More SUNSET Film Rumors - Glenn Close To Play Norma Now? — Page 4

Personally, I so wish Cher had a chance to do this in Toronto as planned and they had filmed that. I would say they could still do it (isn't her face only about 50 years old?) - she looked pretty darn young in Burlesque. But, the suspension of disbelief might be too much for some audiences.

I guess I see the difference Jane, in that what you are describing is a sort of 'pity' for Norma being completely delusional because of her age, as opposed to what I feel, is that the audience should be sympathetic to Norma because her desires are just out of reach.

I personally think the story resonates a lot more powerfully if the audience feels there is 'some' possible hope that Norma's fantasies about her career and her relationship with Joe could somehow actually happen. Otherwise, you just feel like Norma is crazy from the get-go and there really isn't anywhere to go emotionally from there, except towards sadness or disgust of her being pathetic --I think that is the main trap with the character.

Michael, I'm basing my opinion on the film, which was my first experience with this story. I really thought Swanson looked very old, and felt that kind of pity for her.

I'm curious, how old do you think she looked in the film?

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I agree about the romance, MB. The grotesque aspect about the romance did not have to do with the age difference, but with her behavior and (recent) actions. THAT was what made the New Year's Eve scene so creepy. If anything, Betty looked WAY too young for Joe.

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Now Jane I think that is a good point - its so hard to find a woman in Hollywood today who is 50 that hasn't had work done (Ms. Close it should be noted has had a LOT of work done). To what end anyone actually believes that makes these woman look any younger, I'm not really sure, but I digress.

Someone like Annette Bening (who hasn't had work done)and who is in early 50s probably looks closet to what that age looked like in 1950. I'd say Swanson looks about comparable age wise.

I would be surprised if Bening has the kind of singing voice to really pull off Norma; there actually was a totally fascinating list that was published in Theatreweek Magazine around the time the musical premiered in London listing all the women the casting office had notated as possible/future Norma Desmonds. I wish someone could find that and post it.

I think Chita would have been sensational as would have Angela Lansbury.