Just, some info regarding the role of Mr. Higgins. According to the imdb when asked why he turned down the role of Henry Higgins, Cary Grant remarked that his original manner of speaking was much closer to Eliza Doolittle.
On the Other hand, Noel Coward, Michael Redgrave and George Sanders were all considered for the role of Higgins before Rex Harrison was finally chosen to reprise his Broadway role.
In the meantime, some of you get a replacement for your dream film:
BS to Air Chess in Concert, with Menzel, Pascal and Groban, in 2009
By Andrew Gans
06 Jun 2008
Chess in Concert, the two-night, star-studded event that was presented at London's Royal Albert Hall May 12-13, will be aired on PBS stations across the country in 2009.
The concert will air as part of the 2008-2009 Thirteen/WNET NY's "Great Performances" season. A spokesperson for "Great Performances" told Playbill.com that the concert of the Benny Anderson-Tim Rice-Björn Ulvaeus musical will air in 2009. BBC-TV is also expected to broadcast the program.
Chess in Concert boasted Tony Award winner Idina Menzel as Florence, Tony nominee Adam Pascal as Frederick Trumper with internationally acclaimed vocalist Josh Groban as Anatoly Sergievsky, London Wicked star Kerry Ellis as Svetlana, David Bedella as Molokov, Clarke Peters as Walter and Marti Pellow as The Arbiter. The ensemble included Grant Anthony, Christopher Colley, Tiffany Graves, Leila Benn Harris, David Michael Johnson, Debbie Kurup, Aoife Mulholland and Tabitha Webb.
Hugh Wooldridge, who adapted the musical for the concert, directed; David Firman conducted the orchestra.
Chess, according to press notes, "involves a romantic triangle between two players in a World Chess Championship, and the woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the characters' personalities are loosely based on those of Victor Korchnoi and Bobby Fischer."
The Benny Anderson-Tim Rice-Björn Ulvaeus musical Chess debuted on the London stage with a cast led by Elaine Paige, Tommy Körberg and Murray Head, while the short-lived Broadway company featured Judy Kuhn, Philip Casnoff and the late David Carroll. The score includes such tunes as "Nobody's Side," "One Night in Bangkok," "Anthem," "I Know Him So Well," "Pity the Child" and "You and I." The original Broadway cast recording was released on RCA Victor.
Idina Menzel won a Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical for her work as Elphaba in Wicked; she also opened the London production of that hit musical. Menzel created the role of Maureen in the original Broadway company of Rent, and her other theatrical credits include the City Center Encores! production of Hair, the Manhattan Theatre Club The Wild Party, the Public Theater's See What I Wanna See and the benefit Funny Girl concert. Menzel's film credits include "Ask the Dust," "Rent" and "Enchanted." Her new solo recording, "I Stand," recently arrived in stores.
Adam Pascal made his theatrical debut as Roger in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's Rent; for that performance, he received Theatre World and Obie awards as well as Tony and Drama Desk nominations. Pascal was also part of the final cast of Aida, playing the role he had created several years earlier, the ill-fated Radames. He also portrayed the Emcee in the now-closed revival of Cabaret. Pascal was a co-producer of the hit Off-Broadway play Fully Committed and appeared in the Actors' Fund benefit concerts of Chess and Hair. Pascal's two solo recordings, "Civilian" and "Model Prisoner," are available on the Sh-K-Boom label.
Kerry Ellis, who succeeded Idina Menzel as Elphaba in the London production of Wicked, portrayed Fantine in Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre and Ellen in the national tour of Miss Saigon. Ellis will make her Broadway bow in Wicked June 17.
Josh Groban starred in the Actors Fund of America's benefit concert of "Chess." His numerous recordings include "Awake," "Closer," "Josh Groban in Concert" and "Josh Groban Live at the Greek"; his newest recording is titled "Noel."
David Bedella won an Olivier Award for his role as Warm Up Man/Satan in Jerry Springer—The Opera, a performance he recently repeated at Carnegie Hall. Bedella was seen on Broadway in Smokey Joe's Cafe.
Clarke Peters' stage credits include The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, Five Guys Named Mo, Mourning Becomes Electra, The Iceman Cometh and Driving Miss Daisy.
Marti Pellow, the former star of Scottish band Wet Wet Wet, made his Broadway debut in Chicago. With the pop group Wet Wet Wet, Pellow's top-ten hits include "With a Little Help from My Friends," "Goodnight Girl" and "Love Is All Around." As a solo artist, he has released the recordings "Smile" and "Between the Covers."
"Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good."
- Minor Myers, Jr.
I've never seen the play, but Chess is one of my favorite musical soundtracks of all time. And the problem with the Broadway version (from when I briefly listened to it years ago) is that it was balladized, which made it seem like a colossal lumbering bore.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
FilmFan720 wrote:I actually think the only thing worse than Keira Knightley as a sining Eliza Doolittle might be being forced to sit through a film of Chess. If it didn't work on stage, it sure as hell isn't going to work on film.
The British version works, brilliantly. Why they messed it up when transferring it to Broadway I'll never know.
I can just see Anatoly and Florence singing "Mountain Duet" against the backdrop of the moonlit Italian Alps in all its widescreen splendor....
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
I actually think the only thing worse than Keira Knightley as a sining Eliza Doolittle might be being forced to sit through a film of Chess. If it didn't work on stage, it sure as hell isn't going to work on film.
This is just one bad idea after another. There are plenty of great musicals that haven't yet been filmed for them to butcher (see Daniel Day Lewis as Guido Contini). Why remake a film for no reason? And if they are, give us a decent Mame, Man of La Mancha or Carousel (where did the talk of that film go?).
"Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good."
- Minor Myers, Jr.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the 1964 version of MFL that would require a remake. It will always be Rex Harrison for me, regardless of who they cast if they do a remake. And if it can't be a fresh young Julie Andrews, then I would settle for Audrey Hepburn.
What a waste of money!
Chess would be great (British version, not the crappy American re-score). However, I don't think there's a desire to produce a film about the conflicts betwen the US and Russia. It doesn't have the same impact as it might have 20 years ago.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
I don't understand why would remake any musical. They're expensive to make and the audiences for them are small. Those of us that love them have the originals in our collections, but yes, make the ones that haven't been produced or come up with something entirely new.
Better to either remake the musicals that didn't work as well on-screen the first time around (Guys and Dolls) or haven't been adapted at all (Chess) than previously successful film versions. Or how about doing something completely original, directly for film, à la Moulin Rouge!, only better.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
The imdb. shows 1776 as in development for 2009. Is this another musical remake or something else?
I guess if they can revive the same musicals year after year on Broadway they can remake them for the screen as well, but I can't imagine My Fair Lady being improved upon.
What good would location shooting do? What in London looks the same now as it did in 1912?
More realistic? Are they going to have the actresses wear their natural hair instead of coiffing them in wigs? Are they going to have Eliza say "move yer fuckin' arse" instead of "bloomin' arse" at the Ascot race?
Oh for the love of god this is a bad idea. I know the '64 film version of My Fair Lady isn't exactly adored by cineastes (and probably around here), but it's certainly one of the most beloved classic musical films in populist terms, and there's no real need to re-do it.
And is there a more vapid "serious" actress than Keira Knightley? And people thought Audrey Hepburn was dead weight at the movie's center...
Stephen Dillane and Jeremy Irons would be good in the role provided they can sing. Jonathan Pryce also as he can certainly sing, in fact i have seen him doing this role at the London stage and he was wonderful.
