Posted on 07/25/2006 7:11:02 AM PDT by Ed Hudgins
I remember taking the book to work and my boss asking me what I was reading. I outed myself politically that day.
I can't think of anyone in Hollywood I'd trust with that task.
He could also be John Galt.
What he said.
Rand has an obsession with adultery and rape sex imho.
This will have to be a character piece; Atlas is all about the characters. Who is a great director for developing characters?
I could see De Niro as Hank Rearden. Holly Hunter as Dagny? Antonio Banderas as Nick Danconia. James Woods as Wesley Mouch. John Galt? Much as I hate to say it, Robert Redford.
Not that there aren't other options. This was a first pass ...
Eastwood's vision is too dark, too ... edgy. There's a cynical edge that would work well with Ayn Rand, but I don't think Clint Eastwood is the deep thinker this project demands.
Dark, edgy and then some... Spaghetti westerns, Dirty Harry, Philo Beddoe (Any Which Way But Loose, Any Which Way You Can), Robert Kincade (The Bridges of Madison County), Mystic River.
This will have to be a character piece; Atlas is all about the characters. Who is a great director for developing characters?
"He directed 8 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Gene Hackman, Meryl Streep, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Marcia Gay Harden, Morgan Freeman, Hilary Swank and himself (in Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004)). Hackman, Penn, Robbins, Freeman and Swank won Oscars for their performances in one of Eastwood's movies." Biography for Clint Eastwood
I could see De Niro as Hank Rearden. Holly Hunter as Dagny? Antonio Banderas as Nick Danconia. James Woods as Wesley Mouch. John Galt? Much as I hate to say it, Robert Redford.
I like the roles for Hunter, Woods, and Redford.
"He has always disliked the reading of political and social agendas in his films, which has occurred from Dirty Harry (1971) to Million Dollar Baby (2004). He has always maintained that all of his films are apolitical and what he has in mind when making a film is whether it's going to be entertaining and compelling." Biography for Clint Eastwood
Will Atlas Shrugged be apolitical, entertaining and compelling? I think 'yes' to all three. Is capitalism a social agenda or a common way of life? IMO, the answer is obvious -- in the U.S. anyways.
I just can't see Buscemi as Jim Taggert. Jim Taggert is an egotistic effite snob. He is totally immersed in socialism-progressive dogma. I like Buscemi as an actor and have seen him in many roles, usually redneck lowlife types, not upperclass, spoiled rotten paranoids. Billy Zane would be my best choice.........
None of the "Old" timers like Reford, Hackman, DeNiro, et al, are young enough to play any of the main characters in Atlas Shrugged. Dagny, Eddie, Francisco, Galt, Ragnar are all in their mid to late thirties. Jim Taggert is just a couple years older than Dagney, and so is Hank Rearden. .....
Hugh Akston - Anthony Hopkins........
A picture is worth a thousand words............
How about Gary Sinise for John Galt?
In the past Harrison Ford was interested in and was considered for Rearden. But Readren in the book was about 50 years old whereas Ford today is nearly 65. But Liam Neeson is about Rearden's age so he's still possible.
That voice of his just doesn't sound Pennsylvanian........
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