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How would you cast a new film of 'A Little Night Music'?


Desiree -- Goldie Hawn
Frederik -- Kevin Kline
Anne -- Anne Hathaway
Charlotte -- Toni Collette
Carl-Magnus -- Hugh Jackman
Henrik -- Jake Gyllenhaal (yes, he sings)
Petra -- Brittany Murphy
Mme. Armfeldt -- Julie Andrews
Frederika -- Abigail Breslin

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[deleted]

I would love to see Glenn Close's face when you ask her to play Meryl Streep's mother.


There is a scene in which a turkey is chased around a room. Not everyone will care for this.

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Desiree -- Bernadette Peters (I really like your choice of Goldie, too, though; she wouldn't have occurred to me, but I can totally see her in the role.)
Frederik -- Jonathan Pryce
Anne -- yup, Anne Hathaway
Charlotte -- Uma Thurman (I actually really enjoyed her in "The Producers")
Carl-Magnus -- Hugh strikes me as an excellent choice.
Henrik -- Patrick Wilson (he plays uptight & repressed really well -- see "Angels in America")
Petra -- Kristin Chenoweth
Mme. Armfeldt -- Marianne Faithfull
Frederika -- no idea

I think that a group of well-known Broadway and West End theatre performers should do cameos as the Quintet (maybe Michael Ball, Rebecca Luker, Ruthie Henshall, Robert Westenberg and Christine Andreas).

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I'd so love to see Julie Andrews as Mme. Armfeldt. I think Rachel York would make a brilliant Charlotte. Hugh would be good for Carl-Magnus. I don't think I'd like Kristin as Petra. I'd rather get a real powerhouse unknown. Kevin Kline as Frederick is inspired.

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I would prefer to see Bernadette Peters play Petra...then they could restore "The Miller's Son." The thought of Peters doing that song sends a chill down my spine.

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Uma Turman is too young to play the Countess.

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I disagree. Charlotte is in her twenties in the original film and in the stage productions of the musical she's usually in her thirties, I believe.

Perpetual sunset
is rather an unset
-tling
thing.

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I'm thinking Lindsey Lohan for Fredrika.

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Three years later, here are some revisions. :P

Desiree - Nicole Kidman
Frederik - Hugh Jackman
Anne - Amanda Seyfried
Charlotte - Jessica Biel (I was really impressed by her work in "Easy Virtue")
Carl-Magnus - James Marsden
Henrik - Robert Pattinson
Petra - Amy Adams or Lea Michele
Mme. Armfeldt - Judi Dench or Marianne Faithfull
Frederika - a talented young newcomer!

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Barbara Knox as Madame, Sally Ann Matthews as Desiree. Or maybe Joan Collins and
Catherine Zeta Jones. Denise Van Outen as Petra?

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Deiree - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (this will prove to everyone she CAN act - also, her version of "Send In the Clowns" is AMAZING!!!)

Frederick - MANDY PATINKIN

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Desiree- Bernadette Peters
Fredrik- Victor Garber
Anne- Anne Hathaway
Charlotte- Helena Bonham Carter
Carl-Magnus-Michael Cerveris
Henrik- (work with me, now..)Justin Timberlake (ducks--but seriously, he has personality and can act. Plus we've only ever heard his studio-enhanced 'pop' voice; his full voice could surprise!)
Petra- don't know
Mme. Armfeldt- Lauren Bacall(she's the right age and has done musicals)
Fredrika- Abby Breslin

Yeah, they're dead; they're all messed up...

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You cast is not bad...I would rather see Glenn Close or Meryl Streep as Desiree. I'm thinking Kevin Kline for Frederik. As much as I like Helena Bonham Carter, I would prefer someone a little older as the Countess. I would have Bernadette Peters play Petra...she would totally rock on "The Miller's Son". I'm thinking Josh Groban as Henrik. I like Lauren Bacall as Mm. Armfeldt or how about Angela Lansbury...either would work for me.

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Desiree - Meryl Streep
Frederick - Alan Rickman
Count Magnum - Timothy Dalton
Charlotte - Emma Thompson
Anne - Kiera Knighly
Henrik (Eric) - Orlando Bloom
Madame Armfeldt - Judy Dench
Fredericka - Dakota Fanning
Petra - Martine McCutcheon
Frid (Kurt) - Rhys Ifans

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Desiree: Meryl Streep (there's no one better)
Fredrik: Kevin Kline (this is indeed an inspired choice, and need I say more about chemistry with Meryl?)
Anne: Jayne Wisener (Johanna from the movie of Sweeney Todd -- unlike the guy who played Anthony, she's good and they cut her part way down in Sweeney; Hathaway is too old)
Carl-Magnus: Victor Garber (Hugh Jackman is too young)
Charlotte: Bernadette Peters
Henrik: Jake Gyllenhaal (clean-shaven and made up to look 19) or unknown
Petra: powerhouse unknown
Butler Fryd: Me

I really like the idea of having Broadway stars play the chorus (I'd take Rebecca Luker, Kristin Chenoweth, Mandy Patinkin, Terrence Mann, and Barbara Walsh).

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Desiree: Natasha Richardson (Maid in Manhattan)
Fredrik: Jeremy Irons (Being Julia)
Anne: Jennifer Ellison (The Phantom of the Opera)
Henrik: John Gallagher Jr. (Pieces of April)
Charlotte: Minnie Driver ("The Riches")
Carl-Magnus: Hugh Jackman (X-Men)
Petra: Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada)
Madame Armfeldt: Angela Lansbury ("Murder She Wrote")
Fredrika: Annasophia Robb (Bridge to Terabithia)

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A lot of this is dependant upon their singing, but a lot of the roles aren't prohibitively difficult, Henrik aside.

Desiree: Jessica Lange
Frederick: Robert Redford
Anne: Scarlett Johanssen
Charlotte: Meryl Streep
Carl-Magnus: Jeremy Irons
Henrik: Someone find a bankable young actor with a high B.
Petra: Kirsten Dunst.
Mme. Armfeldt: Judi Dench
Frederika: Abigail Breslin

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Desiree - Meryl Streep or maybe Glen Close (who gave a terrific Seind In The Clowns at sondhiem event)
Frederik - Kevin Kline is PERCFECT
Anne - unknown
Charlotte - Megan Mullally or Christine Baranski
Carl-Magnus - Craig Bierko
Henrik - Jake Gyllenhall is a good choice, or Michael Buble
Petra - I think Anne Hathoway would be grat in this role, think of her in Brokeback Mountain or maybe Chrisinta Applegate
Mme.Armfeldt - Julie would be great if she was comfortable with the singing, if not, then Angela Lansbury (finally give her another crack at that oscar0
Frederika - hmmmm.... dakota? maybe

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Some interesting suggestions, SiJC.

Big thumbs up from me to Glen Close and Kevin Kline, and probably Julie (assuming you mean "Andrews" ?). Not sure about the rest of the others, but largely because I'm not so sure of their singing ability. (Not saying they can't sing, just saying I'm not sure.)

Craig Berko has the right feel for Carl-Magnus, but I don't think Michael Bublé is right for Henrik -- he's much too smooth and urbane. That probably goes for Jakey G as well. I see Henrik much more as someone nervous and austere -- more like Jeremy Davies (although I think he may be too old now for the role?)

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What about Emmy Rossum as Anne?

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I would like to see either Meryl Streep or Glenn Close as Desiree. I like Kline as Frederich and I could deal with Jackman as the Count. I'm thinking Josh Groban for Henrik though...the thought of him singing "Later" sends a chill down my spine.

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And how about Emmy Rossum as Anne, Bernadette Peters as Petra, Julie Andrews as the Countess, and Mary Louise Wilson as Madame Armfeldt?

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Bernadette Peters would have been a perefect Petra in the original Broadway production, but now? Isn't she almost three times the character's age? I know she doesn't look it, but still, that's a little far-fetched.

Perpetual sunset
is rather an unset
-tling
thing.

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Desiree - Susan Sarandon (Yes, she sings)
Frederik - Jeremy Irons (I like purple, that was a brilliant suggestion)
Anne - Kristen Bell (Broadway star, and Veronica Mars)
Charlotte - Anne Hathaway (Do you guys have these roles mixed up, I can just hear Anne's "Every Day A Little Death")
Carl-Magnus - Hugh Jackman (As long as he doesn't sound as whiney as he did in Boy from Oz)
Henrik - Jason Mraz...if he acts (He's got the high B)...Jake is WAY too old.
Petra - Brittany Murphy (perfect)
Mme. Armfeldt - Bea Arthur (Julie Andrews? are you kidding me? She's not enough of a broad, and her voice even in current conditions is too pristine)
Frederika - Abigail Breslin (brilliant - adoreable, not creepy like Fanning)

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I think Sarandon would make a lovely Desiree. I think Anne Hathaway is a little too young for the Charlotte. And I really like Bea Arthur as Madame Armfeldt...offbeat choice.

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Thanks! I could just see Bea up on screen belting out "Liasons". It would be pretty amazing. As for Anne -

Well that's true - but she did sucessfully play a woman in her late 30's/early 40's with a little bit of makeup in BrokeBack Mountain. I think Anne could pull it off.

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Desiree-Bebe Neuwirth, Michelle Pfeiffer
Fredrick-Jeremy Irons
Charlotte-Frances McDormand, Minnie Driver< Rachel Griffiths
Carl-Magnus-Hugh Jackman, Victor Garber
Henrick-Jake Gyllenhal
Anne-Keira Knightly
Petra-Toni Collette
Mme. Armfeldt-Diana Rigg (she was the BEST part of the original movie by far)
Fredrika-Elle Fanning

--Tim
Atlantis will rise. Sunset Boulevard will fall--Mama Cass

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Thank you for suggesting Michelle Pfeiffer. She would be excellent. AND she's more Scandinavian looking than the others.

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