semi o/t Marian Seldes & Mona Lisa Smile/new Bye Bye Birdie Film

Caught Mona Lisa Smile last night and have to say that Marian Seldes shined in her role. While the film lacks in other area, the performances by Marian, Marcia Gay Harden and Juliet Stevenson were all stellar.

In other news - saw a preview for a new movie called "Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!" and it bears an UNCANNY resemblance to a non-musical version of Bye Bye Birdie. Just checked IMDB and there's no "movie connection" (and there are differences plot wise) - just amused by the "contemporizing" of the story... Any one else see the trailer?

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Paul-

Happy Holidays to you as well!

I am guessing you saw the trailer as well. It just seemed as though there were a lot of similarities. Do you really thing a comparison can't be made? (from memory...)

The girl enters a contest to meet a celebrity... A celebrity that needs some good press because he's been getting into the tabloids. Her "boyfriend" is first excited for her but then doesn't want her to go out with him. The whole small town is a "buzz" when the star comes into town and bends over backwards for him.


I'm not saying it IS Bye Bye Birdie.. just that there are definite connections and it would be highly surprising if, when pitched, they didn't say "It's like Bye Bye Birdie, only different"

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Ah.. here's a link to the trailer...
Win A Date....

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Does anyone know if Marian Seldes still holds the Guiness World Record for longevity in a role? I think she played every performance (no vacation, no sick) of "Deathtrap" for all four years it was on Broadway.

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Updated On: 12/29/03 at 09:54 AM

Paul - yes.. there were many movies made in the 50s about people interacting with celebs. You could even say that Kathy Selden (sp?) meeting screen legend Don Lockwood has a similar feel.

Paul, you would know this. Wasn't there a LOT of talk about (and maybe it's still in the works) of an actual MUSICAL of Bye Bye Birdie making it's way to film and wasn't there talk that if they did it would be contemporized? I know many studios race to have "their" movie out first (think Armageddon and Deep Impact)...

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I saw Marion Seldes recently in Beckett/Albee. Her mouth alone commands the audience. She's in a class by herself.

Updated On: 12/29/03 at 11:14 AM

There are other theater performers in MONA LISA as well. Julia Styles and Maggie Gyllenhal have stage credits. John Slattery plays Julia Roberts' boyfriend. Dominic West is the Italian professor. Isn't that Marylouise Burke as Seldes' assistant?

Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a very nice performance in the movie. Marcia Gay Harden performs well also. I think it's time for Maggie to make her Broadway debut...

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what other stage credits does Julia Styles have? I saw her do 12th Night at the Park a couple of years ago and thought she was quite lame.

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