Sunday, August 02, 2009

This is NOT a Good Idea

Spielberg picks next directing job: 'Harvey': "Steven Spielberg will soon be seeing imaginary rabbits.

The filmmaker will direct as his next film a contemporary adaptation of Mary Chase's play 'Harvey,' about a man and his friendship with an invisible six-foot tall rabbit. 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks will coproduce the project.

'Harvey' was first adapted for the screen in 1950 with James Stewart in the starring role as Elwood P. Dowd."

9 comments:

Ted the Younger said...

This means:
a) we will SEE Harvey, not imagine him;
b) Tom Hanks will play Elwood; Meryl Streep will play his sister; James Gandolfini will get the Jesse White role as the orderly; and, oh hell, Ben Kingsley as the psychiatrist;
c) John Williams will do the score.

mybillcrider said...

Gaaaaahhhhh!

Mack said...

I bet in the Spielberg version Harvey turns out to be an alien who is rescued from faceless government agents by plucky kids who assist Elwood who leaves Earth with Harvey.

Talk about a film that doesn't need to be remade.

Max Allan Collins said...

It's been remade a couple times, for TV. Stewart did it with Helen Hayes (not an improvement, although an older Elwood makes sense -- Helen Hayes is the worst famous actress ever), and an okay version was done about ten years ago with Harry Anderson.

The original film is wonderful, of course, and there's no way they'll resist showing Harvey, at least at the end.

jj solari said...

"Helen Hayes is the worst famous actress ever." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Dan said...

My friend Ray says he played Harvey on Broadway, and I've never seen any evidence to refute it.

Anonymous said...

Dan, I saw Stewart (and Hayes) on Broadway in Harvey but must have dozed off when Ray came on.

Great comment about Helen Hayes, by the way, who did mug shamelessly. However, there were (and are) many much worse famous actresses.

I think Nicolas Cage should play Harvey, but if he's not available maybe Stephen Baldwin is.

Jeff

Mack said...

Art Carney played Elwood P. Dowd in a TV production of Harvey back in the 50s. It's stretching my memory quite a bit but I think he did a good job.

Anon 6:43 I think Keanu Reeves would be a better choice than Nic Cage.

Dan said...

from the ads:

"PARIS HILTON >IS< HARVEY!"