South Pacific Movie: Williams/Jackman/Timberlake?

[Fan2]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 8:05pm

Baz Bamigboye who is usually reliable, reports. Also a blurb about Hugh Jackman and "Carousel":

>>Michelle Williams has been asked to wash that man right out of her hair in a new big-screen version of the landmark musical South Pacific.

The actress, who appeared in the recent Disney hit Oz The Great And Powerful, has been offered the role of U.S. navy ensign Nellie Forbush, the hick from Little Rock nursing injured sailors and soldiers in the New Hebrides Islands during World War II.

Michelle, 32, sang during a scene in the 2011 movie My Week With Marilyn. We met several times during that year’s awards season and she told me she was attracted by the idea of doing a full-blown film musical, saying the singing and dancing would be ‘liberating’.

Nominated for an Oscar three times for performances in Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine and director Simon Curtis’s Marilyn movie, Michelle has the quality and skill to play Nellie with aplomb.

It’s early days. The planned film’s director Michael Mayer and team of producers have not yet entered official pre-production.

But there’s already a screenplay. It’s by the author Lynn Grossman. Her husband, Bob Balaban, is one of the film’s producers with Ileen Maisel, Lawrence Elman and Denis Wigman.

Grossman’s script is richly developed and not sterile like the one used in Joshua Logan’s 1959 picture, which starred Mitzi Gaynor as Nellie and Rossano Brazzi as Emile De Becque, the French-born plantation owner who doesn’t want to let Nellie go after meeting her one enchanted evening.

Grossman, I’m told, has gone back to the source material used by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for their original stage show: Tales Of The South Pacific, the Pulitzer prize-winning novel by James Michener.

For instance, the stage and film let us assume that when Nellie sings I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair, she’s referring to De Becque.

Not so. Grossman has drawn on Michener’s prose and has set up the song in a more dramatic way.

Nellie has been out for a ride with an operations officer, Lieutenant Bill Harbinson, an arrogant All-American guy — who turns out to have a wife.

That’s the man Nellie wants to shampoo out of her hair.

Other numbers, including There Is Nothing Like A Dame, Some Enchanted Evening and Bali Hai, are set up in a similar dramatic way, emerging out of the narrative organically.

I’ve heard a rumour that the producers would like Les Miserables star Hugh Jackman to play De Becque, but he’s known to have his eye on another character from the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue: Carousel’s Billy Bigelow, though I don’t believe a new screen version of that will happen in the near future.

There’s also chatter about trying to cast someone like Justin Timberlake to play Lieutenant Cable, the young officer who becomes infatuated with Bloody Mary’s under-age daughter, Liat.

It’s certainly a mammoth undertaking, but if the producers can assemble a first-rate cast and an A-list crew, then I’ll be on the first navy boat to see this baby.<<

South Pacific Movie

[BwayTday]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 8:33pm

Rodgers and Hammerstein were the masters of integrating songs into the narrative seamlessly and anyone thinking they can do it better is laughable.

I'm intrigued by the casting (Jackman in a baritone role where he belongs) but I can't imagine the estate allowing these people to butcher the book and the intent of the show like that. I mean, Wash That Man about Harbinson? You must be kidding me.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 8:36pm

No, No, No (Thatcher)... I think they need to cast an unknown like Jean Dujardin as Emile. Jackman as a Frenchman just doesn't work......

[jo]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 8:47pm

* I read James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific very long time ago and I am glad they are going back to the original source of the musical. This can add more dramatic highlights to the storyline in the musical. For one, there is more attention on why a Frenchman ends up as a planter in a remote island in the South Pacific - there is more depth to him than the character portrayed on screen in the original film musical.

*I would like to see Hugh and Michelle team up as DeBecque and Nellie. I am seeing less of a sprightly Nellie but more of a sensitive and even shy individual brought to a remote outpost during the war. Hugh and Michelle had very good chemistry in DECEPTION ( although Hugh played a heel in that movie) and I think the teaming up of these two fine actors could refresh this musical into one which has more dramatic heft.

Hope it happens! For a long time, this was my favorite film musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. I would like to see a refreshed version of this fabulous tale of the South Pacific.



Updated On: 5/9/13 at 08:47 PM

[jo]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 8:51pm

Hugh as a Frenchman -- well, he did get nominated for an Oscar as Jean Valjean! And in a musical, too!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 8:56pm

I agree that Michener's story collection is excellent (and I used to think of him as a light-weight among writers) and the Harbison episode (an attempted date-rape of Nellie) is very compelling. But it exists to set up Harbison's character (or lack thereof) and a story arc that carries him to the climactic invasion.

It doesn't appear in SOUTH PACIFIC because it doesn't relate to the Nellie/Emil romance; and because it isn't in the musical, it isn't musicalized. ("I'm Gonna Wash (that Man who Tried to Rape Me) Right Out of My Hair", anyone? Gimme a break.)

Unless this is to be a non-musical version of Michener's book, there really isn't room for a lot of "extra" development.



Updated On: 5/10/13 at 08:56 PM

[kieranbec]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 10:37pm

Don't mess with a masterpiece. Except maybe the very end. There has to be a better way to end it than soup. As for Harbison, the character in the book is completely different from in the musical. Rodgers and Hammerstein just used the name on a character that they created.

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 10:39pm

How the heck does one improve upon South Pacific? The idea just baffles me.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 10:42pm

The ending is perfect. The beginning is perfect. The in-between is perfect.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 11:06pm

The original movie adaptation is not great. In fact, it's probably my least favorite R&H film, next to Carousel (which is the worst). Still, I don't think South Pacific cries out for a film remake. (The TV version with Glenn Close proved that to me already.)

Putting it in a natural setting (no matte paintings or sound stages) has been done, so I guess the only thing left to do is mess with Hammerstein's book. Good luck with that, whoever thinks they can rise to the occasion.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/9/13 at 11:55pm

I'm gonna have nightmares about this tonight.

[lemiz3001]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 12:34am

"Hammerstein's book"? Joshua Logan never gets his due....

Updated On: 5/10/13 at 12:34 AM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 2:52am

Harbison is an officer (THE officer!)who goes out on a date w Nellie and is the Boy Who Won't Hair NO!( she bonks him wid a coconut) Plus he's married , it's the beginning of Nellies loss of innocence.

Updated On: 5/10/13 at 02:52 AM

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 3:12am

It rather see Banderas as DeBeque and Jackman as....Billis!
With his shirt off a lot!

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 1:46pm

This is all well and good, but when are we getting that DVD of the Australian production of the recent revival? I am way more interested in that for right now.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 1:55pm

"Hammerstein's book"? Joshua Logan never get's his due....

Logan came up with 2 or 3 ideas (including the Bali Ha'i backdrop) and insisted on book credit.

[dreaming]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 2:00pm

I was thinking of Banderas as DeBeque but his voice just isn't good enough.

(Ah, Paolo was utterly perfect-sublime voice and a natural actor.)

Can Dujardin sing? He'd have my vote. A real Frenchman in the role.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 4:19pm

"Logan came up with 2 or 3 ideas (including the Bali Ha'i backdrop) and insisted on book credit."

Not what I read. The legend is that Hammerstein had no clue how to write authentic military dialogue, never having been in the service. He called Logan out to his Doylestown farm for a week of brainstorming, and the two of them improvised the book scenes together over 10 days, trading off parts until the bulk of it was written. I believe the description of this appears in the souvenir book of the recent (and brilliant) Lincoln Center revival.

Does anyone else know differently?



Updated On: 5/10/13 at 04:19 PM

[lemiz3001]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 5:36pm

Yea, not really Wilmingtom. Firstly, Logan had just finished co-writing and directing the play Mister Roberts with Thomas Heggen, which was about Heggen’s experiences in the South Pacific during WWII. Because of this, Logan was asked to direct South Pacific. Hammerstein was having massive trouble writing the book, and called upon Logan to help him write it. As Someone in a Tree2 describes, Hammerstein called Logan out to Doylestown, and Logan describes the situation as "Oscar seemed to be-yes-a bit frightened” about writing in military jargon. R&H had written about two scenes, up to "Some Enchanted Evening" when Logan & Hammerstein started writing the book together

Yet Logan had seriously underestimated the power and business clout of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Hammerstein notoriously told Logan “of course, its goes without saying that you wont get anything whatsoever of the authors royalties." This has really led to Logan being shortchanged on his contributions to the musical to this day.

In his original 1949 review, Brooks Atkinson singled out Logan’s direction as “rhapsodically enjoyable”, yet he originally forgot to put his name as co-author. When the show won the Pulitzer Prize later in the year, it was initially awarded to just Rodgers and Hammerstein. Logan describes why he “knew then why people fight so hard to have their names in proper type. It's not just ego or 'the principle of the thing,' it's possibly another job or a better salary. It's reassurance. My name had been so minimized that I lived through years of having people praise 'South Pacific' in my presence without knowing I had had anything to do with it."



Updated On: 5/11/13 at 05:36 PM

[vf]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 7:57pm

I don't know anything but the link is to Lynn Grossman's credits. Doesn't it seem like a movie that might star the stars mentioned, that is based on a classic, stupendous, much loved R & H show would be written by someone with more credits? Especially somebody who seems to be rewriting the whole thing?

I guess this is the director mentioned in the article- he won the Tony for directing Spring Awakening and has directed some Smash episodes and that recent Rigoletto at the Met
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mayer_%28director%29
But he doesn't have a lot of movie credits either.

If Into the Woods can cast relatively unknown James Corden in an important role, why can't this movie include some of the stars of the wonderful revival, Kelli O'Hara, Paulo Szot, Laura Osnes or Loretta Ables Sayre would be great. If they could only find a small role for Johnny Depp to put butts in seats, hmm, a crazed kamikaze pilot who missed his target washes up on the island and wreaks havoc... Well, if they're screwing around with the plot anyway

Here's youtube of Michele Williams "singing" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifvCaTmsbWg
That's just sad. I can't believe they would let her sing those glorious songs. This is a CLASSIC SHOW, it's not Les Miz (sorry Les Miz fans). These songs require singers who can really deliver. If they can't do it right, why do it?


Lynn Grossman on IMDB

[carlotta2]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 9:36pm

In all fairness to Michelle, in that video she was singing like Marilyn Monroe,which was the part she was playing.She may have a good voice,its impossible to tell from that.
I agree though that Paulo Szot should be the Emile ,he was fabulous in the role at LCT

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 9:48pm

Please don't cut "Happy Talk". It's such a fun song.

[jo]

Posted: 5/10/13 at 10:09pm

Two casting suggestions --

How about Lea Salonga as Bloody Mary -- she can be made to look more Polynesian ( she comes from the Philippines, which is in Southeast Asia - mostly of the Malay race - and the country itself is in the western-most edge of the Pacific, albeit above the equator)and maybe very deglamorized. It will also make sense to see her as the mother of the beautiful Liat and she can really give us a BALI HAI that will be memorable. I think she will also be good in the whimsical HAPPY TALK.

And I do see Aaron Tveit as Lt. Joseph Cable - forget his Enjolras curls and picture him with his normal hair. He has the serious mien, can portray romantic rather well, and can sing YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME!



Updated On: 5/10/13 at 10:09 PM

[choitoy]

Posted: 5/11/13 at 4:04am

My sister and I were discussing this, and though we like Williams, we would almost rather have Carrie Underwood jump ship form the Sound of Music and head to South Pacific. That seems like more reasonable casting to me.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/11/13 at 2:46pm

The idea of Lea Salonga as Bloody Mary completely misunderstands her role in the show for me. That character must be a creepy stereotype and a joke to the seabees at the outset so that her transformation into a mother making heartbreaking choices for her daughter in Act II will carry so much weight. Give the role to a gorgeous woman with a conventionally lovely voice and you ruin the lesson in bigotry the show is trying to teach.

I second the motion for Antonio Banderas as Emile. I loved the Lincoln Center revival but found Paulo Szot an uncharismatic Emile. Boasting proven magic on the big screen seems essential for the part, and Antonio's performance in NINE onstage convinced me he can nail those songs in the safe haven of a recording studio.