MovieChat Forums > My Name Is Modesty: A Modesty Blaise Adventure (2004) Discussion > Who would you cast in a new Modesty movi...

Who would you cast in a new Modesty movie?

posted 19 years ago by Batsu73
31 replies | jump to latest

I know this is wishful thinking as I doubt there will be another Modesty movie but who would you cast in the lead roles?

There is a UK tv actress called Jaime Murray who is in a show about con artists called Hustle. She would make a great Modesty. In the last episode of this series she even did some catsuited gymnastics around laser beams in a museum which was very Modesty-like. Unfortunately she is probably not well known enough for a studio. In that case a reasonable substitute might be someone like Kate Beckinsale although she looks a bit delicate. Angelina Jolie has already tried Tomb Raider so I doubt she'd be interested.

As for Willie Garvin the casting is a complete no-brainer: Daniel Craig. This guy is a great actor and is rugged enough to be Willie Garvin. He would make a much better Willie Garvin than James Bond.

[–] HEPBURN1 19 years ago

I can't really think of an actress at the moment that could do the part of modesty blaise justice. I know who shouldn't be modesty blaise though- nicole kidman. Apparently she is one of the people they are considering for the part if the movie is ever made- as well as ewan mcgregor for the part of willie garvin. Definately someone like jaime murray or angelina jolie should be cast for modesty- someone with strong features who doesn't look like they would fall straight over if you poked them.

oh, you would be happy with 2 8ths instead of a quarter? Thats awfully big of you!

[–] apiticanejare 19 years ago

Penélope Cruz

[–] shanfloyd 19 years ago

I think Kate Beckinsale's good, yeah.

[–] Batsu73 19 years ago

Just thought I'd revive this thread.

One of the IMDB faces of the day is an actress called Lake Bell and someone proposed her as a potential Modesty.

What exactly is the status on any future Modesty movies?

[–] BijouBob8mm 19 years ago

Marina Sirtis, anyone? Several years ago, there had been talk of making a new Modesty movie, with Caroline Munro. Unfortunately, it never happened. Given all the source material for Modesty Blaise, it's a wonder we haven't seen a film franchise or TV series.

[–] aspera_astra 17 years ago

I vote for Penelope Cruz also. Just see her at Almodovar's new Volver - exp. in the beginging of the film. She is a strong woman capable of handling all things. And she is a real woman - not a plastic,empty hollywood star (like A.Jolie) but a woman who is real flesh and who you could image to meet in the streets.

[–] Vixen-8 18 years ago

Kate Beckinsale would be horrible as Modesty, she hasn't got the face, strength, body or depth.

[–] jelabala 18 years ago

Angelina Jolie, she has it all.

[–] l13elt 18 years ago

well said. you obv havnt

[–] johnericbackstrom 18 years ago

Myself I would want to see a good Modesty Blaise movie

Modesty - Angelina Jolie kickass
Garvin- Brad Pitt can do a cockney accent
Weng the butler - Jet Li looks really young
Tarrant MI6 boss - Michael Caine brings dignity

Gabriel the main nemesis - Johnny Depp with Ben Affleck and as his bodyguard gabriel is a wimp but is deadly
Tarrants right hand - Matt Damon looks innocent but is a lethal spy
Denise female agent for Tarrant - Gwyneth Paltrow

any other suggestions by Modesty Blaise fans?

ewan McGregor could also work as Garvin but it would be cool to have the two lovers Joli/Pitt as M & G. IRL lovers often has poor sexual chemistry on screen and M&G shouldn't have such a chemistry.

[–] Batsu73 18 years ago

I think Jason Statham would make a great Willie Garvin in terms of everythign except the hair. He can fight, he was an olympic high diver so he can handle Willie's circus acrobatics and he is less of a pretty boy than Pitt or McGregor whilst being a genuine charmer. he also has a more authentic cockney accent.

As for Modesty Blaise, I think Jolie would have been perfect if she hadn't done Tomb Raider. Odd as this may sound, I think Jessica Biel could do it. If you see the dreadful Blade Trinity she can definitely pull off the action heroine and she had the kind of body Blaise would have. She would need to dye her hair black and learn to speak with an English accent. I am not sure if she has the depth. Given that any movie planned now would not shoot for a couple of years she would be in the right age range too.

A lesser known actress who could fill the role and is British is Sienna Guillory. Look her up on this site. She has also done at least one action role.

Johnny Depp as Gabriel and Michael Caine as Tarrant are good suggestions too. It could be a nice touch to have Roger Moore as Tarrant. I could see Jason Isaacs as Jack Fraser.

It would have to be done right though - Modesty with the kongo, Willie with the knives... No falling in love for Willie and Modesty

We can dream. :D

[–] Menecairiel 18 years ago

Oh, if only this had been ten years earlier and I could cast Sean Bean as Willie...I agree that Sienna Guillory would be perfect. Give her long hair and attitude. She showed she could kick arse in Resident Evil II. I'd love to have Jason Isaacs as Jack Fraser, but I think Hugh Laurie might be a more realistic choice when it comes to look. He can do serious things. Tarrant would be played wonderfully by Roger Moore, and it isn't as if he has anything better to do ;) I miss old Modesty and Willie...

~Anne~
"Lovely girl. Tastes like...like strawberries" 006's infamous line, GoldenEye

[–] Batsu73 18 years ago

Hugh Laurie as Fraser is a great suggestion. I really liked one of the strips called "Fraser's Story" where he is on vacation and has to recall his old field skills. Of course Willie and Modesty get involved but Fraser shows he is no slouch on a "caper" either despite the fact he usually portrays himself as a humble clerk.

Sean Bean and Sean Pertwee would have both been great Willie Garvins ten years ago. Sean Pertwee played a hard as nails ex-foreign legionnaire in a series called Chancer in the late 80's. The title role was played by a very young Clive Owen.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] johnericbackstrom 18 years ago

MAn Sean Bean as Willie is perfect goddammit. Jason Statham could work aswell. A actress who could maybe work as Moidesty is Jessica Alba. Catharina Zeta Jones could work too

[–] dzishn-1 13 years ago

Modesty - Angelina Jolie kickass
Garvin- Brad Pitt can do a cockney accent
Weng the butler - Jet Li looks really young
Tarrant MI6 boss - Michael Caine brings dignity

i completely back this. exnay on mcgregor.

[–] babaelma 17 years ago

it should be definitely angela jolie...while penelope cruz has that exotic modesty look she doesnt seem to have that steel core which is modesty's trademark.jolie has the look and the athlecticism. Craig for garvin is an excellent choice but Garvin always has a twinkle in his eye and Craig would need to lighten up a abit. id vote Ian whats his name...Gandalf/Magneto for Tarrant...Great Gravitas...
the original stories put Blaise as (perhaps)middle eastern having travelled around as a displaced person circa WW2 i think they can use the 90's Bosnia conflict if they want to update her story. evrything else would fit/
and finally id prefer it as a miniseries. the books are excellent standalones and some fool would try to cram them all into one movie.

[–] JulianMHall 14 years ago

I disagree Vixen, I think Kate has all three. Have you not seen Underworld?

[–] spaceodds 14 years ago

Eva Green all the way for me. She's perfect for Modesty. Although Jamie Murrey does sound like an attractive alternative.

[–] overground 18 years ago

Angelina Jolie would be my worst nightmare in this film. No to Kate beckinsale as well. Can't htink of anyone really out there right now who could do it justice.
I smell trouble Cotton...deep, dark trouble!

[–] imahippynow 17 years ago

kathleen hanna would be great!

[–] tanjarutanen 17 years ago

I confess that before seeing this I too was cursing that Angelina Jolie had done Tomb Raider. But now I really have high hopes for Alexandra Standen. She could do an amazing job, I thought her performance here phenomenal. Granted that she is way too skinny for a grown up Modesty, but here she was supposed to be 19 and just out her life with Lob as the starving nomad. Reason I say "hopes" is that to succeed as Modesty at her peak, she should be able to show the difference between the young girl on the (criminal) make and a woman who has stood her ground as the leader of criminals for years... from the acting I saw I, I should think so. Just look at the moment she growls "You damn right I am." when Mykos in the fight says she's the boss.

And about that stunning beauty issue - I am afraid that studios will try to cast someone who is considered more of an eye-candy piece. And here this film has really sold Alexandra Standen short! I HAVE NEVER SEEN A LEADING LADY MORE POORLY LIT AND MADE UP! Look at her in the wide shots, look past the skinny-issue that keeps popping up, I think she has that considered, elegant and economical way of moving that Peter O'Donnell describes, never wasting a movement, always thinking ahead, one step ahead of the others. And her face, in these shots is what you'd hope and more - closer to Jim Holdaway's drawings in the first comics than Angelina's lock jaw could ever be.
It's the close ups that are a problem - bad hair, bad lip liner, bad skin lighting AND NO EYE BROWS!!! The woman herself is actually very pretty, and, with the usual tricks of the trade, would photograph quite stunning. Here, after the first shock, I liked it. Somehow I think that 19 year old Modesty would not yet be a fully fledged swan. Make-up is easy - acting is not:
Standen can all already do what most Hollywood actresses can't - convince us that even as an underdog Modesty can win a game of wills with a single stare...

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] jrbleau 17 years ago

I could see Melinda Clarke in that role
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0164918/

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] carter_hayes 17 years ago

Lena Olin or Juliette Binoche

[–] Dragonfly7 17 years ago

I vote for Rachael Stirling. She's the daughter of Diana Rigg and looks very much like her mother, whom I always thougt would be the best Modesty ever.