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| Thank you for stating that important point | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:30 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
| In reply to: re: TOO OLD For The Role? - MockingbirdGirl 12:04 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
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| Thank you. When people go to see a famous performer who created a role play it again decades later, they generally go with some understanding of what they're going to see. They're going to see a beloved performer in a role for which she is renowned. They may be seeing her again or they may be seeing her for the first time in what may be their last chance to see the performer. It's not about believability. To some degree, it's about celebration. And, really, is there anything particularly believable about Hello, Dolly! (or The Matchmaker or The Merchant of Yonkers) in the first place? Creating a believable story with realistically portrayed characters was not what Wilder was about here, and it was even less what Herman, Stewart and Champion were about. I have on many occasions here suggested that certain performers were too old for certain roles, and I've been criticized for it sometimes. But even I would never suggest that a performer being believably the age of the character is always important. And, as noted elsewhere, Wilder states that Dolly is of "uncertain age." Hey, I'm happy to say that I saw the extraordinary Nakamura Utaemon VI in the title role of Masakado (The Demon Princess) when he was 65, theoretically long past Mr. Nakamura's sell-by date as a princess. :) |
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| Your post remindes me of the MGM film version of ROMEO AND JULIET (1936) | |
| Posted by: RobertC (robertcollier930@gmail.com) 08:38 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
| In reply to: Thank you for stating that important point - AlanScott 08:30 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
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| Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer played the love struck couple. Both were well into their thirties at the time; the characters were 18 and 16. I've never seen the film; I think I would truly cringe at such casting. Ah, the magic of film! ;-) |
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| re: Your post remindes me of the MGM film version of ROMEO AND JULIET (1936) | |
| Last Edit: AlanScott 09:40 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 09:39 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
| In reply to: Your post remindes me of the MGM film version of ROMEO AND JULIET (1936) - RobertC 08:38 pm EDT 06/26/18 | |
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| According to the documentary on him that TCM has shown recently, Howard himself thought it was a bit ridiculous. Still, the movie is better than you might think, as long as you know what to expect. And Edna May Oliver and Andy Devine are great. |
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