (his part is at 1:16)
Originally played by:
Far R: Jack Webb (The Men, "Dragnet")
My Choice:
Jason Segel (Can't Hardly Wait, Knocked Up)
Well, I mean, he can sing pretty well. And look at him! I don't know of many actors that just proclaim Nice Guy the way Jason Segel does, while at the same looking old enough to know both Joe and the way the studio schmoozing works.
BETTY SCHAEFER
Who is She: A script girl who works for Sheldrake, she has dreams of becoming an actual screenwriter. She believes Joe is writing pieces that are below his abilities, and suggests a collaboration. The two work on a screenplay together, and eventually become more than just colleagues. She's a sweet girl, engaged to Artie, but surprised by her attraction to Joe. Don't worry, she's more than just an ingenue -- this dame's got spunk, and is willing to call crap crap.
Songs:
Let's Have Lunch, Every Movie's a Circus, Every Movie's a Circus [Reprise], Girl Meets Boy, This Time Next Year, Paramount Conversations, Girl Meets Boy [Reprise], Betty's Office at Paramount, Too Much in Love to Care, The Final Scene
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Sunset Blvd.)
Nancy Olson (The AbsentMinded Professor, Airport 1975)
My Choice: Academy Award/Golden Globe/Indie Spirit/SAG Award/Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress [in a Drama] (Rachel Getting Married), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (Brokeback Mountain)
Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, Becoming Jane)
She's still young and wholesome-seeming enough to play Betty, but she's also smart and tough enough to play Betty. Because Betty is all things sexy and great. And she's a brunette, which means she doesn't seem slutty.
MAX
Who is He: Norma's devoted manservant/chauffeur, with a secret of his own. An awesome, sad secret. Best role.
Songs:
Greatest Star of All, Back at the House on Sunset, New Year's Eve, Paramount Conversations, New Ways to Dream [Reprise], The Final Scene
Originally played by: Academy Award/Golden Globe Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Sunset Blvd.)
Erich von Stroheim (The Grand Illusion, Alraune)
My Choice: Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor (A Fish Called Wanda), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (A Fish Called Wanda), Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy (Soapdish, Dave, In & Out, De-Lovely), SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (Life as a House)
Kevin Kline (The Big Chill, French Kiss)
Of course, I don't expect Oscar to notice, since they already missed out on Soapdish and De-Lovely. Anyway. He can do accents, he can sing, and he can bring gravitas. I'd love to see him in this role, especially at the end.
JOE GILLIS
Who is He: The protagonist, who starts out shot to death in a swimming pool. He then narrates the circumstances that got him there: hack writer on the run from debt-collectors takes advantage of an aging actress...unaware that she brings her own special brand of crazy to the mix. He becomes a kept man, but starts to fall in love with his friend's fiancee, Betty. A cynic and opportunist.
Songs:
I Guess It Was 5 AM, Let's Have Lunch, Every Movie's a Circus, At the House on Sunset, Salome, Every Movie's a Circus [Reprise], Girl Meets Boy, Back at the House on Sunset, New Ways to Dream, Completion of the Script, The Lady's Paying, New Year's Eve, The Perfect Year, This Time Next Year, New Year's Eve [Back at the House on Sunset], Sunset Boulevard, Journey to Paramount, Paramount Conversations, Girl Meets Boy [Reprise], Who's Betty Schaefer?, Betty's Office at Paramount, Too Much in Love to Care, The Final Scene
Originally played by: Academy Award Winner for Best Actor (Stalag 17), BAFTA Award Nominee for Best Actor (Network) and Best Foreign Actor (Picnic)
William Holden (Executive Suite, The Towering Inferno)
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Indie Spirit/SAG Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Hurt Locker), Indie Spirit Nominee for Best Actor (Dahmer), SAG Award Nominee for Best Ensemble (The Hurt Locker)
Jeremy Renner (North Country, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
He's manly, he's young-looking, he can sing. He's also played complicated characters before, and can be mesmerizingly subtle in establishing whole character histories. What a great fucking actor.
NORMA DESMOND
Who is She: Siren of the silent cinema. Holed up in her mansion on Sunset Blvd., the lady's crazy, and has written a huge opus about 16-year-old Salome as a vehicle for herself...though she's over 50. Jealous and possessive, she keeps Joe for herself, employing him to help finish her screenplay...and falling crazy in love with him. Norma is a wealthy woman, and was even a great talent, but that can't buy you sanity. One of the most iconic screen characters in all of cinema history.
Songs:
Surrender (2:28), With One Look (5:43), Salome, New Ways to Dream, Completion of the Script, The Lady's Paying, The Perfect Year, New Year's Eve [Back at the House on Sunset], There's Been a Call [The Perfect Year - Reprise], Journey to Paramount, As If We Never Said Goodbye, Paramount Conversations, The Phone Call, The Final Scene
Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress (Sadie Thompson, The Trespasser, Sunset Blvd.), Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Drama (Sunset Blvd.)
Gloria Swanson (Zaza, Father Takes a Wife)
My Choice: Academy Award/BAFTA Award/Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress [in a Musical/Comedy] (Cabaret)
Liza Minnelli (The Sterile Cuckoo, Sex and the City 2)
Yes, it absolutely needs to be a diva. And remember, people: Liza can frickin' act. Even on "Arrested Development", we could see that she'd lost none of her timing. Ten years too old? Fuck, just change the word "fifty" to "sixty". It's easy as that.
Was tagged here by Andrew to participate in this "meme about music". And so I cannot resist!
1. Open up your iTunes, music player, spin the CD, whatever, hit shuffle and tell us what is the first song to play?
"Opening" by Philip Glass, originally written for Mishima, but appearing on my iTunes from The Truman Show.
2. Name your top five favorite bands/musicians of all time.
Oh, let's see. Philip Glass, The Beatles, ABBA, The Decemberists and The Spice Girls.
3. What was your first CD to own? (8 track, record, CD, MP3 for the newbies) Pure Disco 2, a compilation of hits ranging from "I Will Survive" to "Love Rollercoaster". I think it was third or fourth grade, and my sister's boyfriend at the time presented it as a birthday gift. Still listen to it.
4. Of all the bands/artists in your cd/record collection, which one do you own the most albums by?
Actual CDs? The Beatles, with six. As for my iTunes: Philip Glass, with 46.
5. What was the last song you listened to?
"On My Way to Canaan's Land"
6. What song would you say sums you up?
I don't know. I mean, like, who can really be summed up in a song, man? Maybe "Little Person" from Synecdoche, NY? Or "Applause" from Applause? Kind of different, but somewhere in the middle is me.
7. What's your favourite local band or band that originated from your hometown?
We've had a few come from here, but I guess Marilyn Manson is the one I would play before anyone else. This even surprises me, but he's damn good at what he does.
8. What's the greatest concert you've ever been to?
The free Weezer concert at FSU. Incredible.
9. What musician would you like to hang out with for a day?
Philip Glass, obviously. He's so interesting! I'd love to just pick his brain.
10. What was the greatest decade for music?
There's never been a bad one. I have a number of songs from Cole Porter, Gershwin, Backstreet Boys, Bob Dylan, Electric Light Orchestra, ABBA, Lily Allen, Nat King Cole, The Beatles, etc. I love it all.
11. What is your favorite movie soundtrack? Xanadu, hands down. From the opening "I'm Alive" to the titular finale, it's a non-stop trip to pleasure town. "The Fall" has to be one of my favoritest songs ever written, "Dancin'" is why musicals exist, and "Don't Walk Away" is powerful.
12. What's the most awful CD/record/etc. you've ever bought?
Don't even have to think about this. Holiday Hounds, a collection of Christmas songs as performed by the "dogs barking" setting on a keyboard. It's gratingly, ears-bleeding awful, and a good argument for why you shouldn't make midnight trips to Wal-Mart after partaking of a questionable buffet.
13. What's your favorite band t-shirt or poster?
Like, that I own or what? I have a sepia-tinted Beatles one from their Sgt. Pepper's period. It's pretty cool.
14. Rolling Stones or The Beatles?
The Beatles. Please. Rolling Stones is a glorious rock band. The Beatles refuses to be kept to one genre.
15. What is the one song you would most like played at your funeral? Your birthday? While on a romantic date?
The answer to the first two is my all-time favorite song of all time, "Everlasting Love", as performed by a string quartet (funeral) and Carl Carlton (birthday). As for a romantic date, I'm pretty partial to "Don't Walk Away" from Xanadu.
Andrew of Encore Entertainment tagged me in a meme, an action that makes me feel like I'm officially in the Oscar Blogger Clique. I am to list off ten cinema facts...about myself. I often write about movies I see, but I don't think I really get into my own personal relationship with Le Cinema too often. Might as well now.
1. First things first, and I think I've mentioned this before: I go to film school. I don't know how I managed this coup, but I did. There was always a desire to be a writer-director, but film school taught me that such a creature is rare indeed. It also taught me that I do not want to be a director at all. The final lesson: though I do not write enough about cinematographers, nor do I pretend to know much about the craft itself...working with a camera is fucking sexy, and when you actually get a scene lit and framed perfectly, you feel like you can accomplish anything, like taming a wild bear.
2. The last time I saw Ghost, I literally bawled out loud, with the sobbing and hiccuping and everything. And this was at a party. I think it should have won Best Picture that year. True, it's been years since I've seen Dances with Wolves, and I love Awakenings and Goodfellas, and I haven't seen The Godfather: Part III. But Ghost, for me, is tops.
3. My first favorite movie was the original Dracula with Bela Lugosi. Universal horror was my bread and butter. The Black Cat, The Wolf Man, The Mummy...I even watched The Mummy's Hand and Tower of London. So it should come as no surprise that I love a lot of horror movies. I find the Franchise That Refuses to Die aspect of the genre charming, thus my adoration of the Saw movies. This love of horror also informs my choice for Favorite Actor of My Entire Life: Vincent Price.
4. I only read books and plays that sound like they'd make good movies. If they aren't already, that is, for most of my reading list consists of movies coming out later in the year. This may be a shallow way of going about literature, but that really covers a broad spectrum.
5. My sister Virginia nurtured my love of cinema. She pointed me to the great actresses: Mae West, Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Joan Crawford, and so on and so forth. It was she who encouraged me to embrace both classic and modern films. Only Virginia could introduce me to both How to Marry a Millionaire and Party Monster. Once, we even walked together to rent some movies. It was Virginia who took me to see Return of the Jedi and Spice World, and together we managed to make it through The Forgotten. She's an independent filmmaker in Atlanta, so hopefully one of us will have our name in lights in the future.
6. I've only 57 of the original AFI Top 100. I've only seen 61 of the new AFI Top 100. Among the films I've never seen: A Streetcar Named Desire, Schindler's List, Raging Bull, Sunset Boulevard and The Manchurian Candidate. I feel like a partial failure because of this.
7. When I watch a movie, I try to decide how it could translate to the stage. Nixon, for instance, is an opera, as is Elmer Gantry. Eyes Wide Shut is a ballet. I personally love the trend of turning movies into stage musicals, because I'm always thinking that way. The Wedding Singer is a great musical from a great movie; ditto The Producers and Hairspray. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but that's the same with any musical.
8. My celebrity crush of forever is Drew Barrymore. I have a DVD of her wishing me happy birthday at the premiere of Music and Lyrics. She's more than just a pretty face, of course. My favorite performances of hers, in order: The Wedding Singer, Ever After, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Grey Gardens, Everyone Says I Love You, Irreconcilable Differences. Strangely, I've seen none of her work between 1984 and 1995. Also strangely, I hate ET: The Extra-Terrestrial.
9. Top Ten Actresses, in order: Maggie Smith, Meryl Streep, Drew Barrymore, Patricia Clarkson, Bette Davis, Judi Dench, Audrey Hepburn, Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Maggie Gyllenhaal Top Ten Actors, in order: Vincent Price, Michael Caine, William Hurt, James Mason, William H. Macy, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Philip Baker Hall, Henry Gibson, Woody Allen
10. Musicals are my absolute favorite. I often feel that music can better express emotions than words. I'm kind of an easy lay when it comes to musicals, too: I count High School Musical and Mamma Mia! as favorites. It absolutely flabbergasts me that musicals don't rake in all the money in the land. It just makes me antsy for adaptations of The Color Purple and Applause. I totally want to make Funny Face.
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...
