What's up with the odd choices for male romantic leads coming out of British TV these days? First Dominic Cooper as Willoughby in ITV's Sense & Sensibility, now Eddie Redmayne as Angel Clare?!?
What's next, Ricky Gervais as Heathcliffe?
I realize that this is incredibly shallow, but can't a gal get some eye candy along with her literary masterpieces? Jeesh . . .
I agree!!
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Exactly what I was thinking last night--- Redmayne looks very immature and unremarkable, even with a great speaking voice and sincere acting. He reminded me so much of "Napoleon Dynamite" I half-expected him to say "My flippin' sweet Tess." In short, not, to my mind, a guy one would have recalled from a brief appearance at a dance several years before, and perhaps not most ladies' idea of the object of a romantic yearning by FOUR lusty milkmaids (a couple of whom actually had other "opportunities.")
I agree about Dominic Cooper being a very strange choice as Willoughby. In what universe would he ever be an appropriate Willoughby??? Now, Greg Wise in the 1995 Sense & Sensibility was Willoughby to a tee!
shareI agree 100%!
But have you noticed that these two actors are the ones that have been in the most Hollywood movies? Dominic has been in The Duchess, The History Boys, Mamma Mia, and Eddie has been in The Other Boleyn Girl, Elizabeth the Golden Age...
I can't understand why these two actors are the ones getting roles in bigger movies. Their acting is just alright, and they don't have much going on lookswise.
I would love to watch a movie in the theaters with Blake Ritson or Hans Matheson. There are men with talent and looks.
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I agree about Dominic Cooper being a very strange choice as Willoughby. In what universe would he ever be an appropriate Willoughby??? Now, Greg Wise in the 1995 Sense & Sensibility was Willoughby to a tee!
Cooper is a talented actor, but I thought that Redmayne was an awful choice.
shareI like Eddie Redmayne. I think he has a uniqueness about both his acting and looks, even if he does look a bit boyish.
And Hans Matheson has a mysterious, cunning look about him so I thought the contrast in the male leads was interesting.
I thought that Sense and Sensibility was BBC? Anyway, i didn't get Cooper as Willoughby. But i like him as an actor.
Eddie was okay, but, completely bowled over by the performaces by and the chemistry between Gemma Arterton and Hans Matheson. I've got to admit it was interesting watching an adaptation of Tess where the Tess/Alec scenes were more enjoyable than the Tess/Angel scenes.
LOL! Yes I totally agree! That's why in some ways I often times found myself rooting for Tess & Alec rather than Tess & Angel, not only because of their chemsitry but also because they had Angel almost run off with Izzy to Brazil!
(First Angel abandons Tess because she "cheated" on him by not being a virgin before their marriage, then he nearly takes Izzy with him to Brazil. While Alec, despite his flaws, seemed totally devoted, if not obsessed by Tess, once he met up with her again after a few years and found out she'd bore his child.)
CB in a decade http://www.hansmatheson.org/hansgallery/photohans7.jpg
Alec wasn't devoted, he was just a horny sicko!
shareThe first time I watched the new Sense and Sensibility, the word that came to mind when I saw Dominic Cooper was "dweeb". He did grow on me some the second time around. Few men are as handsome as Greg Wise was in 1995. Unless they are just awfully homely, some men can be attractive even without a pretty face. This is because of the way they carry themselves, their expressions and their personalities. I have always thought that about James McAvoy. He's not classically handsome, but there is something about him that is very attractive.
shareJames McAvoy would've been an interesting choice, although he was already in Atonement several years ago, which was in part inspired by TOTD. (Although his character there didnt exactly fit either Alec or Angel.)
Retro Jizz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XVsDoKEFoI
although he was already in Atonement several years ago, which was in part inspired by TOTD.I think it's best to separate a minor intertextual reference and parallel with direct influence as Alec differs much more in comparison with Paul Marshall than he does resemble - otherwise you could name the other dozen books that have similar intertextual parallels and references in Atonement; and in contrast with the unreliable narrator we are privy to in Atonement - we have Thomas Hardy's own viewpoint in TotD.
Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about! Tom Hardy as Heathcliffe -- fantastic acting AND crazy, heartbreakingly handsome!
shareThey are odd choices, but they weren't that bad.
Now if they mess up Wuthering Heights (when they inevitably make ANOTHER serial or movie) by casting an ugly Heathcliffe, there will be consequences!
JASPER HALE <3 Nothing like a bit of southern comfort . . . ;)
Now if they mess up Wuthering Heights (when they inevitably make ANOTHER serial or movie) by casting an ugly Heathcliffe, there will be consequences!They rarely cast Heathcliff as he's described in the book, anyway; they almost always make him Anglo looking. share
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I have to say this thought came to mind when I first realized Eddie was playing the role of Angel. You have to admit if Eddie isn't "hott" he certainly is cute. However, I think he is the PERFECT fit for his character and for Tess. Haven't you seen girls with, let's say, their lesser counterparts and wondered why? Well, perhaps it's not so much a secret after all. When a woman is raped, she contemplates all the characteristics of her rapist and gathers them all into a discard pile. Then, when she looks to date again, she may refuse to accept any similar characteristics and visual appearances. It makes complete sense that if a rapist is handsome, a victim would avoid overly handsome men for fear of the same consequence. After all, if Tess was unable to discern Alec's meaning to begin with, all she has to go by is what she discovered.
I'd rather a story be believable in its portrayals than to have eye candy...
That's funny that you mentioned that. I remember reading/watching both book and movie of Speak, the rapist in the book/movie turns about to the athletic tall, dark and handsome young man. While later in the book/movie, the protagonist (victim of the rapist) have a love interest with an average looking geeky boy.
shareThis is an excellent point. I think that Angel in this adaptation is the perfect foil to Alec: approachable rather than removed and mysterious, open and true with his emotions rather than difficult to discern, and with a lighter complexion and less conventional looks rather than Alec's dark, handsome appearance.
shareI think Eddie Redmayne was a perfect choice for Angel Clare, to be honest i was fed up of seeing polished tall dark and handsome in every single period drama i thought he made a nice change from the boring mold. ;)
Same here! He may not be that classic model man, but I thought Mr. Redmayne was quite cute!
shareI thought he often looked lost and disengaged.
shareHe IS a model though!
http://marieclaire.media.ipcdigital.co.uk/11116%7C00005d423%7C8917_orh 750w480_burberry-spring-summer-2012-ad-campaign-featuring-eddie-redmay ne.jpg
I also think he is striking in appearance. I am in awe of his bone structure - swoon!