OK, I am the studio head and have access to two hundred million dollars. I have been asked to remake ten classics made before 1970, and attach actors to the projects to speed up the casting process. In some cases, I see more than one actor or actress in a role, and I say that. Here are the ten films I choose to remake along with the casting hopefuls. Each film can cost no more than twenty million dollars so much will be said to the actors about being involved in something very special.
1. THE SEARCHERS (1956) – In the role of Ethan Edwards, the best performance of John Wayne’s career, there are three actors I can see doing this one, beginning with Harrison Ford (my first choice) along with Jeff Bridges (right behind him) and Tommy Lee Jones. Should the director want a younger Ethan, who not Woody Harrelson?
2. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) – Who defines decency like Gregory Peck did in the sixties? Tough call, but you need an actor for the role of Atticus Finch, a gifted and brilliant actor who could be a lawyer but also a father. Johnny Depp gets the job for me.
3. THE MAN OF ONE THOUSAND FACES (1957) – James Cagney portrayed silent screen legend Lon Chaney in this powerful biopic of the fifties. Today I would cast without hesitation Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Chaney.
4. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) – Meryl Streep gets the call as Norma Desmond, the silent screen star who has slipped into utter madness. As the writer she takes into her home and bed, I like Armie Hammer or Andrew Garfield.
5. THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)…Henry Fonda became a legend with his powerful performance as Tom Joad, and I believe Leonardo di Caprio, Christian Bale or Ben Foster could do the part justice today. As Ma Joad, no question…Kathy Bates.
6. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962) – Two major screen actresses get a chance to go wildly over the top and have a blast hating each other in this twisted film that originally starred Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Streep again gets the call, with Glenn Close or Jessica Lange going toe to toe with her.
7. JULIUS CAESAR (1953) – How’s this for unconventional Shakespeare, an all black cast of Julius Caesar. Yes, Brando was superb in 1953, but Terence Howard would make a superb Anthony, while Jamie Foxx would be superb as Brutus. As Caesar? Denzel Washington, who else?
8. WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966) – The film was based on the Broadway play, and initially featured Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor doing the best work of their career. I would cast, guess who, Streep again as loud mouth Martha, and for George, one could go with Jack Nicholson or if the director wanted younger, Alec Baldwin or George Clooney.
9. THE HUSTLER (1961)…Easiest casting choice of the article, Ben Foster takes over for Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson. Sean Penn plays the demented and dangerous Bert, his Satanic manager, with Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Minnesota Fats, or Robert de Niro (with some pounds). For the Piper Laurie role, Jennifer Connelly.
10. GIANT (1956) – George Clooney as Bick Benedict, the role Rock Hudson portrayed, with Natalie Portman or Julia Roberts as his wife, the role originally played by Elizabeth Taylor. In the key part of Jett Rink, which James Dean made famous, Ryan Gosling.
Thoughts?And how about yours?? But before 1970, for now….
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Tags: Ben Foster, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Cinema of the United States, Denzel Washington, Film, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Jack Nicholson, Jennifer Connelly, Jessica Lange, Julia Roberts, Leonardo di Caprio, Meryl Streep, Remaking Cinema, Sean Penn, Series, Terence Howard
5 Comments
MY MAN GODFREY (1936) – George Clooney as Godfrey (originally played by William Powell); Emma Stone as Irene (originally played by Carole Lombard); and Keira Knightley as Cornelia (originally played by Gail Patrick.
Rico Zamora(Quote) (Reply)
I would remake the following:
1. THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN, hewing closer to Roman Polanski’s initial satirical approach to the material (a dolphin for president!).
2. THE BLACK CAULDRON, without the asinine comic relief.
3. THE ODD COUPLE, this time opening up the material to take full advantage of the possibilities of the cinema. Who to star? Zach Galifinakis and Bradley Cooper, maybe?
4. THE BIG COUNTRY, tightening up the pacing and heightening the stakes in the first 3/4. To star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Max von Sydow (in the Charles Bickford role), and John Goodman (in the Burl Ives role).
5. SONG OF NORWAY, to see if it could be made watchable.
JamDenTel(Quote) (Reply)
Not that it ever has to be remade, but “A Streetcar Named Desire” with Michael Fassbender as Stanley Kowalski, on stage or screen.
anon(Quote) (Reply)
I like your mentions for Ben Foster, my favorite contemporary actor, as well as Woody Harrelson for The Searchers and Kathy Bates for The Grapes of Wrath. For The Hustler, how about John Goodman in the Minnesota Fats role? Like you said in your recent Argo review, he’s one of the best character actors working today and could definitely pull off that Jackie Gleeson’s gleam.
For me, I always wondered why there were never any remakes of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Horror is the most susceptible genre to remakes, and it’s a classic Universal horror picture, so it always seemed like a no brainer to me. North by Northwest and The Man Who Knew Too Much would also both be interesting in a modern setting.
A remake of Rio Bravo/El Dorado might be cool. Chris Pine or JGL could be the young gun, Michael Parks or Bill Murray could be the old guy, and Hugh Jackman or Kyle Chandler the drunk. Who ever plays the John Wayne part needs a relaxed, almost humored or sardonic attitude, even in the face of violence, that can drop into indignant sincerity and cool gravitas at a moments notice. Jeremy Renner has the humored and sardonic attitude down, but I’m doubtful about the rest. Maybe Hugh Jackman? He can pull off each piece separately, and he’s certainly tall enough for the part. Humm, I don’t know about this remake business, casting someone for the Duke is impossible.
Steve Glansberg(Quote) (Reply)
I’d have at least half of them be comedies. (I like the My Man Godfrey suggestion above).
I Married a Witch: Elizabeth Mitchell (Veronica Lake), Michael Caine as her father, and Ryan Reynolds as Frederic March.
The Lady Eve: Jessica Chastain (Barbara Stanwyck), Ciaran Hinds as her father, and Michael Shannon as Henry Fonda.
The Ideal Wife/ Move Over, Darling: Jennifer Garner as the shipwrecked wife, Paul Blackthorne as the husband left behind, with Matt Bomer and Eliza Dushku.
Support Your Local Sheriff: George Clooney (James Garner), Sarah Paulson (Joan Hackett), Alan Arkin as her father.
36 Hours (a drama): Edward Norton (James Garner), Brad Pitt (Rod Taylor). – or reversed- Naomi Watts (Eva Marie Saint).
Caddie(Quote) (Reply)