It's time to re-cast - COME SEPTEMBER

Here we are again.. Next month is near and Monty thought about a theme for then - but: Mum's the word! He will tell you all about it when July has come..

For now we would like to present a little game we play: We like to re-cast films. It's not like: "Oh - we could do better than the original casting was!" - it is more like: "We love it! But how would it look with different actors - or when it was made in another era?" We hope you can relate to that idea..

~ Yes.. we did this post together.. ~

The rules are simple:

1. Stay true to the decade you have chosen. Charlize Theron and Clara Bow can not be casted in the same film. Since Buster Keaton and Dustin Hoffman both were active in the 1960's they both can be casted in one film - just to name an extreme here.. - but they only could be casted for a film with a 1960's cast - and they would have to be casted in the age they were at that time. So no young Buster Keaton with an elderly Dustin Hoffman..

2. No actor who was in the original film can be casted. (That's why we would never re-cast CASABLANCA and other iconic films..)

3. If possible the casting of every actor has to be explained - though the explanation can be totally emotional.. 

So here is the first film we recasted for this blog - because we intend to make a series of that.. 

COME SEPTEMBER (1961)

In a nut-shell:

Every year in September Robert L. Talbot (Rock Hudson) travels to his villa in Italy to meet Lisa H. Fellini (Gina Lollobrigida) - she is kind of his seasonal girl-friend. But this time he returns in Summer and not only finds his Villa being rented by his major domo Maurice (Walter Slezak) to a bunch of young American girls (besides others: Sandra Dee) and their chaparone Margaret (Brenda De Banzie) - with whom Maurice has kind of a romance in the beginning.. But also Lisa has giving up waiting for him and is about to marry Spence, a British gentleman (Ronald Howard).. Plus: The girls have some admirers: A group of young US guys (amongst others: Bobby Darin and Joel Grey) - and Robert is very much into protecting the girls.. (not necessarely on their wish..)

Here are the casted actors:

(Please, keep in mind that this is our first attempt! We are still practicing..)

Monty decided to do a modern version (2010) - while Irene tried to put it into a 1947-b/w-version:

Robert and Lisa

Original version: Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida

Monty's version:

Russell Crowe

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Russell Crowe (after years of action films and dramas like L.A. Confidential, Gladiator and Proof Of Life, Russell showed a flair for romantic comedy in the film A Good Year. So I choose him in the re-casted role of Robert Talbot to see if he can recapture some of that A Good Year magic) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (more than enough woman to match Crowe's manly man...I can see the fireworks already)

Irene's version: 

Kirk Douglas

(Because he would be capable of showing as much self assurance as too aspect a woman to wair for him all year long and also was great in comic parts. He would be awesome in his attempts to shaft the boys..)

and 

Alida Valli

(because she was a great actress. More than good enough to cope with Kirk Douglas - and so gorgeous that I could imagine a man traveling once a year just to have a few weeks with her..)

Maurice

Original version: Walter Slezak


Monty's version: 

Nathan Lane

Monty's version: Nathan Lane (who better to capture Maurice, Robert's major domo than Nathan Lane, who can be exasperatingly funny)

Irene's version: 


Curt Bois

(like Walter Slezak he sports an European accent - and he is a great actor.. Plus I would love to see him in a small romance..)

Margaret

Original version: Brenda De Banzie

Monty's version:

Emma Thompson

Monty's version: Emma Thompson (I'm going with the always wonderful Emma Thompson as chaparone Magaret, who has done several comedies in her career)

Irene's version: 


Norma Varden

(she would be great as an chaperone - and to have her teamed up with Curt Bois who was the pickpocket who robbed her "husband" in CASABLANCA - I like that idea.. Also I would love to see her in a blooming romance..)

Spencer

Original version: Ronald Howard

Monty's version:

Jude Law

Monty's version: Jude Law (Now Irene knows that Jude is not one of my favorite actors but I think he would be a perfect fit as Spencer, just because he doesn't wind up with the girl at the end of the movie)

Irene's version: 


Michael Redgrave 

(he would be great as a stiff and at the same time bewildered British bridegroom.. and for sure he would fit into the part of a man not believing that he is dumped.. Well.. maybe that's because yours Irene is a little bit in love with him.. ~ahem~ ... obviously Monty and me are casting from different point of views.. ...) 

Sandy and Tony

Original version: Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin

Monty's version: Emma Stone and Zac Efron (Emma is a young emerging new actress who has proven to be quite funny in such films as Zombieland and Easy A while Zac is quite the singer/actor/dancer thanks to those High School Musicals...I think they would be perfect together)

Irene's version: 

Shirley Temple 

(I simply prefer her as a teenager..) and 

Johnny Sands

(because Shirley Temple and him were such a lovely couple in THE BACHERLOR AND THE BOBBY SOXER (1947)...)

Beagle:

Original version: Joel Grey

Monty's version: Anton Yelchin (Ok this might be an out of left field choice but I think Yelchin would be awesome. He was funny as Chekov in the recent Star Trek reboot)

Anton 

Irene's version:


Carl Switzer

(just because I love him - and he would be just perfect.)

So - what do you think? Who would you like to cast? Or: have you films you would like us to recast? 

Well - what ever you do: Enjoy the show!