Follies (Stephen Sondheim) (1 Viewer)

[Jake Lipson]

This is a pleasant shock that I've always wanted but never thought would actually happen.

Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's musical Follies is being made into a movie.

https://deadline.com/2019/11/follie...or-dominic-cooke-heyday-bbc-films-1202786073/

Dominic Cooke is directing, with David Heyman (Harry Potter) producing for BBC Films. On film, Cooke directed On Chesil Beach, which I thought was the worst movie I saw last year by a lot. However, he also directed the wonderful London revival of Follies in 2017 with Imelda Staunton, and that was great. So he knows his way around this material.

 

[bujaki]

I saw the screening of that London production with Staunton and she was great, and the show was very satisfying. Now, as someone who saw the original Broadway production of Follies, I can only hope that they throw a few million dollars just to recreate the glitz and glamour of that production. There really has been nothing like it. This is a show I revere like no other, plus it was the first musical I saw on Broadway.

 

[Matt Hough]

I saw that original Follies, too, and it remains embedded in my memory all these decades later. I'm not sure anything else I've ever seen on the stage can actually compare with it.

 

[Jim*Tod]

Yes... I saw the Kennedy Center production of FOLLIES a few years back and would agree---there is really nothing that can touch it. We've waited for a film version for decades, let's hope it will be worthy of the material.

 

[Bernard McNair]

One of my favourite Sondheim; the only full production I have seen is the Broadway revival in 1999/2000 at the Belasco Theatre. The production had many critics but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cannot wait to see the film and like my fellow posters hope for some real glitz to accompany this remarkable score.
I can only hope that the producers find a spot for Bernadette Peters; arguably the greatest living Sondheim interepter.

 

[Matt Hough]

I was one of those critics of the 1999/2000 revival. Perhaps if I hadn't seen the original, this version wouldn't have been such a letdown, and some of the performers were simply not up to the task, hired for name value when they clearly weren't able to deliver any longer (Marge Champion was particularly awful). The audience around me went wild for it, but it didn't have nearly the impact for me that the original production had. The most recent NYC revival seems to have been a much better overall production, and I wish I could have seen it.

 

[TJPC]

Follies has always been my favourite Sondheim, and I always longed to see it. The closest I had come was a concert version I saw at Niagara On The Lake Ontario.

Then I attended the showing of the filmed stage version with Imelda Staunton. I truly believe I have finally “seen” the show. I’d buy it in a minute on disc. (The Bernadette Peters version on CD sounds almost exactly the same).

If a movie can improve on this, I will be first in line.

 

[usrunnr]

I hope Tom Hooper is not permitted to have anything to do with it.

 

[Jake Lipson]

As I said in the original post, Dominic Cooke is directing.

 

[Garysb]

The only casting I can think of for the 4 principals is Hugh Jackman as Ben, Renée Zellweger as Sally, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Phyllis and I have no idea for Buddy. Not very original but who of proper age now, can sing?

 

[Jake Lipson]

Imelda Staunton played Sally in London with Dominic Cooke directing. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she is asked to reprise that role. There's always Meryl Streep or Glenn Close too. Glenn is supposed to do Sunset Boulevard soon, but perhaps this could be after that, since I have n idea how far along it is or when it will be shooting. It's been a long time since we had any news about this project, so it doesn't seem to be close.

 

[Thomas T]

The only casting I can think of for the 4 principals is Hugh Jackman as Ben, Renée Zellweger as Sally, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Phyllis and I have no idea for Buddy. Not very original but who of proper age now, can sing?

Kevin Kline (though I think he might be better as Ben with Jackman as Buddy)

 

[Garysb]

Kevin Kline (though I think he might be better as Ben with Jackman as Buddy)

Having a Sally who feels she settled for Hugh Jackman ? That will take some acting or she is even more demented than she was on stage. I think Kevin Kline would be too old compared to the others . The same goes for Mandy Patinkin, who played Buddy opposite Barbara Cook's Sally in a concert version of Follies that was recorded. He would have been much too young at that time but in a concert and recording it was felt age was less important.

 

[Jake Lipson]

@Garysb, I'm curious what caused you to find and bump this old thread. Obviously, it's not a problem that you did, but usually when I bump a very old thread up to the top of the forum, it's because there has been some breaking news in regards to the film. In this case, I haven't seen any news articles covering the film since I originally stated the thread back in November 2019. So I'm curious what prompted you to dig it up.

 

[Garysb]

Sorry if my bumping the thread disappointed anyone expecting news about a movie which may or may not happen. Remember at one time it was announced there was going to be a modern update of "Damn Yankees" which never happened. I just remembered that there was an announcement that there was going to be a movie of "Follies" and I found the thread looking to see if anyone speculated about casting. I saw no mention of casting so I added my opinion of current people who would fit the roles. I thought it was a shame a "Follies" movie wasn't made in the 1970's built around Doris Day as Sally with perhaps Gene Nelson as Buddy recreating his Broadway role, Howard Keel as Ben, and maybe Lauren Bacall as Phyllis. All had been in at least one film with Doris.

All that said here is an interview with Dominic Cooke, the " Follies " director posted 3/20/2021 where he briefly mentions that he is still working on "Follies" and hopes it comes together but he is also working on another movie. At the 3.22 minute mark of the video.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Sorry if my bumping the thread disappointed anyone expecting news about a movie which may or may not happen.

No problem. Actually, that video you just posted is kind of newsy because it means things are moving ahead with the script and they're still looking to do it. It's not a lot, but it's more news than we've had at any point after the article that made me start the thread. I'll take it. Thanks.

 

[Thomas T]

Having a Sally who feels she settled for Hugh Jackman ? That will take some acting or she is even more demented than she was on stage. I think Kevin Kline would be too old compared to the others . The same goes for Mandy Patinkin, who played Buddy opposite Barbara Cook's Sally in a concert version of Follies that was recorded. He would have been much too young at that time but in a concert and recording it was felt age was less important.

In your original post, you suggest Meryl Streep (age 71) or Glenn Close (age 74) as possibilities. So why are they acceptable but the 73 year old Kevin Kline not?

In Follies, Buddy is a loser while Ben is successful and famous. I think that's why Sally fantasizes about him over the years. And if you've seen Bad Education, you'll have noticed that Jackman isn't aging all that well (not like Brad Pitt is).

I like Imelda Staunton but she means zero at the box office so it's unlikely she'd be cast as the star of a major and expensive film musical. That's why Audrey Hepburn was cast in My Fair Lady and not Julie Andrews (though Andrews got her revenge), Natalie Wood in West Side Story and not Carol Lawrence, Meryl Streep in Into The Woods and not Bernadette Peters, Lucille Ball in Mame and not Angela Lansbury (who only became a household name in Murder She Wrote), Barbra Streisand in On A Clear Day instead of Barbara Harris, etc. (I could go on and on and on).

 

[Jake Lipson]

I suggested Meryl Streep because she seems to be the default star when any studio wants to make a musical featuring a character of a certain age with a big name actress. She did Mamma Mia!, Into the Woods (Sondheim), Mary Poppins Returns (in a cameo, but still) and The Prom. It would surprise me if her name wasn't in the mix.

I like Glenn Close and she can do it. But I'd rather have her film Sunset Boulevard, which is apparently getting closer, than this, if it had to be one or the other.

I wouldn't hav a problem with Kevin Kline. He did a nice job as Maurice in the remake of Beauty and the Beast and an even better job as Cole Porter in De-Lovely.

If they have actors who are a little bit older than the characters, they can flex that with makeup.

 

[Thomas T]

I suggested Meryl Streep because she seems to be the default star when any studio wants to make a musical featuring a character of a certain age with a big name actress. She did Mamma Mia!, Into the Woods (Sondheim), Mary Poppins Returns (in a cameo, but still) and The Prom. It would surprise me if her name wasn't in the mix.

I like Glenn Close and she can do it. But I'd rather have her film Sunset Boulevard, which is apparently getting closer, than this, if it had to be one or the other.

I wouldn't hav a problem with Kevin Kline. He did a nice job as Maurice in the remake of Beauty and the Beast and an even better job as Cole Porter in De-Lovely.

If they have actors who are a little bit older than the characters, they can flex that with makeup.

Sincere apologies to you and Gary for mixing up your posts. I really need to double check these things before I post.

My own casting suggestions (I list ages only because it's a big thing with some people):

Nicole Kidman (53) as Phyllis (Moulin Rouge, Nine)
Renee Zellweger (51) as Sally (Chicago, Judy)
Matthew Broderick (59) as Ben (How To Succeed In Business, The Producers on Broadway)
Hugh Jackman(52) as Buddy (The Greatest Showman on film, The Boy From Oz on Broadway)
Meryl Streep (71) as Carlotta (Mamma Mia, Into The Woods)

 

[Matt Hough]

Dear lord, not Matthew Broderick. He's as dynamic as skim milk, and Ben should have authority and presence. Just look at how he played Harold Hill in The Music Man to know he is NOT the right person for Ben. If he's got to be in it, switch him to Buddy and let Hugh Jackman be Ben.