Casting Call: Casting "The Stand"

This is a thread to discuss casting decisions in movies (or television, for that matter):

1. Michael Corleone in "The Godfather"

Among the candidates for the role:

Warren Beatty
Jack Nicholson
Robert Redford

The producer, Robert Evans, wanted Alain Delon.

The director, Francis Coppola, wanted Al Pacino.

Pacino was a stage actor. Coppola had seen Pacino's second movie: "The Panic in Needle Park."

Pacino's screen test was a disaster; he didn't know his lines. Eventually, Marlon Brando, cast in the title role, convinced Evans Pacino could do the job.

Right choice?

 

Were you aware that a Godfather video game is comming out? Its going to have the entire cast doing voice overs, even Marlon Brando. They managed to do his lines for the cut scenes before he died.

 

Pacino's future was in doubt even partway through the production, all the way until his revenge killing. That changed everything.

I can't imagine anyone else in the role. He was brilliant, and it started him on the path to where he is today.

 

It's a great performance.

Nicholson was even then too old, I think, and not Italian. Delon and Beatty were too lightweight. Redford too WASP. Pacino was considered too short, too Italian, and not handsome enough. Wrong on all counts.

But Nicholson might have been interesting...

 

Didn't DeNiro try for the part as well? I seem to recall the screentest on the bonus disc for The Gofather DVD set.

 

DeNiro took over Pacino's role in "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" after Paramount bought Pacino's contract to do it out so he could do "The Godfather."

 

Yeah they pulled a switcharoo on the actors. I think it worked out better for the both of them though.


But yeah, I can't imagine anyone else in this role. It's too hard.

 

Pacino's performance was extremely modern, understated and subtle. It's no wonder that his screentests weren't outstanding from the perspective of Paramount execs. But Pacino had the role right, and Coppola knew it. Almost cost him the job though.

FORCEOF1

 

Were you aware that a Godfather video game is comming out? Its going to have the entire cast doing voice overs, even Marlon Brando. They managed to do his lines for the cut scenes before he died.

I actually watched a 5 minute segment about this on g4techtv. They have Duvall, Caan, and Brando. Pacino hasn't committed yet to the project and I guess there is an interview about this in the latest EGM. I heard that he will either commit to both this game and the "Scarface" game or he won't commit to any. I haven't read it yet so I'm just going on what someone told me. However if he can only do one game, I would rather have him do Scarface. He was Scarface and as much as I liked him in Godfather, this game can still go on without him.

Anyway that's the end of my rant.

 

The strangest turn of the whole concern (as my parental unit would say) is that Pacino was nominated as best supporting actor for the role. If this isn't a lead role, what is?

 

Didn't DeNiro try for the part as well? I seem to recall the screentest on the bonus disc for The Gofather DVD set.

I believe that screentest was for Sonny.

 

He was probably put up for supporting instead of lead because they thought he would have a better chance of winning. DeNiro might have been able to p[lay Michael. Warren Beatty or Robert Duvall- NO! He was good as young Vito in part 2, even thought the role wasn't all that big. I think he won the Oscar for that part.

 

Nicholson would have been interesting, but I'm not sure he was physically right for the part. I agree with your assessments of Beatty and Redford. Redford, especially, would have been disastrous. And I like Redford. In the right part. Not as the son of a Mafia don.

And, yeah, Pacino's nom as a supporting actor is an odd choice. Brando who's in the movie significantly less than Pacino got the lead nom. He showed his gratitude by sending a fake Indian to the Oscars.

The supporting category that year featured Pacino, Duvall and Caan, if I'm not mistaken, still the most nominated actors in one category from a single movie.

 

Next Casting Call:

Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs."

Orion originally optioned the novel for Gene Hackman, who was planning to write the screenplay, direct, and play the FBI man (the role that went to Scott Glenn).
He wanted to cast John Hurt as Lecter. He eventually gave up on writing, directing and playing the FBI guy; he decided instead to play Lechter.

Mike Medavoy, then head of Orion, approached Jonathan Demme to direct, and wanted Robert Duvall as Lecter. Demme wanted Anthony Hopkins as Lecter, and eventually, he was cast.

Right choice?

 

Could anyone else possibly have fit the role so well?

 

Brian Cox?..... just kidding I thought that Manhunter was horrible and really didn't like him as Lecktor, the rapist. Why did they change it for that film. Anyway I'm glad they forgot about him when they were making SOTL. Although I do think Brian Cox is a great actor in the films I have seen him in.

 

John Hurt is not physically imposing enough, IMO. Possibly also the problem with Robert Duvall, though he might have been good. He rarely projects his personality in the way you would have to here, though. Not saying he couldn't if he tried, however.

Gene Hackman is physically imposing, and he's quite effective as a villain ("The Quick and the Dead" et al). He might have been very good.

Since Nicholson was proposed for just about any role in the last thirty years, I'm surprised he didn't get this one.

Hopkins is definitely casting against type. He manages by force of personality, which is why the performance is so effective.

 

Hackman is imposing, but too overtly menacing in my opinion. He always feels raw. Hopkins was smooth and Lector needed that, I think.

Personally, I thought Brian Cox was excellent in Manhunter and I also thought that Manhunter was easily the equal of The Silence of the Lambs and better than Red Dragon. Mostly thanks to Petersen's out there performance and that epiphany in the bedroom, which actually gave me vertigo. I literally felt the couch drop out from under me, I swear . . .

Duvall seems too low key to have done well. And Nicholson would have been interesting.

 

Next Casting Call: Vito Corleone in "The Godfather."

Self-nominated for the role: Danny Thomas
Paramount wanted: George C. Scott or Richard Conte
Francis Coppola tested Melvin Belli (a famous lawyer) and Carlo Ponti (a producer), but really wanted Laurence Olivier
Mario Puzo wanted: Marlon Brando

Paramount did not want Brando, because his infamous (and accurate) reputation for being difficult. But he wanted the role (he was broke) and agreed to audition. Paramount agreed to him after seeing the tape and concluding there was no alternative.

Right choice?

 

The odd thing here: except for Conte (who eventually played Barzini) they didn't consider Italian or Italian American actors. I think Brando is marginally better casting than Olivier, but they are both WASPS and so is Scott, who might have been very interesting.

They cast for enthicity and presence. Since they couldn't get the first, they relied on the second. Brando delivered that.

Brando is very good at times: in the funeral home scene, the scene in the garden with Michael, and the contempt he gets into the line: "Taggalia's a pimp." But there are times he relies on schick--especially in the opening scene. Brando's good, but Pacino's great: he owns the movie.

What about Vitorrio Gassman? Or Gian Maria Volonte?

 

Gian Marie Volonte might have used schtick even more than Brando did. It seems the kind of role he would have really tore into. Whether that would have been good or bad . . . I honestly can't say.

Brando is excellent, though I still don't really get those cheek pads . . . Olivier probably would have done well, but I'm not sure he has the presence of Brando for a part like this one.

Giancarlo Gianini would have been interesting, I think and Scott would have made for a very, very different film altogether.

Picture for instance the "look how they massacred my boy" as delivered by Brando. Now visualize how George C. Scott would have said it. See what I mean? Very different movie with him in it.

I think we can all agree Danny Thomas would have been disastrous.

 

Yes, we can. I assume that's a joke.

I think you said you had never seen "Anatomy of a Murder", Rogue. Scott's very good in that--tremendous vitality. He might have been good. And if they had to have a WASP actor: Robert Mitchum.

 

I am with KW on this one. I cant even imagine anyone else in this role. Pacino aced it in every way possible.

 

Brando is excellent, though I still don't really get those cheek pads . . .

It came from an injury that's described in the book, I believe.

 

This is the role Marlon Brando is rightfully remebered for,yes

As for Hannibal Lector it is Anthony Hopkin's best role,but it would have been interesting to see a Jack Nicholson Hannibal.