Steven Spielberg to remake The Grapes of Wrath

[FredCDobbs]

Citizen Kane was so stunningly different, I was amazed when I finally got to see it in New York in 1965.

 

I wonder how many classic films have never been remade?

 

The Grapes of Wrath, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Red Shoes, A Streetcar Named Desire, Wizard of Oz, Sunset Boulevard.

 

What else?

 

Wings, Hell's Angels, All Quiet on the Western Front?

[twinkeee]

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

 

REBECCA

 

THE THIRD MAN could never be remade, that's for sure.......talk about special lighting !!

 

Edited by: twinkeee on Jul 6, 2013 10:15 PM

[FredCDobbs]

>All Quiet On the Western Front was remade as a TV movie in 1979 and there is a theatrical remake planned for 2014 release.

 

I just saw about 2 mintues of it on YouTube.

 

Too modern.

 

I like classics that were made nearer the time of the era they are about. Those are usually more realistic to me.

[StBartsActor]

 

Well, Drew made the Auntie Mame comment at the BEGINNING of the film, not at the end, which really had me stymied...

 

 

But I do advocate remakes (in general) and think Speilberg might be a perfect choice for such an undertaking. Remakes will not obliterate the greatness of the original, but introduce younger people to the original source. If it is a great re make, it may stand on its own alonside the original, but nothing gets taken away from the original.

 

 

Here's my example..... as a young kid when Imitation of Life came out (umm, the Lana Turner version), I lived in a very multi racial neighborhood. And as we all hung around the block, we discussed lots of things, and I can remember some of the older guys talking about this film that was playing in the local neighborhood theater. It was all positive and it was Imitation. No one in my little world, other than my Dad, knew about the original. I am not saying anything against the original, just saying, a whole new generation was introduced to that film and maybe a few more watched the original as a result of that re make.

 

 

[FredCDobbs]

>Remakes will not obliterate the greatness of the original, but introduce younger people to the original source.

 

Young people today will have a fit if they see a modern all-Anglo migrant farmworker film.

 

Such a thing is impossible today. 40% or more of America today is non-Anglo and all the "civil rights leaders" will not allow such a film to be made. You just wait an see.

 

And remember, in "Letters from Iwo Jima" the Americans are the bad evil killers.

 

Nope, it can't be done.

[clore]

Nope, *Wuthering Heights* was remade in 1970, 1992 and 2011, all theatrical films. There have been some TV versions also.

[TopBilled]

Would people go to see a remake of JIGGS AND MAGGIE IN JACKPOT JITTERS? Has Spielberg considered remaking this film? I am asking this question, not to sound flippant, but because there is a point to be made about why he is picking a classic with a built-in audience instead of picking something more obscure. In my opinion, he is trying to cash in on the anniversary of Steinbeck's story; and also, to capitalize on the familiarity of the story previously built up by Zanuck and Ford.

 

If this was about just doing a simple remake, then JIGGS AND MAGGIE would be a contender in the redux sweepstakes. But it's much more than that...

[twinkeee]

....he is trying to cash in on the anniversary of Steinbeck's story...

 

Of course he is, that was My first thought too....that, and all the glory that goes with it to the point where you become convinced that He is responsible for Steinbeck's story.

[FredCDobbs]

If the anniversary is next year, I don't know how he could get a script, cast, and film ready in time for release next year.

[twinkeee]

...for all you know, he already has a script and cast.

[Swithin]

That's a very interesting point, Fred. I don't think the film should be remade. The original is a work of art, pure and simple. More so even than the novel, I think. But Spielberg usually is fairly smart about these things. Perhaps he wants to remind Middle America that their roots are with today's migrants? A sort of "remember where you came from" story, with famous actors of today, to try to induce some compassion into the plight of today's migrants.

 

In any case, there's a scene toward the ends of *Sideways* in which the guys are in the hotel room. The television is on. You don't see the picture clearly, but you do hear the audio, and it's *The Grapes of Wrath*. That was a perfect touch, in that film about today's California wineries!

[TopBilled]

>Perhaps he wants to remind Middle America that their roots are with today's migrants?

 

About today's migrants? Or about today's immigrants? Migrant workers are not necessarily immigrants-- they are a transient workforce. Technically, a Caucasian truck driver could be considered a migrant worker, travelling from one place to the next to ensure his employment.

 

And obviously, even if a remake of THE GRAPES OF WRATH intended to create sympathy for immigrants, we have to remember that not all immigrants are illegal.

 

Though I am sure you are on to something. Both Spielberg and Redford would have a political agenda in attaching their name to a project of this type. Redford directed THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR many harvest moons ago.

[twinkeee]

Perhaps he wants to remind Middle America that their roots are with today's migrants ?

 

I think "Middle America " has more to worry about then where their "roots" are !

 

Twink

[FredCDobbs]

Take a look at these realistic battle scenes from the original WHAT PRICE GLORY (1926)

 

Starts at about 1 hr 21 minutes:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wrRcNio9fmM#t=4821s

 

See where the trench caves in on all the men at 1:23:10

[Dargo2]

>For example, my favorite movie is the 1936 version of The Petrified Forest. But I have seen multiple performance of the play, the TV special (with Fonda) and the 2 or more remakes (one being a western with Joel McCrea). While I didn't enjoy any of these as much as the 36 movie I welcomed them just the same.

 

Wow James! When you make it to Sedona in the Fall, we're gonna have LOTS to talk about here, and I'll tell ya why.

 

As much as I also love "The Petrified Forest", I've been sayin' for YEARS that I think an updated film version of it is long overdue. Maybe something such as some inner-city gangbanger type taking on Bogie's Duke Mantee role, for instance. Just thinkin' out loud here, but I've thought for years that Sherwood's script which brings about issues such as "The Privileged vs the Have Nots of the world and how they cope or fail to cope with their lot in life" is an evergreen scenario to explore.

 

You may have even read some similar remarks of mine a few times around here in the past and after someone has started one of those "What movies would be ripe for a remake or redo?" kinds of threads which occasionally pop up at this website.

[TomJH]

*clore wrote:*

 

*Good lord - I had to fix my post. I have a good friend who spells his last name "Malcovich" and I'm forever making that mistake with the actor who has a "K" instead of the "C" - gets me just about every time.*

clore, I'm surprised at you. You're a bright guy. How could you possibly misspell John Mallcov . . ., err, John Mallenco . . . John Mallkav . . .

 

How could you possibly misspell that actor's name?

[DownGoesFrazier]

..but I'm never pretentious about Dargo's levity.

[Sepiatone]

 

I would guess it's "Wojohoveicz", being Polish myself. There could be a HUNDRED ways to spell it.

 

 

My favorite part about it was in many a *Barney Miller* episode, a frustrated Wojo would tell people, "It's pronounced the way it's SPELLED!" Which is funny to a lot of us Polacks, because MOST of our names CAN'T be pronounced the way they're spelled. Like the girl I went to grade school with, named Janet Dzyadytcz (pronounced JADICE).

 

 

Getting back to the track: TB, some of your pretentions come in the form of feeling you're more QUALIFIED to make comment on these matters, when indeed you're no more qualified than most anyone ELSE on this forum. That, and the insipid remark that Spielberg would be DESECRATING Ford's original film.

 

 

Heaven's sake, this is a MOVIE we're discussing, NOT a HOLY RELIC. If you weren't so busy replying to YOUR OWN THREADS, you'd notice there are many people here capable of valid, articulate and cognizant opinions. Say what you like about ME( I might be inclined to agree), but STOP being dismissive about others because they didn't waste money on some college course YOU took.

 

 

 

 

 

*KONG* : I like the newest remake of *King Kong* with Jack Black and Adrien Brody. It did show Black more capable than the silliness of his movies like *School of Rock* and *Shallow Hal* . And it stayed pretty close( with, I'll admit, many uneeded embelishments) to the original story, even using many lines from it. The APE was a very well done CGI creation, looking MORE "ape-like" than the Willis "man-in-an-ape-suit" claymation figure in the original. Certainly, it far surpasses the 1976 fiasco!

 

 

But that DOESN'T mean I no longer like the original. THAT movie will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart.

 

 

Fred, "Streetcar" was remade as a TV movie with Treat Williams terribly miscast as Stanley, but also Ann-Margaret playing a BRILLIANT Blanche, and a respectable performance by Beverly D'Angelo as Stella. But still, the Brando-Leigh-Hunter movie is still best.

 

 

And will somebody please explain the vast amount of HATE towards Spielberg many of you seem to possess? I think he's a brilliant director, and likely would be the first to voice an ADMIRATION for Ford, dismissing many of the claims made here that he's trying to "outdo" Ford and the original film.

 

 

Sepiatone

 

 

[DownGoesFrazier]

WE're jealous of all the money he makes.

[clore]

I even double-checked on Wojo's name from the IMDb - I didn't want to embarrass myself again.

 

You mentioned the STREETCAR remake with Ann-Margret (she WAS great) and that touched off a memory of seeing promos for one with Jessica Lange. Sure enough, she did a TV movie with Alec Baldwin as Stanley in 1995.

[FredCDobbs]

Dang, this makes me feel hot and sweaty just looking at it:

 

[StBartsActor]

I know Jessica Lange did it on Broadway with Alec Baldwin, but not sure if it was filmed. May have been, but they definitely did it on stage.

[clore]

> {quote:title=StBartsActor wrote:}{quote}

> I know Jessica Lange did it on Broadway with Alec Baldwin, but not sure if it was filmed. May have been, but they definitely did it on stage.

It was definitely filmed. Fred has a link to it below, he's getting all hot and sweaty (his words, not mine) watching it on YouTube.

 

It's also available on DVD.

[FredCDobbs]

I think the copy I linked to is the 1984 Ann Margaret TV version.

[clore]

> {quote:title=FredCDobbs wrote:

> }{quote}I think the copy I linked to is the 1984 Ann Margaret TV version.

Ah - OK. I presumed that since I referred to the Jessica Lange version, that your response to me was a link to that film. Thanks for the head's up.

 

StBartsActor: The above doesn't negate my point that it was filmed. You can get a copy of the Lange/Baldwin version here:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Tennessee-Williams-Streetcar-Named-Desire/dp/B004FGA2MG/ref=sr_1_5?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1373238493&sr=1-5&keywords=AStreetcarNamed+Desire