FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was- Page 2
FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
#25FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 8:39amSome plays/musicals were just meant for the stage and not film. I believe FOLLIES is one of them.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#26FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 9:00am
I used to believe that a movie of Chicago was a fool's errand because the show is quintessentially theatrical (notwithstanding that the show is based on a movie from a play). But the movie proved magical. Meanwhile, while I've never really liked Follies on stage I can imagine, however challenging it would be to make it into a good film, it would be possible.
Updated On: 12/1/13 at 09:00 AM
#27FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 9:32am
I actually think it would be easier to make Follies into a movie than it is to create a decent stage revival.
The recent revival, as good as it was, failed in two ways: (1) the ghost aspect of the show was not very imaginative and (2) the spectacle aspect was not designed in such a way as to simultaneously pay homage to the Ziegfeld Follies and display its ridiculousness. (Can I say it now? The red flower background was, ultimately, unsuccessful and monochromatic.)
But film, as a medium, is much more comfortable depicting ghosts. (In many way, that's all film is: ghosts.) And the spectacle could be more easily accomplished.
#28FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 9:36am
And while we're discussing Fellini-like versions of Follies, here's the "Follies in Miniature" from the original production:
http://youtu.be/FQjULRtXp0U
And the thread that discusses it all:
The Follies in Miniature Story
#29FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 12:39pmBut will the property appeal to the masses. FOLLIES is known to theater aficionados but it's not a show that is known to the mainstream public. It never was a show that took on a life of it's own like WEST SIDE, ANNIE, GREASE, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF or DREAMGIRLS. In that sense it would be a very tough sell and a risky venture to take on.
#30FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 12:42pmIt would need to be sold as a movie in itself, not as "the film of the beloved 1970s Sondheim flop."
jemjeb2
Featured Actor Joined: 6/28/05
#31FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 1:27pmIt could have been wonderful... I see Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor in the leads. Ok all were in "Singin'in the Rain" but this would have been a glorious reunion.
#32FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 1:55pmYou can't have a "Singin' in the Rain" reunion with Cyd Charisse and leave out Jean Hagen! As Carlotta, perhaps?
jemjeb2
Featured Actor Joined: 6/28/05
#33FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 3:35pmTrue re: Jean Hagen - she practically stole the movie. Maybe Carlotta or maybe leading the girls through "Mirror, Mirror"
#34FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 3:47pmWhat a terribly written piece--I wouldn't have believed The Paris Review would have even published it if it weren't on their official site...
#35FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 4:52pmI think they had the right idea by changing it into a film studio instead of a theatre. It would make it far more cinematic and it could still deal with the exact same themes of the past and present coming together and be incredibly effective.
#36FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 5:40pm
I seem to recall that in one of those NYPL screenplay treatments, the character of Margie was a tour guide at the studio. The story goes that after THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! was developed (coming dangerously close to the proposed FOLLIES treatment), the idea of a FOLLIES film was abandoned. And yes, the LOVELAND sequence in the recent revival was dreadful. A friend of mine asked me why LOVELAND was taking place in Satan's intestines.
MCfan2
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/06
#37FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 5:43pmI don't know if it could have worked with a "Singin' in the Rain" reunion cast, but just the thought of it has me smiling! I wouldn't have minded seeing a Gene/Debbie/Fred/Ginger version, either.
#38FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 5:46pmMaybe it's just as well. It's time has passed. I would actually prefer to see a first rate staging recorded for PBS' Great Performances series or a limited engagement run in theaters like they've done with COMPANY and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.
#39FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 8:05pmAs long as he doesn't mess with the score, Baz Luhrmann could make a spectacular film.
#40FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 9:16pmAbsolutely not. Under no circumstances. I forbid that.
#41FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/1/13 at 9:23pmI think they should have recorded the recent revival for Great Performances, preferably from Los Angeles. I didn't see Bernadette, but Victoria Clark was a marvelous Sally. The show itself at the Ahmanson might be one of my favorite theatergoing experiences ever.
logan2
Leading Actor Joined: 6/15/04
#42FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 1:34am
After reading that article, I am more excited about the prospect of a FOLLIES film than ever. The casting of Astaire, Rogers, Reynolds, and Kelly as the two main couples would have been awe inspiring - and Davis doing "I'm Still Here" and Crawford doing "Broadway Baby" would have been icing on the dream cake.
FOLLIES has always been one of my all time favorite musicals. There's just something about the faded star/decaying present aspect of it that has always haunted me. And what a score! Sondheim's best, maybe?
I think a film version could be fantastic, especially with an improved script and adding flourishes like black and white film ghosts with in color present day characters. And changing the setting to a film studio from a stage theater could be just the inspired spark that makes it all work.
I hope it comes to fruition - and, please God, let them get it right.
Updated On: 12/3/13 at 01:34 AM
#43FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 2:34pmSo-if you had to cast it NOW, who would you cast?
#44FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 4:19pmI don't anything these days can top what they wanted to do with the material in the 1970's.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#45FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 4:23pmIn 1972, Elaine Stritch would have made a great Hattie.
#46FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 4:42pm
In 1972, Stritch would have been about 25 years too young to play Hattie.
#47FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 4:49pm
I've often thought that the best way to make a film of Follies would be to set it in a film studio as opposed to a theatre, so it's interesting to see that the idea was kicked around.
But, yes, it would have needed a cast from that era of Hollywood and, as others have observed, that time has passed.
And it's just as well it wasn't done with Burton/Taylor.
I did sometimes wonder if Sean Connery would have made a good Ben Stone - he must have been able to sing and dance, to some extent, because he was in the original London production of South Pacific.
#48FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/3/13 at 5:31pmMuch as the Widow Goldman would hate to hear it, the original script pretty much works on film, plus or minus the little emendations described in this article. That would be my basis.
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28
logan2
Leading Actor Joined: 6/15/04
#49FOLLIES: The 1972 Film That Never Was
Posted: 12/4/13 at 1:08am
Theater geek, I'm not sure who I would cast. But let's hope whomever casts it can think out of the box and not go to the "ususual suspects". It seems a lot of people think Streep should play Phyllis, but I disagree with that.
But I'll leave casting to the professionals.
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