Here's my cast (as of Dec. 20, 10:30 pm). Of course nobody will greenlight this because it doesn't appeal to the younger generation, so the movie will have to play in art houses.
Sally - Elaine Paige Buddy - Victor Garber Phyllis - Beverly D'Angelo Ben - Kelsey Grammer Carlotta - Tina Turner (I'm Still Here; Give her "Ah, But Underneath") Hattie - Bernadette Peters (Broadway Baby) Stella - Bette Midler(Who's That Woman?) Emily Whitman - Chita Rivera Theodore Whitman - Joel Grey Solange - Lindsay Duncan Roscoe - Nathan Lane Weisman - Tony Bennett (sings a newly written song about the Follies)
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
I really can't think of an ideal Phyllis. It has nothing to do with age or Hollywood-appropriateness, it's just that we don't have those kinds of "characters" any more. It would be hard to find someone who could give it the sassiness and force needed and not come across as an emotionless bitch.
I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."
After the brilliant success of Sweeney, I'd be willing to swing my vote for Company. But NEVER Follies -- it simply sceams out for a live theatre. As a side note, I saw the original with my mother, who had been involved in show business in the early 30's, and her comment was that it didn't match up to the lavishness of the original revues being done at the time.
Personally, it's a shame Jack Albertson never played it, he had the figure and background that would lend that authenticity that Follies seems to like.
Debbie and Shirley would have made a fantastic Sally/Phyllis duo back in the days. Unfortunately they could be their grandmothers by now. Shirley McLaine would make a great Stella and Debbie would be great as Hattie. I was watching BROTHERS & SISTERS the other day and I still think Jewishboy's Sally Field idea is brilliant. Oh, and if you go for younger, how about in 5-10 years or so we get Rachel Griffiths as Phyllis with Toni Collette as Sally? MURIEL'S WEDDING reunion and both actresses would be BRILLIANT in those roles.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"