Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?
Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?
Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#0
Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:11pm
She has said that she would love to do the stage show and of course the movie. But, she realizes her parodying Norma Desmond on her variety series in the past, makes it virtually impossible for her to play the actual part of Norma in SUNSET BOULEVARD.
I was not pleased with Burnett's performance in FOLLIES IN CONCERT, but have greatly enjoyed most everything else I have seen her do. If Carol Burnett had never "done Norma Desmond" comedically on The Carol Burnett Show, do you think Carol Burnett would have been able to give a bravura performance in the musical, SUNSET BOULEVARD?
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#1
Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:12pmNo.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#2
Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:14pmNo - especially if Harvey Korman plays Max like he did on her TV show.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#3
Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:22pm
i always thought Dorothy louden would have been a great Norma...but then someone told me that the character is too similiar to the actress, so it wouldn't be a stretch.
I kinda feel the same about Carol. We have seen her do wacky. It really wouldn't be much of a stretch.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#4
Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:49pmI think Carol ruined her chances with her Norma skit. It's too memorable.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#5
Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:58pmNo. She doesn't have the voice for it and could never be taken seriously enough -- it automatically becomes camp as soon as she walks out with a turban on her head.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#6
Posted: 2/18/05 at 3:09pm
Unfortunately, Carol needs a director that can restrain her comedic talents. You'll notice on the "Follies" recording that she sings:
"When you've been through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoo-woo-ver"
This is a moment when her sketch comedy skills pop in. She would need a director that could lead her to other interpretations.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#7
Posted: 2/18/05 at 3:15pmShe's too old for Mame now (she's 10 years older than Ball was when she did the movie -- and Ball was WAY too damn old). Lansbury was 40 and Russell was 45 when she did the original straight play.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#8
Posted: 2/18/05 at 3:18pmGah! Loudon as Norma would have been perfect!
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#9
Posted: 2/18/05 at 3:22pm
Loudon would have been perfect...
And 'no' to Carol Burnett. Not for Norma..nope..sorry.
Why the sudden Norma Desmond interest on this board?
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#10
Posted: 2/18/05 at 3:28pmI'd enjoy Carol Burnett as Norma Desmond in the same way that I'd enjoy Mel Brooks stepping in as Max Bialystock... or Harvey Firesteien as ... oh, wait...
Featured Actor Joined: 1/27/05
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#11
Posted: 2/18/05 at 3:29pm
I'd enjoy Carol Burnett far more in Scott Alan's PIECE.
That just struck a funny chord...Scott should refrain from putting his name above the title with this one.
"Hey have you seen Scott Alan's PIECE?"
"I LOVED Scott Alan's Piece"
"I hear a lot of people are going to see Scott Alan's PIECE"
"Scott Alan's PIECE was much shorter than I expected it to be"
"They really should cut something from Scott Alan's PIECE"
"Scott Alan's PIECE left me wanting more."
"I was exceedingly disappointed in Scott Alan's PIECE."
hoooooey I could go on for days.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/21/04
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#13
Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:38pmI would enjoy Moms Mabley as Norma, more than I did Glenn Close. That was the worst performance I've ever seen in a professional theater (and most non-professional theaters).
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#14
Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:54pmLOL Feodor and Beav!!!
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#15
Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:57pm
"The only thing an old man can do for me is bring me a note from a young one" -- Moms Mabley
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/03
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#16
Posted: 2/18/05 at 10:23pmCher is doing Mame? I thought that was dead in the water. Have you seen her face lately? How will she ever show expression?
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#17
Posted: 2/18/05 at 10:32pmIt is dead in the water according to Jerry Herman. According to him, they are apparently actively looking for actresses other than Cher for the movie.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#18
Posted: 2/19/05 at 12:33amHerman recently said his ideal casting for the Mame TV movie is Catherine Zeta-Jones.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#19
Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:07am
Chip1012, it was revealed months ago that Jerry Herman thought Zeta Jones would be great for a new film of MAME. However, the composer is often not the final say or a major say in these casting decisions.
In his book, SHOWTUNES, Herman writes about Streisand in Hello Dolly and Lucille Ball in Mame. He makes it clear he adored both of them, but thought they were wretchedly miscast.
He was correct. HOWEVER, I must admit that both films, HELLO DOLLY! and MAME are very enjoyable for me to watch. I guess the source of the material shines through the problems of the miscast leads.........
Actually, Lucille Ball is rather divine in MAME. If only she had done it a few years earlier and her voice had been dubbed by Lisa Kirk--the film of MAME would likely now be considered a classic. (By the way, my favorite Lucille Ball performance is in the film YOURS, MINE AND OURS. Have you ever seen it? In the right year, Ms. Ball would have received an Oscar nomination for her performance in YOURS, MINE AND OURS.)
Conversely, as she herself agrees, Streisand was miscast and certainly too young for the film of Dolly. As Arthur Laurents wrote in his recent memoir, Streisand called him to confer during the filming of HELLO DOLLY! and said she was "unhappy with her performance she was seeing on the rushses (film shot that day) and all she had to turn to for direction was a tap dancer!" --She was referring to Gene Kelly, who directed the film. Streisand does glow like a great big star in HELLO DOLLY!, but her performance is all over the place. One moment she is part Mae West, another moment, it is hard to tell who she is--but indeed she always remains fascinating to watch on the screen--but indeed, it is inappropriate for the part.
However, I love the trivia fact that HELLO DOLLY! was Richard Nixon's favorite film and I was pleased that it received an Oscar nomination for best picture.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#20
Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:15amjust no. glenn close is the norma desmond. i really hope she gets the movie.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#21
Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:21ambarbra streisand should have been slapped across the mouth for referring to gene kelly as just a "tap dancer". that's one more reason i can't stand that woman.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#22
Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:25amMarquise, it was certainly a dumb, angry thing on Barbra's part to refer to Kelly as "a tap dancer." Actually, with the major exception of not being able to craft a controlled, precise performance from Streisand as Dolly, Gene Kelly did a rather great job directing the film version of this Broadway masterpiece.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#23
Posted: 2/19/05 at 10:40am
WISHIHADATONY, I don't know much about the history of "Hello Dolly" or for that matter the play it was based on. but from what I've read over the years the general consensus has been that streisand was grossly miscast.
I guess the producers were blinded by her Academy award winning performance in "Funny Girl" and cast her based on that.
But that's another thread altogether.
I would chime in on suggestions for Norma Desmond in a movie version of "Sunset Blvd." but I'm not familiar with the original Billy Wilder movie or ALW's musical version.
re: Would U Enjoy Carol Burnett in Sunset Blvd?#24
Posted: 2/19/05 at 11:13amMarquise, Streisand was signed for HELLO DOLLY! film before filming of FUNNY GIRL was even completed.
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