I Still Find Mame on Film Charming... — Page 2

Ha, ha..... Yes, time marches by...and time flies, doesn't it?

Throughout the years, when Angela has been asked why she didn't do the movie version, she has always said, "Because, I was quite simply, never asked."

Cary Grant was apparently a pubilicly-discussed contender for the role of Harold Hill. In a May 25, 1960 petition, mailed to Jack Warner, it contained hundreds of signatures of protest against Grant (or anyone other than Robert Preston) being cast. When Shirley Jones was offered the role of Marian, she was told that her co-star would be Frank Sinatra.

Meredith Wilson went directly to Warner Bros with the threat of pulling the film rights and demanded that Preston recreate his stage role for the big screen.

Cary was offered "My Fair Lady" and declined. He even told Jack Warner that if Rex Harrison didn't do the movie version, he wouldn't go see it.

Updated On: 7/1/07 at 06:34 PM

Hollywood = stupid

I may still have a book re original casting choices as opposed to who finally made the film

Lawrence of Arabia - Originally Brando was slated but he got bogged down with Mutiny on The Bounty. Albert Finney actually did a few days of filming but begged out fearing the film would make him a "star". The rest is history

Dirty Harry - originally offered To Sinatra & Mc Queen

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Updated On: 7/1/07 at 06:45 PM

I'm also surprised that Angela wasnt asked to do the movie. I asumed she would have a little more box office clout than Lucille Ball at that time. Angela had done Bedknobs for Disney a couple of years before. It may not have beena huge hit, but i'm sure it would have warrented her to do the Mame.

I watched it on DVD again yesterday, and yes i know Lucille hasnt got the best voice in thr world. The words cat and strangling come to mind, but she does have a certain charm that i cant quite put my finger on.

I've read that she had a longer cut of the film which she often watched at home. Someday, I'd love to see that cut!
Broadway Blog: From the Mouth of Alan Jay Lerner

Lorings is right ... Lucy's personal financing guaranteed that MAME got made at all. And that's the reason there was no question about her starring, even over Herman's objections.

And as for her clout, Lucy was possibly THE biggest name in bankability at the time ... she was finishing up her third hit TV series when MAME was released, an there was no one more beloved by the public. All the more shocking to Lucy when the movie was savaged by critics and largely ignored by the public.

She just can't sing and she seems uncomfortable in the dance numbers. Her acting was good, though at times phony. Thankfully the movie is not a complete dud- Bea Arthur and Robert Preston are sensational.

Yes, Wildcat has some fun songs in it, but I find the music a little dull.

But I love the scene in the shopping mall when she roller skates away, her look is priceless.

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Lucy was recovering from a broken leg (hip?) that pushed back the filming of MAME almost a year. She went to work with Onna White six weeks before filming began practically as physical therapy, and later credited Onna with her recovering as well as she did.

Still, Lucy was, and she admitted it, fairly tentative about her dancing ever after ... especially during the title number. She apparently checked over every bit of that rolling lawn herself to make sure she wouldn't encounter any gopher holes that could re-injure her.

(And even though she requested -- and got -- Robert Preston to play Beauregard, she wasn't happy that he was somewhat shorter than she had hoped, and rejected her request that he wear lifts in his shoes to appear taller.)