When I recently read Westlake’s Dortmunder series, I often though, “Man, these would make great movies.” Had similar thoughts as I devoured the Travis McGee series.
But when I entertained these thoughts, NEVER did I think of casting as Dortmunder – Martin Lawrence! (What’s the Worst That Could Happen - a wacky, madcap adventure opening in Chi this weekend.)
Has there ever been a more inappropriate casting decision in the history of moviemaking?
If they’d switched it and cast Danny DeVito as Dortmunder, it would have made more sense.
As for me, I just wanna sell one of my books to the movies. “You want to cast Adam Sandler in drag as Anna Held? Go to it!” Just as long as they give me great whacking gobs of cash . . .
Sure!
Donald E. Westlake’s good buddy, Lawrence Block, saw his Bernie Rhodenbarr character…white, male, Jewish…brought to dubious life by Whoopi Goldberg in 1987’s Burglar. Larry enjoyed the great whacking gobs of cash, in any case.
For the record, Westlake himself feels that Harry Dean Stanton would be a perfect cast as Dortmunder. This would be the Harry Dean Stanton of 20-30 years ago, unfortunately.
Damn you, Ike, for a mindreader.
At first I was thinking maybe Nicholas Cage. Then HDS came to mind, but I rapidly concluded he was too old.
And I realized there are probably numerous underexposed talents who could do a fine job.
But hey, they can’t all be Martin Lawrence!
Just the wonderful juxtaposition of Martin Lawrence and Dortmunder makes me giggle every time I think of it.
Eve, thanks for the lovely turn of phrase “whacking gobs of money.” I’d almost gotten over you, dear, and now I sense my unrequited love welling up anew like the rumbling of raw sewage in a standpipe.
Damn, I blew it.
“Great whacking gobs of cash.”
Now I know why you can never love me…