Joe Gillis in SUNSET BOULEVARD

[jdrye222]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 7:20pm

I was recently re-listening to the full album of SUNSET, with Glenn Close.... and it reminded me how insanely grueling the role of Joe must be to perform. I can't think of any other male role in musicals who is onstage for THAT long with THAT much really tough singing. It is quite impressive. (He has way more time onstage than Norma and much harder stuff to sing). I thought Alan Campbell was wonderful in the original (I have no clue how Broderick won the Tony for that year instead of Campbell). It just makes me sad that the audience always goes away remembering the Norma, and they don't realize how much Joe does.

Re-listening also reminded me how --- as a non-fan of Lloyd Webber --- this is Webber's best score by far, and the orchestrations are just stunning. All the way through it, there is inventive orchestrating that is amazing to me.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 8:09pm

Be sure to check out Earl Carpenter as Joe Gillis here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM5BY7rluVw

I find it interesting how he sings the first part and chorus of the song at half voice, and keeps accelerating and changing gear throughout, getting bigger and bigger.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 8:32pm

it is worth checking out the London Cast Recording for kevin Anderson who originated the role of Joe Gillis.

A lot of people might query that Sunset Boulevard was kind of lucky to win the Tony that year, as it had no competition. But Glenn Close simply knocked it out of the park, she would of walked the Tonys most years, she gave one of those stunning Broadway performances, that is not often repeated.

[jo]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 8:38pm

Good points about the Joe Gillis role.

Did you ever see the original film noir by Billy Wilder? The musical adaptation was very faithful to the film. As in the musical, Joe Gillis was the narrator. And William Holden had top billing, compared to Gloria Swanson who played Norma. At that time, Bill Holden had not yet reached A-list status (he did receive an Oscar nod for the role, but it was a few years later that he won one for Stalag 17), so it was likely that it was the importance of the role which got him top billing.

I am surprised that the musical is not mentioned for any future revivals. It is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's best musical scores and the movie from which it was adapted is considered a film classic!

I've also wondered why producers of movie musicals have not cast their eyes on this stage musical for film adaptation.





Updated On: 6/2/13 at 08:38 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 8:53pm

"I am surprised that the musical is not mentioned for any future revivals."

It's very expensive to produce because it needs that big mansion set. And any professional production needs a big name for Norma.

[kieranbec]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 9:32pm

"I've also wondered why producers of movie musicals have not cast their eyes on this stage musical for film adaptation."

A couple years back, (2007, I think) there were rumors of a movie. There were also rumors for both Streisand and Meryl Streep to play Norma.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 9:40pm

ClapYo Hands... We will have to agree to disagree about that Earl Carpenter version.... I thought it was pretty bad ... Sounds like he has no clue what he is singing about. And the accent is not covered well.
I still maintain Campbell should have won the Tony that year, and that his performance has been forgotten because of Close's (very worthy) praise.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 9:44pm

Also, I adore Judy Kuhn on that album. I wish I could have seen her in the part.... was not a fan of Ripley.
I love that the full album includes so many of the full scenes, etc.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 10:37pm

As someone who has done the role, I can say that it's actually quite easy to get through. The range of the show isn't demanding at all - unless, perhaps, if you're a mid-range baritone.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 10:51pm

Lewis Cleale was a stunning Gillis on tour.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 11:11pm

"Also, I adore Judy Kuhn on that album. I wish I could have seen her in the part.... was not a fan of Ripley.
I love that the full album includes so many of the full scenes, etc."

Though I didn't see her, my favorite Betty is Meredith Braun from the original London recording. A large part of that is because when she says she's 22 you actually believe her.

I've actually created a playlist in iTunes (with some editing in Garage Band) to intercut between the two recordings, so my Norma is Glenn Close, but for any non-Norma scenes it's Kevin Anderson and Meredith Braun.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 6/2/13 at 11:12pm

I'd rather Meryl do a film of this than Into The Woods. I love this musical, and I think it would be great for a revival in ten years or so. Tangent: lots of great 90's musicals should be revived: City of Angels, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Secret Garden, Once On This Island, Sunset Boulevard, Tommy, WIll Rogers Follies.

[jo]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 12:19am

>>>I'd rather Meryl do a film of this than Into The Woods.<<<

I totally agree!

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 3:31am

"It's very expensive to produce because it needs that big mansion set. And any professional production needs a big name for Norma."

The 2008 London Revival had neither.

Updated On: 6/3/13 at 03:31 AM

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 4:08am

and flopped.

Also, personally I really couldnt warm to the stripped down London revival

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 4:45am

Throw away the chorus numbers ( they stopped the show dead ) get rid of Betty ( underwritten and added nothing to the show ) set the whole thing in Norma"s place and it would be a stunning show.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 4:56am

I saw Rex Smith in the Canadian production and got to meet him as a teen afterwards, and thought he was incredible. Since then, on here, I've read many opinions that he was underwhelming, so I've had to wonder if I just saw him on a good day, or if my childhood crush on him thanks to watching Pirates of Penzance over and over influenced my take. (I do think the Canadian recording is the best, regardless--Diahann Carroll acts the Hell out of the role and has a better voice than Close, at seventy minutes they cut a lot of the music that I would never want to listen to again, and the hugely souped up orchestra--I believe the added strings bring it to close to 70 members--is perfect for the score.)

[SweetLips]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 4:57am

Hugh Jackman in the Melbourne production was perfect-looks/voice-the whole package.Listen to his Norma-Debra Byrne-now that's an amazing voice[pity she really was bonkers!].

[Dave19]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 5:11am

I think Earl Carpenter sounds too hysterical for the role.

I prefer this singer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0vNe7D0qzY

[Will42]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 7:05am

If the film version gets made in near future Glenn Close is the only one who should play Norma and finally win an Oscar for it. Certainly not Meryl I get every juicy role for women over 50 Streep.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 7:19am

Judy Kuhn was fine as Betty. She sounded great.

I thought the whole show was grandly produced, but just okay.

I left the theatre humming the set, as they say.

Glenn Close's singing was better than I anticipated, and her acting was worse than I anticipated. I thought she was a cartoonish Norma. She ran the gamut of emotions from Y to Z.

I really liked George Hearn as Max. He was probably my favorite in the show.

I barely remember Alan Campbell as Joe Gillis. He sang it well, as I recall, but made very little impression on me.

The most impressive part was watching that entire mansion set lift off the ground so a scene could be played underneath it.

I had box seats for the show in Los Angeles. I was "spitting distance" from the entire cast, during the performance.

And believe me, there were times I was tempted.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 7:28am

Sweet Lips, did you see Maria Mercedes who mostly took over the role from Debbie Byrne? She was amazing, sang it perfectly and acted the crap out of it. Her and Jackman should have been recorded.

[jo]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 7:48am

Great memories for many of us -- I saw Betty Buckley in one performance and Elaine Paige in another , but both with John Barrowman as Joe. These were performances at the West End.

I was also able to get hold of a documentary video from Australian TV featuring how the musical came to be in Melbourne and all the behind-the-scenes drama that went with the staging of the production. It included many clips from the show, featuring Debra Byrne, Hugh Jackman, and the actress who played Betty ( sorry, the name escapes me now).

Talks about a film adaptation were as early as when a few of us were still posting on the defunct Broadway.com board ( circa 2003). It was rumored that Barbra was then in talks with ALWebber, but that talks failed because of disagreements over creative control. Someone even said that Barbra was interested in having Hugh Jackman play the Joe Gillis role then. A pity - because 10 years ago, they would have been age-appropriate for the film casting.

As to other buzz on film adaptations, the most serious interest came from Martin Scorcese because he was a great fan of the film classic and a friend of Billy Wilder. Unfortunately, nothing solid came out of that fleeting interest.

Updated On: 6/3/13 at 07:48 AM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 1:27pm

You couldn't really get rid of Betty. She's pretty integral to the plot. Plus you have to have Norma go to the movie studio so she can realize how non-famous she is.

I think it's a wonderful show, and one of my favorites. I saw the show at the Signature theater in DC and thought their staging was very inventive.

I think I'd love to see a stripped down version, although I'd miss those lush orchestrations.

Look at The Sound of Music. It's been done NUMEROUS times. I've seen it where the set was huge and the Von Trapp house was gorgeous and lush, and I've seen it where the Von Trapp house was just a chandelier and a few couches, etc. It works both ways. You don't need the visuals like people think you do. But if it were back on Broadway, I'd want that set!

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/3/13 at 2:39pm

"I prefer this singer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0vNe7D0qzY"

Kevin Anderson.