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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 20, 2024 12:46:57 GMT
I think Collins would have been excellent in the role both acting-wise and with her rockin' body. That's not a knock on Liz as she was excellent (IMO) in the role. Plus, she and Burton, had incredible on-screen chemistry that included them somehow bringing their real-life drama to the movie in a good way. I agree with you that some of the fate of the production was in the hands of Taylor and Burton. It appears that there were a lot of swindlers up and down the chain, but the fact that the studio acclimated itself to satisfying Taylor's every whim set the tone for the production as a whole, making the money pit aspect almost inevitable. Without Liz Joe Mankiewicz probably wouldn't have stepped up to the plate, but without Liz and the timely scandal her romance with Burton created the studio maybe wouldn't have been so quick to step in and take control of the director's vision. Mankiewicz basically shot two films and wanted them released that way, which would have meant giving the public Cleo and Ceasar first and making them wait for Antony, which is what they were clamoring to see. Hours of good footage were scrapped, perhaps literally, and haven't been found in order to restore a director's cut, at least for posterity if not for a mass audience. But I agree that their chemistry worked in a good way and I enjoy the film equally as much each time I watch it. I wonder if they ever tested Joanne Woodward; she'd already come through for Fox in enough films by then that they might not have required one, or maybe the project was simply languishing until Wanger approached Elizabeth.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 20, 2024 13:04:23 GMT
Speaking of Joanne Woodward, the year before she signed her contract with Twentieth Century-Fox she was screen-tested by Warner Brothers for the role of Abra in East of Eden (1955), which eventually went to Julie Harris. At that point she'd mostly done live television in New York but they must have seriously considered her because the test was with James Dean himself. I don't know Patricia Smith well, but she appears to have made a career of small and supporting roles. The first scene depicted was apparently cut from the final script as being too intimate, with Cal crawling in the window of her bedroom. Martin Sheen narrates, so I'm assuming this was part of a package put together for home video or DVD release. His narration suggests the tests were set up to test Jimmy, but it seems more likely that it was the women who were being tested, since Kazan wanted Jimmy from the get-go. It seems to me that Dean did a masterful job of "listening", always a challenge for actors, in his scene with Joanne. It's all in the eyes, with that slight flinching when she mentions other women he's been seen with. Julie Harris was brilliant in the role but I think Joanne was an extremely credible contender.
EDIT: On second thought, at least the first scene may have been meant to test Jimmy, because the actress is turned away from the camera for almost the entirety of the scene, with the camera focusing on him.
The slate says this is a wardrobe test but the actors are obviously being asked to demonstrate their chemistry as well, which they certainly do.
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Post by Fading Fast on Mar 20, 2024 14:09:49 GMT
Speaking of Joanne Woodward, the year before she signed her contract with Twentieth Century-Fox she was screen-tested by Warner Brothers for the role of Abra in East of Eden (1955), which eventually went to Julie Harris. At that point she'd mostly done live television in New York but they must have seriously considered her because the test was with James Dean himself. I don't know Patricia Smith well, but she appears to have made a career of small and supporting roles. The first scene depicted was apparently cut from the final script as being too intimate, with Cal crawling in the window of her bedroom. Martin Sheen narrates, so I'm assuming this was part of a package put together for home video or DVD release. His narration suggests the tests were set up to test Jimmy, but it seems more likely that it was the women who were being tested, since Kazan wanted Jimmy from the get-go. It seems to me that Dean did a masterful job of "listening", always a challenge for actors, in his scene with Joanne. It's all in the eyes, with that slight flinching when she mentions other women he's been seen with. Julie Harris was brilliant in the role but I think Joanne was an extremely credible contender. EDIT: On second thought, at least the first scene may have been meant to test Jimmy, because the actress is turned away from the camera for almost the entirety of the scene, with the camera focusing on him. The slate says this is a wardrobe test but the actors are obviously being asked to demonstrate their chemistry as well, which they certainly do. Great stuff.
In the second one, I've always thought Dean's, "stone-"colored chinos, camel sweater and white shirt (never noticed the stripe until today) is one of those classic combinations that never goes out of style. To this day, you'll see it in men's on-line catalogues regularly.
Also in the second one, my money says those two went at it hard later that day. Their pheromones are still coming off the screen almost seventy years later.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 22, 2024 21:25:41 GMT
Blood and Sand (1941) had the definite advantage of having three of the most gorgeous people in Hollywood, Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, and Rita Hayworth in Technicolor. This is another wardrobe test archived by historicfilms.com. It's all so matter-of-fact, which not only shows what a professional he was because he's graciously meeting the requirements of the test, but it also gives us a good opportunity to just gaze at one of the true movie legends of the golden age.
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Post by Fading Fast on Mar 22, 2024 21:34:10 GMT
⇧ Plus the tailoring is just insane (calling BunnyWhit).
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 22, 2024 23:37:06 GMT
Theodore Bikel had some name recognition, particularly after co-starring with Mary Martin in the original company of The Sound of Music on Broadway, but I don't know the backstory of how this audition for Goldfinger (1964) came about. It's a good take on the villain character, cerebral and matter of fact, which makes the implied threat sort of creep up on you. You can also see that he's gathered his resources between the first and seconds take, which runs more smoothly.
And actor Tito Vandis auditioning for the same role on the same makeshift set. The threat seems a little more hollow in this one and the accent may be working against him. But I feel for anyone auditioning for a big role with some staffer with script in hand. Must be really intimidating.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Mar 22, 2024 23:59:04 GMT
Before Sean Connery was coaxed back to do the character, New Zealand rugby player Roger Green was auditioned for Diamonds Are Forever (1971). OK, but underwhelming, considering the bar Connery had set. The part of Tiffany Case was ultimately played by Jill St. John. It's actually kind of hilarious watching a fight scene before the sound department has put in all the punching noises in.
Then when Roger Moore was set to bow out, James Brolin was a serious contender for Bond in Octopussy (1971), but, of course, Moore re-upped for the role. It seems as though the test was taken so seriously that it was actually scored with music.
In 1986 Sam Neil auditioned for Bond but Timothy Dalton ended up as James.
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Post by BunnyWhit on Mar 23, 2024 0:59:09 GMT
⇧ Plus the tailoring is just insane (calling BunnyWhit). YUM!
What kind of guy looks that insanely good in a dressing gown, AND a ruffled shirt, AND chaps?
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