LonesomePolecat Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I just made a comment in another thread about how I often wish I could combine the original and the remake and thought maybe the rest of you have had the same thought. To reuse the same example: Maybe the original is awesome, like SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, but Margaret Sullavan isn't nearly as good as Judy Garland is in the remake IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME. I wish Judy was just in the original instead. Another example that I've always thought is WHEN LADIES MEET. In the original we have the amazing Myrna Loy as our main character, who is way more likeable and awesome than the remake's Joan Crawford. But in the remake the jilted wife is played perfectly by Greer Garson, who you could swear the part was written for, since you're supposed to think "how could anyone cheat on her?" Plus the cheating husband in the original, Frank Morgan, doesn't fit as well as the actor in the remake: Herbert Marshall. Both Bridgies are awesome (Spring Byington and Alice Brady), so that would be a tough call, but I still wish we could combine the two somehow. Any other originals/remakes you wish you could combine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SansFin Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 My first choice would require shuffling of roles. I would take: Basil Rathbone who played: Lord Arthur Dilling in: The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929) and make him: Charles. I would then move: Robert Montgomery in: The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) as Arthur Dilling into that role in 1929 version opposite: Norma Shearer as: Mrs. Cheyney. I would move also: Nigel Bruce as: Willie Wynton from 1937 version to 1929 version. I am sorry to say that this leaves no role for William Powell but sacrifices must be made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Replace Charles Boyer in the lavish 1944 production of "Gaslight" with the 1940's version's Anton Walbrook. (...I always felt Walbrook played the sly menacing type better than Boyer) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Oh yeah.....why couldn't A STAR IS BORN be with stellar Judy Garland and better Fredric March? Janet Gaynor is insipid in the original, while Fredric brings a sensitive sexiness to Norman Maine. James Mason's Maine seems to have a mask on-zero facial expression. I did like however, Miriam Hopkins in both versions of THESE THREE/THE CHILDRENS HOUR- in different roles! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonesomePolecat Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Oh yeah.....why couldn't A STAR IS BORN be with stellar Judy Garland and better Fredric March? Janet Gaynor is insipid in the original, while Fredric brings a sensitive sexiness to Norman Maine. James Mason's Maine seems to have a mask on-zero facial expression. That is pretty true. You can't beat Judy or Fredric March. That would have been an awesome movie. I love everything about NINOTCHKA but I wish it had Peter Lorre in it, playing his SILK STOCKING character Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarjoe Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Bebe Daniels and all the actresses from The Maltese Falcon (1931) into The Maltese Falcon (1941) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misswonderly3 Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I just made a comment in another thread about how I often wish I could combine the original and the remake and thought maybe the rest of you have had the same thought. To reuse the same example: Maybe the original is awesome, like SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, but Margaret Sullavan isn't nearly as good as Judy Garland is in the remake IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME. I wish Judy was just in the original instead. Another example that I've always thought is WHEN LADIES MEET. In the original we have the amazing Myrna Loy as our main character, who is way more likeable and awesome than the remake's Joan Crawford. But in the remake the jilted wife is played perfectly by Greer Garson, who you could swear the part was written for, since you're supposed to think "how could anyone cheat on her?" Plus the cheating husband in the original, Frank Morgan, doesn't fit as well as the actor in the remake: Herbert Marshall. Both Bridgies are awesome (Spring Byington and Alice Brady), so that would be a tough call, but I still wish we could combine the two somehow. Any other originals/remakes you wish you could combine? What an interesting thread idea. For some reason all I can think of at this moment is Cat People. I would take the entire cast of the 1942 version and put them in the 1982 one. The only thing I'd keep from the 1982 remake is the David Bowie song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Put Jason Robards of the 1960 TV version of The Iceman Cometh (where he recreated his legendary off Broadway performance of 1956) in the 1973 film version. Put Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in the 1931 Maltese Falcon -- or maybe put Dwight Frye in the 1941 version. The '31 is actually quite good, but Ricardo Cortez is all wrong as Sam Spade and whoever plays Joel Cairo (some Dane, I can never remember his name) is more like a berserk mass murderer than a decadently effete aesthete. Okay, now this may get confusing -- feel free to take notes if you need to. Inherit The Wind: 1960: Spencer Tracy and Fredric March 1965: Melvyn Douglas and Ed Begley (recreating his original Broadway role) -- never seen this one 1987: Jason Robards and Kirk Douglas 1998: Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott I never cared for March as Brady -- he plays a fascinating, contradictory figure as a simple buffoon. The totally miscast Douglas plays him as almost a straight villain. It would be interesting to see Begley's take on the character -- Begley wasn't much for playing fools, so was his Brady more like his Boss from Sweet Bird Of Youth? My favorite Brady remains George C. Scott, who played a character the authors clearly do not side with as sympathetic , not unintelligent, and honestly committed to his principles. My personal dream team would be Tracy as Drummond and Scott as Brady. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonesomePolecat Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 Spencer Tracy and George C Scott would have been a great team. But Jack Lemmon in INHERIT THE WIND? That sounds interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Put Jason Robards of the 1960 TV version of The Iceman Cometh (where he recreated his legendary off Broadway performance of 1956) in the 1973 film version. Put Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre in the 1931 Maltese Falcon -- or maybe put Dwight Frye in the 1941 version. The '31 is actually quite good, but Ricardo Cortez is all wrong as Sam Spade and whoever plays Joel Cairo (some Dane, I can never remember his name) is more like a berserk mass murderer than a decadently effete aesthete. Okay, now this may get confusing -- feel free to take notes if you need to. Inherit The Wind: 1960: Spencer Tracy and Fredric March 1965: Melvyn Douglas and Ed Begley (recreating his original Broadway role) -- never seen this one 1987: Jason Robards and Kirk Douglas 1998: Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott I never cared for March as Brady -- he plays a fascinating, contradictory figure as a simple buffoon. The totally miscast Douglas plays him as almost a straight villain. It would be interesting to see Begley's take on the character -- Begley wasn't much for playing fools, so was his Brady more like his Boss from Sweet Bird Of Youth? My favorite Brady remains George C. Scott, who played a character the authors clearly do not side with as sympathetic , not unintelligent, and honestly committed to his principles. My personal dream team would be Tracy as Drummond and Scott as Brady. And so Doc! Who would you have playing my favorite part in this thing...the smartazzed and cynical newspaper man patterned after H.L. Mencken? (...probably not much of a surprise that that's my favorite character in this thing, is it) LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 And so Doc! Who would you have playing my favorite part in this thing...the smartazzed and cynical newspaper man patterned after H.L. Mencken? (...probably not much of a surprise that that's my favorite character in this thing, is it) LOL Broadway 1955: Tony Randall 1960: Gene Kelly 1965: Murray Hamilton 1987: Darren McGavin 1998: Beau Bridges Bridges was completely miscast. Hamilton tended to play heavies, with a very occasional sympathetic part. I wonder if he caught the full range of the character. I've never been too impressed with Randall as a dramatic actor. It would be interesting to if he could successfully play such a deeply cynical character. I remember liking McGavin's performance, but it's been so long since I've seen it I really need to refresh my memory. Kelly had successfully played cynics before -- he became a star on Broadway in Pal Joey. In fact, Kelly was set to co-star with Judy Garland in Easter Parade when he broke his leg. As a result, the character he was to have played is a lot more in-your-face than those Fred Astaire usually played. So Kelly pulling off Hornbeck was really not much of a stretch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arturo Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell and Sterling Hayden repeating their roles in ZERO HOUR in the rethink that was AIRPLANE. Of course, they would have to play it tongue in cheek, and Darnell would have had to somehow survived another 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Dracula (1931) keeping Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye and Dracula (1958) aka Horror of Dracula, keeping Peter Cushing and Michael Gough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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