MovieChat Forums > Somewhere in Time (1980) Discussion > In the re-make cast Keira Knightley as E...

In the re-make cast Keira Knightley as Elise!


I think she would be perfect in the role. Anyone agree? Disagree? Which actress would you like to see in the role for a re-make?

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Keira Knightly would be perfect!

As for the leading man, I think it's almost impossible to "replace" Chirstopher Reeve, so you might have to start all over with that one. Either go with an unknown or go with someone equally dreamy but in another way like:

Leonardo Di Caprio
Ralph Feinnes
Tom Hanks (not handsome enough?)
John Malkovich (too old?)
Kevin Costner (too old?)
David Duchovny (too deadpan?)

I'm sure there's a handful of good looking men on soap operas...
Here's one that's tall enough and even rides horses...
Ingo Rademacher: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005332/

This is hard.

------
Jason Charles Cramer (2000 - 2006) About this remarkable boy: tinyurl.com/2zkl65

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Ralph Feinnes would work.

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I am distressed that anyone would ever think of disrespecting the magic this movie holds with a remake. Jane and Chris were perfect, the chemistry they had can never be remade. Niether could ever be replaced. I hope this never happens!!!
Elise Mckenna Lives On!!!

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he's way too old. And I say that as someone who is older than he is.

James McAvoy. There's your man.

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I agree that Keira would be perfect. As for the leading man, I'd suggest Ben Barker. The younger Johnny Depp would have been great too.

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Leonardo's already been in this movie. It's called titanic.

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How about no remake? This movie doesn't need one. Only bad movies truly need remakes.

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Only good movies get a chance at a re-make. SIT is an excellent movie that deserves a re-make.

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I was glad to see Rufus mentioned, but I disagree a/b the role. He would really do well as Robinson in my mind. He really has a way with working the bad guy. With regards to the other roles, Bloom would do well. Claire Danes would make a good Elise and Paul Rudd should not be overlooked as Richard. I am a big fan of Keira, but this is not the role for her.

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would it be along the same lines? english actress, american actor? or vice versa? i cant see it happening although as swit is now a cult classic it would certainly be an interesting re-make and definately have a feel good factor to it although a heart wrenching story. personally i dont think people could forget reeve so for screen presence my initial thought would be hugh jackman. i could fall in love with a lot of actresses on screen but for this particular tale it would have to be an english (at least accent) girl, who would have to be beautiful yet strong looking. i cant for the life of me think who would fit the bill. keira knightley would be nearly perfect but id just be seeing pirates of the caribean if she were to be cast lol id personally want someone in that role who would be truly heartbreaking. if this was remade it would be the perfect excuse to relaunch the 'weepy' experience at the cinema ;O)

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But why would an american actress HAVE to have an english accent? Elise is american.

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i agree keira knightley as elise, i think leonardo would be great to play richard. He's so versatile with his roles plus he is very handsome.

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I guess if you want to appeal to the younger crowd, then Keira Knightley and Leonardo DiCaprio would work.

I don't think there should be a re-make, that's just idiotic.

I was born to love him, and I will never be free, he'll always be a part of me.

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Why would a re-make be "idiotic"? It's film with proven VHS/dvd sales and a very loyal following. Re-makes are all about the money. A re-make of SIT stands to do well in that department. Each generation wants to make a film their own. SIT warrants a re-make.

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I disagree. This movie should be left alone.

I was born to love him, and I will never be free, he'll always be a part of me.

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No, Bringbackwriting. I COMPLETELY disagree!! Bc a film is good, it doesn't mean that you should change it. I personally think that remakes are a bit insulting to the original. It shows that the original cannot stand the test of time. Films such as SIT, and The Godfather are perfect as they are and "generations" must accept them and be open to actors besides who's hot right now! Would you want to remake Citizen Kane??

(That's not to say a film INSPIRED by SIT wouldn't be nice to see!!)

I think that only films that were not made well warrant remakes to improve them. My 2 cents.

Notre Dame de Paris, Elisabeth, and Dracula entre l'amour et la mort-greatest musicals

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The film wouldn't be "changed". The original SIT would still exist. A new version does nothing to diminish the original. It is the story that is told again and the story that warrants another film for another generation.

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I guess I just don't think that another one NEEDS to be made... The original should stand the test of time

Notre Dame de Paris, Elisabeth, and Dracula entre l'amour et la mort-greatest musicals

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I agree. Good movies are timeless; to remake a film suggests that something was wrong with the original. It's arrogant and disrespectful to the original. Somewhere in Time should be left as it is, not remade to cash in on the original story, to appeal to those who only go to see films that star hot younger actors. If this is an audience's only reason to see a film - to check out the flavor of the month - they won't appreciate the story anyway.

And for my part, I think Knightley would be absolutely dreadful. In every film where she plays a woman of the past, she acts like a modern person. She just can't pull it off. She looks modern, she acts modern, everything about her is modern. She may improve in a few years; she may not. But even if I thought the film should be remade - and I don't - she'd be the last person I'd want anywhere near it.

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Yeah, it has proven sales and a loyal audience. That's all that matters. Let's do the same to those other movies with proven sales and loyal audiences, like Citizen Kane and Gone with the Wind. All those remakes and reimaginings of the Wizard of Oz done in the last 74 years were so much better than the original with Judy Garland, weren't they?

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They totally need to remake 'Somewhere in Time'! I've spent a lot, probably too much, time thinking about a remake and how I would do it (since you know, I have no chance of actually doing it lol).

I've got it, mostly, figured out how I would update the story. My big three cast: Chris Evans as Richard Collier (hey, another superhero guy), Kristen Stewart as Elise McKenna (absolutely beautiful girl AND she looks so much like Jane Seymour it's crazy IMO) and finally Hugh Jackman as William Fawcett Robinson.

The big changes I would make in the plot are necessitated by wanting to do 2 things: 1) still having Richard in the 'present' (meaning 201X) at the start of the film, and 2) still having young Elise in 1912. To do this Elise can't be alive when Richard has his first play. My answer, simple, pull a 'Back to the Future III', ie- Elise left Richard something in her will and several years later that inheritance is given to Richard on the night of his play. Of course part of the inheritance is the watch. This also opened up another way to end the film that I hadn't originally thought about. Since, in my verison, Elise died years ago I thought about the idea of her being reborn, so to speak. Thus the ending doesn't have Richard and Elise reunited in death (poetic btw) but Richard meeting 'Elise' (her reborn self) in the present and having an instant connection. Thus keeping the theme that true love can conquer even death and time itself.

"You can't have my heart."

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A remake would be sacriledge!

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You do sound fanatical about Reeves but that's fine. It's all subjective. I believe the SIT story stands the test of time and as such is perfect for a re-make. I know of no precedent for denying a re-make based upon a memorial to any actor. Unless that actor's estate owns the film rights I can't see that ever happening if the story is deemed financially viable for a re-make.

I stopped watching Three's Company after Suzanne Somers was fired. IMO she was the star of the show.

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This could be remade; based more upon Matheson's actual "Bid Time Return".. Fill in some holes between the book and what became "Somewhere In Time" with this.. "Somewhere In Time" will always be special and held sacred to me, but I do think I'd find a take on Matheson's original ideas intriguing: California, Richard is ill. Elise's mother is also a road block; not just Robinson this time. I can say I'd miss the original music..

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To PlanoRB, sounds like you've read 'Bid Time Return' -Were there that many differences between the book & the movie? What were they & do you think the movie version worked well enough w/out them? Would it have been better?

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I'm not so sure remakes are the best idea........in my recent memory there are the remakes of The Omen and Posiden, both of which were both horrible and left a very bitter taste in my mouth. I don't think it is necessary to tweak with something that was done as well as it was.

If every generation wants to make a film their own, why don't they hire a screenwriter to actually write on original film? Doesn't that seem like a great idea, instead of copying every other piece of art that is already in existance?

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I know a lot of posters disagree w/a re-make ever being made, but speaking only for myself I think if it were done well I might like it. I would like to see Kristen Kruek & Tom Welling in the lead roles but in a tv version. I know it sounds a little strange w/Tom playing Clark Kent (& Kristen) on Smallville, but I watched it again the other night & thought of them playing these parts. - I also think Keira Knightly is really lovely too. And by the way, even though there are some movies I also agree should never be re-made it's fun to play the casting game & see who people pick.

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I think Welling would be a great choice. He was cast as a young Reeves look alike for Smallville so that's not surprising. I'll have to take a pass on Kruek though as her look is too exotic for Elise, at least the Elise I've been conditioned to accept as portrayed by Seymour.

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Then what actress, someone other that Kiera, a less sought after actress perhaps, do you think might portray Elise?

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Now you're asking the multi-million dollar question. The question that makes or breaks careers. The "less sought after" or unknown actress that can grab ahold of a role and make people want to buy the movie. The profit to be realized could be great. I cannot think of such an actress at this time. No doubt she's out there.

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Everyone seems to be talking about whether or not there should be a "Re-Make" of "Sowewhere In Time"; when the actual point of discussion is that of Keira Knightly as the leading Lady in such a "Re-Make".

I have to say that, for me, at least, M/s Knightly would NOT be the right person to portray the young Elize: a role so beautifully made her own by Jane Seymour in 1980.

I think that that role should be offered either to Reese Witherspoon, or to Sandra Bullock. .....M/s Witherspoon is good with Rom-Coms, and has shown, in her more recent work, what a GREAT CHARACTER ACTRESS she is. Whist M/s Bullock is also a great character Actress with a long Rom-Com experience, and also "Different Time" experience from her work on "The Lake House".

Many of you have tried to immagine a Leading Man for this "Remake"; although this was not asked about by the OP. .....Well, ....IMO. .....there is only One person who could fill that position, and he is not a "SuperMan" Look-alike. .....This guy has worked with Reese Witherspoon before on a Rom-Com., and they made a very good job of it together. In fact, I do not think that the movie "Just Like Heaven" would have worked if either of the leading players had been different.

I have to say that, should "Somewhere In Time" succumbe to a "Re-Make", and were I producing that "Re-Make", I would have no hessitation in casting Reese Witherspoon as Elize, and Mark Ruffallo as Richard. Those two are simply MAGIC, .....and they are GREAT TOGETHER.




"Wait.....The Key.....I.....I need the key back.".
Dr. Elizabeth Masterson. .....(L.J.R. Witherspoon.).

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To each his own but I can't stand either actress you suggested. Witherspoon plays far too many saccharin roles for me to stomach in a tragedy. She did play June Carter well but that's still a stretch. Bullock has never impressed. I can't think of a more overrated actress, ever.

If we're going to suggest stars then I would also like to see Racheal Weiscz in the role of Elise. She has succeeded in such a tragic love story before. Her role in "Swept From the Sea" proves she could do the part of Elise.

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I'm interested in what you have to say on this subject BBW. ...I have to admit that the only movie I have seen Rachel Weisz in was her Oscar winning performance in "The Constant Gardner", one of two films from that year's Oscar Winners that did not impress me: and M/s Weisz (a British Actress, BTW) impressed me less than the movie did.

The other film that did not impress me was "Walk the Line", in which Reese Witherspoon portrayed June Carter Cash extreemely well. She had to do a lot of off-screene work in connection with that movie, including learning to sing, and to play the Auto-Harp; and she broke down in tears on several musical takes on it because of the pressure that they put her under. Unfortunetly, from my point of view, M/s Witherspoon CARRIED the movie "Walk the Line", being the only person in it who, IMO, "earned her money". For me, Reese Witherspoon WAS that movie; ...but, as a Witherspoon Fan, I'm slightly biassed, and I still feel that her Oscar shoud have come for "Just Like Heaven", which was released early (out of sequence - it was made AFTER "Walk the Line") to allow "Walk the Line", rather than her latest Rom-Com., to get into the Oscar Zone.

As for Bullock: ...Yes, ...she has disappopinted me with her more recent offerings as well. ...."Premonition" being a good example of how not to earn fans and influence people.

You mention a film called "Swept from the Sea". .....I have never heard of this movie, but will endeavour to see it as it looks like you are recommending it as a Good Story Well Acted.




"Wait.....The Key.....I.....I need the key back.".
Dr. Elizabeth Masterson. .....(L.J.R. Witherspoon.).

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"You mention a film called "Swept from the Sea". .....I have never heard of this movie, but will endeavour to see it as it looks like you are recommending it as a Good Story Well Acted."

Indeed I am!

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Thanks, BBW. .....I'll look it up, and try to either obtain a copy, or, at least, get to see the movie.



"Wait.....The Key.....I.....I need the key back.".
Dr. Elizabeth Masterson. .....(L.J.R. Witherspoon.).

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Rachel is a good choice.

Is Kate Winslet too old? I'd like her in this role, I think.

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