First, yes Beach was out for a week's worth of performances while he filmed his role in the Producers movie
Second, the idea that anyone would say they HATED the musical and found it flawed and then HOPE that the movie would be equally flawed is just WEIRD...there's no other way to describe it. Let's try this another way 'I hated THIS and I HOPE to hate THAT'???
And as for the person who said that Lane always plays the same character...you obviously haven't seen the bulk of his work. The Boys Next Door, Love! Valor! Compassion!, Butley to name a few. None of them are falling down funny musical comedy roles so you need to expand your horizons and hold off on judging performers based on one or two roles for which they become famous.
As for Middle America liking it, that remains to be seen. Typically, they go for the mindless teen comedies and shoot-em-up action films. Not big on musicals or art films...so we'll see. Perhaps Mel Brooks' name will draw them in based on the old film comedies he's done which are now modern classics (High Anxiety, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and the Original Producers). Time will tell.
And finally, to address the original question. I'd love to think Lane would be nominated but the Oscars have a habit of avoiding comedies for major awards like Best Picture, Best Actor etc...so I doubt he'd win. Still, with this movie being filmed as a throwback (and tip of the cap) to old movie musicals, it would be great to see it rise to the top.
If nothing else, putting this on film will allow those who did not see Lane and Broderick in the stage version to see them on film and will capture the show for posterity. Those of you who hated a) the show, b) the performers in the show will, of course, be excused from the screening room!
"Life is a lesson in humility"
Updated On: 6/3/05 at 05:16 PM
