Who would you cast in a REMAKE? - Calamity Jane (1953) Discussion

[–] somertondiplomat 18 years ago

Not bad but I would have

CALAMITY JANE: Renee Zellwegger
WILD BILL: Heath Ledger
KATIE BROWN: Anne Hathaway (The princess Diaries)
ADELAIDE ADAMS: Nicole Kidman
LT DANNY GILMARTIN: Brad Pitt

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[–] reffermadness19232 18 years ago

CALAMITY JANE: Amy Spangler(Reefer Madness)
WILD BILL: Heath Ledger(Boyt from Oz)
KATIE BROWN: Idina Menzel (Rent)
ADELIAD ADAMS: Uma Therman(Producers)
Lt DANNY GILMARTIN: Cary Elwes(Robin Hood Men in Tights)
HENRY MILLER: Alan Cumming(alot)
FRANCIS FRYER: Adam Sandler(Happy Gilmore)

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[–] emilynelina 18 years ago

Um, unless they're playing swap-the-Aussie up in your hemisphere, I'm afraid the 'Boy From Oz' was Hugh Jackman, not Heath Ledger. To my knowledge Heath's done no singing beyond the little croon in '10 Things I Hate About You' (though I read somewhere that they had to rough-up his vocals a bit, so perhaps musicals could be an option...)

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[–] johnd70978 18 years ago

I haven't seen that little transvestite midget from THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY in anything recently, so I'd probably want to see him/her playing either Calamity or Bill. And how about the late Marie Dressler as Katie. I really loved her in TUGBOAT ANNIE. And last but not least, I can't imagine anyone in the role of Francis Fryer except Heath Ledger.

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[–] MerchantVenturer 18 years ago

Why would anyone want to remake this film?

Modern cinema is unable to recreate the light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek, belief-suspending marvels that such films of that era were, and still are.

A modern version would be pretentious and embarrassing, simply a "look at us, we know it's not real life but we are going along with it to show we can".

But today's actors can't, that's the trouble: neither can the directors nor what is left of the major studios.

Leave this wonderful piece to sparkle without modern imitation.

The only plus point of a remake would be that it would so bad as to make the original look even better.

Every generation has the arrogance of a mistaken belief that it can do better than previous generations, whether in cinema or in life as a whole. You'd think we would all have learned this lesson by now.

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[–] Claudia_St_Clair 18 years ago

Very well said! You can never remake a classic especially one as highly renowned as Calamity Jane! Maybe a jokey remake just to see what it was like though,

Gil you've got something stuck to your shoe...oh wait its just Sanders

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[–] scottgodfrey 18 years ago

As Calamity Jane I'd cast Nicole Kidman

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[–] tonyaladue1970 18 years ago

I agree... a re-make would be terrible! Non of the actors today could possibly pull it off..most of them can't even sing and dance. If there had to be a re-make, the popular actors today could not have any part in it...they would actually have to cast talented people for this.

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[–] geezabrek-1 18 years ago

I completely agree that it would be stupid to remake this. However -

CALAMITY JANE: Kathy Burke
WILD BILL: Alan Cumming
KATIE BROWN: Katie Holmes
ADELAID ADAMS: Christina Applegate
Lt DANNY GILMARTIN: Tony Shalhoub
HENRY MILLER: Damian Lewis
FRANCIS FRYER: James Gandolfini

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[–] nneprevilo 18 years ago

This should NOT be remade. It's perfect the way it is, beautiful photography, a great score, color and singers who "live the lyric." Nobody could sing "Secret Love" and the rest of Doris Day's songs as well or better than she.

"Calamity Jane" has already been done on stage. Carol Burnett played the title role and it was a different "Calamity Jane." Carol had worked as an usher as a girl and watched Doris' performance several times a day for the weeks it played in the theatre. She loved it.

I've seen several actresses try to play Calamity and all I could think of was "Doris Day" doing the role. As it is, the cast is perfect, but I wouldn't have minded seeing Paul Lynde in the Francis Fryer part. Also, Don Knotts would have been fun in that role.

The only reason they would remake this film would be MONEY. And, they would play off the popularity of the Doris Day version to sell the new one. Remember how Renee Zellweger's "Down With Love" heavily fed off the Day/Hudson films to rev up interest in the new project? The Day/Hudson classics really sold that new imitation.

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[–] taraandrich 17 years ago

Dear God No!!!

Please never, NEVER! remake this movie!!! Doris Day is the first lady of musicals. This movie and it's cast have an innocence and presense that belong in a bygone era.

Leave it alone - you can't improve on perfection.

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[–] whittneyann 16 years ago

Amen to that.

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[–] ijonesiii 18 years ago

I would have to go along with the concensus and say that Renee Zelwegger would be the obvious choice for a remake.

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[–] drama_queen_151 18 years ago

You could never remake a film as wonderful as this. i don't think you could ever remake any of those films from era. the best thing to do is make them stage shows .

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[–] Book93 18 years ago

This movie should never be remade.

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[–] lex-kat 18 years ago

I agree that this movie, as a musical, could never be remade. What I think would be cool would be a Calamity Jane movie based on her true life, not false fluff. A movie that honors who she really was (strong, aggressive, "manly"), not what the fifties producers wanted women to be (soft, timid, weak).

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[–] ijones-9 18 years ago

There was a TV movie done in the 80's I think about Calamity that was a straight drama. I believe Jane Alexander played the role. After reading your post, I'm thinking this version of Calamity's life might be more to yourliking.

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[–] Lyannovitch 18 years ago

Hmz,

I Think

Calamity Jane = Sandra Bullock(Miss Congeniallity)/Angelina Jolie(Tomb Raider)
Bill Hickock = Ralp Fiennes (The Constant Gardener)
Katie Brown = Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings)
Lt. Danny = Heath Ledger The PAtriot)/Eric Bana (Troy)
Adelaid Adams = Cathrina Zeta-Jones (Chicago)
Henry Miller = Donald Sutherland (Pride and Prejudice)
Francis Fryer = Adrien Brody (The Pianist)

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[–] Ellen_is_number_1 18 years ago

I wouldn't want a remake. Simply because.

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[–] dolphinfreak1091 18 years ago

I wouldn't change anything. It's a wonderful movie, just as it is.

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[–] cagskg 18 years ago

I very much agree that this movie should never be remade. It is a classic film of the early 50's era of musicals like another favourite of mine Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Both films had such talented actors, singers and dancers. Doris Day was magical and Howard Keel was excellent in Calamity Jane, but he was even better in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

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[–] Lyannovitch 18 years ago

Wow, finally somebody who also knows Seven Brides for Seven BRothers!

Dont you just love it?
My mother and I can always tease my father with Bless Your Beautiful hide..:P
Bytheway, Seen the real 'sobbin' women in Italy, Florence! But they were all in their mee-oh-my..:p

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[–] sston255 18 years ago

Eeww on the remake. However, I heard rumors that someone was trying to get the rights to put "Calamity Jane" on stage. (I assume Broadway.) A stage version would be cool if well done. However, the director would have to go to great lengths to keep it from becoming too much like "Annie Get Your Gun."

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[–] Gingertom 18 years ago

I have just read this thread and will probably come back to it later but the only one I can think of is

WILD BILL:Clive Robertson(Sunset Beach)he is a dead ringer for Howard Keel.

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[–] kentbabe86 18 years ago

There are many classics from this era and i do not think that any of them need to be remade in to a more modernised version, i believe that they would lose the class, some of the story line and the well earned respect that people have for them. Calamity Jane along side things such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Carousel, King and I and many more have all been films which i have enjoyed and no matter how many times i watch them, i will never get tired of any of them. If a remake was produced I think people would watch it but at the end of the day the original is always going to be the keeper and will last through the generations. I would never have known about it if it wasn't for my mum and my mum wouldn't have known it if it wasn't for her mum, that in its self is proof that a classic never dies.

Thanks

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[–] MartG 18 years ago

Many great nominations, but these wonderful old musicals would be hard to remake given the political correctness mandate given today. "The only good Injun is a dead Injun," etc, etc. Francis Farmer would have to be gay. (Maybe he was! LOL) All that reverence for General George Custer would have to go, he killed Indians, you know. This has long been one of our family favorites, and we'd go to see a remake. Maybe America could use some of this!
Ten years ago Glenn Close and Michael Douglas would have been good in the leads, if they could sing.

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[–] Shuggy 17 years ago

You may call it political correctness or I may call it respect. Historical accuracy would make most of the cast Black, and the Indigenous the wronged party. But when did "Calamity Jane" ever have anything to do with historical accuracy? The thing is a farce, but a very good one.

They wish
to cure us
but I say
we are the cure

and more at www.cafepress.com/wero

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[–] cosmogirly 17 years ago

i would hate to see this movie remade

it was a movie the whole family could watch together
if they remade it im sure a few f...s would be added

it was lighthearted and fun

its an all time fave of mine, only just behind my all time fave of Seven brides for seven brothers

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[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

Thanks for your post. I agree with just about everything you say and as muchas I agree with you, I don't think anything is going to stop the discussion or production of remakes. There seems to be a stunning lack of originality in Hollywood these days and remakes seem to have become a staple of 21st century Hollywood and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

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