Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

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Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 4:31pm

Here's the random thought of the day (though to some the random thought of the century):

If they were to make a biopic of Uta Hagen's life, Elaine Stritch should play Uta Hagen.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 4:36pm

Two problems with that:

Very few people know who Uta Hagen is. She doesn't warrant a biopic.

Elaine Stritch is too old to play Hagen, except for maybe the last 10 years of her life.

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.

Updated On: 1/9/07 at 04:36 PM

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 4:48pm

Good points, Gothampc. Codine must be kicking in.

What I would more so like to see is a film about the history of today's acting techniques. Can you believe that Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, Bobby Lewis, Sanford Meisner, and Harold Clurman all in the same acting group? Sitting at the same dinner table discussing theatre? The drama that unfolded as each would take their own beliefs about the theatre and develop their own techniques and methods?

I guess it doesn't SCREAM movie, but I think the concept is interesting.

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 4:51pm

What might be interesting is a movie about The Group Theatre (maybe a dramitization of The Fervent Years).

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.

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 4:52pm

Zactly.

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 4:55pm

There might be an interesting film to be made from Hagen's time playing Desdemona opposite Paul Robeson's Othello and Jose Ferrer's Iago. That production still holds the record for the longest running Shakespearean play in Broadway history and the three subsequently toured the country with it. The acclaimed production was very controversial for its time (the 1940s) for starring a mixed race cast (Robeson was one of the first black actors to play the role in America) and the cast received hate mail and death threats at many stops on the tour, in addition to having several performances cancelled due to bomb threats. Further adding to the tense situation, Hagen was married to Ferrer at the time and at some point during the tour began having an affair with Robeson, which eventually led to Ferrer divorcing her some time later. Juxtaposing the interracial and jealousy themes of the play against the real life infidelities occurring back stage and set against a back drop of the racially charged segregated America of that time could make for quite an interesting film.

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

Updated On: 1/9/07 at 04:55 PM

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 5:10pm

"There might be an interesting film to be made from Hagen's time playing Desdemona opposite Paul Robeson's Othello and Jose Ferrer's Iago."

Margo you're a genius. This would make an amazing film. I have known this story for some time, but never thought of this Othello production and the stories behind it standing on there own as a film of some kind. I don't think that Robeson, and Hagen are big enough stars to have their indivdual biopics stand on there own outside of the theatre community, but the story of this Othello production could combine their stories to make a great film regardless of there name recognition and hopefully bring more people to know these two or three great artists in our history.

"If you've got something to say, say it, and think well of yourself while you're learning to say it better." - David Mamet

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 10:32pm

We need a screenwriter, folks. Then a producer, director, and studio.

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/9/07 at 11:03pm

Ahhh, best idea!

"We don't value the lily less for not being made of flint and built to last. Life's bounty is in it's flow, later is too late. Where is the song when it's been sung, the dance when it's been danced? It's only we humans who want to own the future too." - Tom Stoppard, Shipwreck

#10

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/10/07 at 7:50am

"Can you believe that Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, Bobby Lewis, Sanford Meisner, and Harold Clurman all in the same acting group?"

Hagen was in the Group Theatre? I've never heard this before. I don't think she was. She certainly wasn't in any of their Broadway productions.

Or are you speaking of another company?

#11

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/10/07 at 11:28am

"Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, Bobby Lewis, Sanford Meisner, and Harold Clurman all in the same acting group? Sitting at the same dinner table discussing theatre? The drama that unfolded as each would take their own beliefs about the theatre and develop their own techniques and methods?"

I don't like the concept as a movie, but would LOVE it as a play. It would have a decent regional run in some up-and-coming theatre town, and then go on to be a college theatre classic.

Avatar - Isaac, my blue-fronted Amazon parrot. Adopted 9/7/07. Age 30 (my pet is older than me!)

Updated On: 1/10/07 at 11:28 AM

#12

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/10/07 at 12:54pm

"Hagen was in the Group Theatre?"

No, she wasn't in the Group Theatre. She came up through Katharine Cornell's troupe.

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.

Updated On: 1/10/07 at 12:54 PM

#13

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/10/07 at 1:28pm

Thanks, Gothampc. I knew that she had worked with Le Gallienne and with the Lunts, but I didn't know about (or had forgotten) her Cornell connection.

#14

re: Random Thought of the Day (Uta Hagen Biopic)

Posted: 1/10/07 at 3:37pm

Margo - Great Idea!

Everyone remember this thread when five years from now a movie on HBO is made of the Robeson produciton of OTHELLO.

Gothampc, your posts here have such a helpful/polite tone. I did a double take. Nice job.

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart; and you'll never walk alone.

Updated On: 1/10/07 at 03:37 PM

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