# Mind Blowing Bad Casting **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663 "2007-05-03T20:46:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/81 "2007-05-04T15:12:53Z")
[QUOTE=Khan] … As for the Lynch version, Sting wasn’t a good choice for Feyd Rautha, even if seeing him in that role was a trip. … [/QUOTE] It was still worth it just for the flying underpants scene. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/82 "2007-05-04T15:17:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \* **Eleanor of Aquitaine** : > Hey, now! I thought Jacobi made a great Cadfael. I don’t think he stuttered in that role. Oh - alright; I take back the stutter. But he was still nowhere near how Ellis Peters described Cadfael. I never felt he had the “presence” Cadfeal has in the books. ps Did your namesake ever meet our hero? 😃 On second thoughts she’d be a bit young! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/83 "2007-05-04T15:32:33Z")
Sean Connery as Allan Quartermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentleman. Granted, that whole movie was an abomination unto God that should be smited multiple times with a lightning bolt and fried off the face of the earth, but _that_ choice grated most of all. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/84 "2007-05-04T16:24:39Z")
> [@](#): > > One of my favourite books is Stephen King’s “The Stand,” and I’ve watched the mini-series at least twice, and most of the cast (and casting) were very (even surprisingly?) good, except for Molly Ringwald and Laura San Giacomo (as Fran Goldsmith and Nadine Cross, respectively). Those two are just clunkers in the mini-series, Molly because Gary Sinise is head and shoulders a better actor than her, and Laura because she just wasn’t the right actress for that part Yes! Yes! That is my main complaint with the TV version of “The Stand”. When I read the book in the late 80’s I thought of Robin Wright Penn as Frannie, and I can’t remember who I saw as Nadine. I think I wanted a latter day Lois Smith , maybe Patricia Kalember, I just don’t know, but Laura Iko Iko all Day wasn’t it. BTW - I never knew how to pronounce her name til I heard the song. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/85 "2007-05-04T16:25:01Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] **Andie McDowell** in _Everything She’s Ever Done Since Sex, Lies and Videotape._ Especial thanks for almost destroying _Four Weddings and a Funeral_ and _Green Card_, if I had a billion dollars I would remake both films exactly identically to their original except substitute **Julia Roberts** for the wooden Dowell. [/QUOTE] C’mon. She wasn’t that bad in **Groundhog’s Day**. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/86 "2007-05-04T16:43:28Z")
Lee Horsley as Archie Goodwin in the 1981 version of Nero Wolfe on ABC. William Conrad had few assets as Nero, besides his weight, but Horsley was absurd. Not to be confused with the more recent A&E series, in which Timothy Hutton as Archie is perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/87 "2007-05-04T16:54:37Z")
Dick Van Dyke as a cockney in Mary Poppins,Kevin Costner as a bodyguard (Im sorry with that high pitched voice of his I just cant find him menacing) and Nicholas Cage in films or plays .or t.v programmes or anything that requires acting really. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/88 "2007-05-04T16:56:16Z")
[QUOTE=Terrorcotta] I still cringe at Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith in _Dead Zone_. The movie is pretty sad compared to the book but crazy-evil Walken as the gentle-teacher-come-victim-of-tragic-destiny is just jaw dropping. What **WERE** they thinking?!? [/QUOTE] I thought he was perfect. Maybe because I saw Dead Zone before I saw his crazy-evil movies. If you don’t have those other movies in your head, it works quite well. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/89 "2007-05-04T17:00:05Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] I love this film but can’t recall- was it really necessary for him to be Mexican, plotwise? As for John Wayne in The Conqueror, I can’t picture any other actor delivering these lines with such skill 🙂 “I feel this Tar-tar woman is for me, and my blood says, take her. There are moments for wisdom and moments when I listen to my blood; my blood says, take this Tar-tar woman.” [/QUOTE] More crap dialogue form “THE CONQUERER”: ..'the woman, she is like the second pressing of the grape"!-indeed-who wrote this crap?? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/90 "2007-05-04T17:06:18Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes-too old, too ugly, and way too wooden. [/QUOTE] IIRC, Howard didn’t want the part. He thought he was too old. But Cukor et al enticed him with the offer to direct a movie, and he caved. Speaking of _GWTW_, not that I’ve ever seen it (I refuse on moral grounds) but who the hell thought a brown-eyed Joanne Whaley-Kilmer would be a good person to play Scarlett in _Scarlett_? At least get that woman some colored contacts! Come ON!!! Regards Sossamyn in _A Knight’s Tale_…that whole movie is one delightful anachronism, so I don’t mind the casting. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/91 "2007-05-04T17:17:27Z")
Billy Boyd, “Sam” from LOTR, playing Barret Bonden in _Master and Commander_. The Coxswain who was a prize fighter, and who pulled the stout Jack out of the water. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/92 "2007-05-04T17:22:07Z")
Has Matt Damon in **The Bourne Identity** already been mentioned? Way too young… ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/93 "2007-05-04T17:25:33Z")
Nicole Kidman & Anthony Hopkins in “The Human Stain”. Nicole Kidman’s character was an emotionally disturbed, ex drug adict, working as a janitor. Put all the dirty coveralls on her you want, she still looked and talked like Nicole Kidman. Anthony Hopkins’ character was a light complected, black college professor, who had lived most of his adult life as white! The younger version of his character, was played by a light complected [black actor.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0502015/) ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/94 "2007-05-04T17:27:53Z")
> [@](#): > > IIRC, Howard didn’t want the part. He thought he was too old. But Cukor et al enticed him with the offer to direct a movie, and he caved. I may be in the miniority here but I find Leslie Howard way more sexy than Clark Gable. Scarlett was a damn fool. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/95 "2007-05-04T17:32:49Z")
[QUOTE=SaintCad] You spend 12 years in Askaban or change into a wolf every 29.5 days and see how great YOU look. [/QUOTE] Sirius is not a werewolf. He’s an animagus. He can change into a dog anytime he wants. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/96 "2007-05-04T18:08:50Z")
**Shirley** , I think **SaintCad** meant both Sirius and Remus. [QUOTE=Lemur866] To be fair, the Constantine movie was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike the Constantine comic book. [/QUOTE] I didn’t know that Sirius Cybernetics had moved into film production. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/97 "2007-05-04T18:11:23Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] …If I had a billion dollars I would remake both films exactly identically to their original except substitute **Julia Roberts** for the wooden Dowell. [/QUOTE] You know, that is a great idea. _Four Weddings_ with Julia Roberts would be marvellous. (Macdowell is like a big blank spot at the center of the picture.) ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/98 "2007-05-04T18:14:29Z")
I thought this was going to be a chess thread. I’ve seen some bad castling in my days. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/99 "2007-05-04T18:17:25Z")
[QUOTE=Batsinma Belfry] Anthony Hopkins’ character was a light complected, black college professor, who had lived most of his adult life as white! The younger version of his character, was played by a light complected [black actor.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0502015/) [/QUOTE] Harry J. Lennix didn’t play Coleman as a young man, the very white Wentworth Miller did. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663/100 "2007-05-04T18:17:49Z")
[QUOTE=Abby\_Emma\_Sasha] Scarlett was a damn fool. [/QUOTE] In what way, not continuing to pursue Ashley when Melanie died? I believe she determined that he was goofy at that point. Or weak, a wuss, whatever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mind-blowing-bad-casting/402663.md?page=6)