The premise is flawed anyway. No one could watch Keanu’s performances in The Gift and The Matrix and think that Keanu Reeves is the Keanu Reeves of his day.
The girl in TG is to be played by the relatively unknown Mattie Harris. I’m glad they didn’t go with someone whose name we all would have recognized.
Where did you hear that? According to IMDB, the character of Mattie Ross is to be played by Hailee Steinfeld. Here are some stories about it.
Sorry… insomnia. That’s my excuse.
Good thing you’re here!
… on this one, because I only saw it today on my Yahoo mail page.
Everyone who knows me knows I revere the two Johns: Wayne and Cash, and it’s long been my opinion that no one can play either one with any amount of credibility although Joaquin Phoenix came close when he played Cash.
Know who might come close to playing John Wayne in looks?
That Morning Joe guy, Joe Scarborough.
Although he probably can’t act worth a damn, he’s got John Wayne eyes. Hard to tell, but he may have the stature of Wayne in his younger days when he could walk more than 30 feel without having to stop and catch his breath.
I like Jeff Bridges, but I don’t think he can pull this one off. Too many of us Wayne purists running around.
Quasi
Re “A Serious Man” I’m not a huge fan of that particular Coen movie. I agree with the New Yorker critic David Denby’s characterization
.
I too love John Wayne and his movies. I’m surprised so many people are taking this so seriously. It’s a good story. If the characters say the exact same things; and they film each scene the same way then I agree it would be one big suckfest. That’s not how it’s going to be. Oceans 11 was a remake that was equally (or better) than the original; and I’m a big fan of the rat pack. There are lots of remakes that I think were as good or better than the original. A quick internet search give me examples like Thomas Crown Affair; The Italian Job (the original was BORING), Heaven Can Wait. I for one, can’t wait to see it.
I usually love your posts, Quasi, but I can’t agree with you on this. I LOVE True Grit. Rooster was the role Wayne was born to play, and “Fill your hands, you son-of-a-bitch!”, is one of the most defiant, badass moments in cinema history. Arnold Schwarzenegger thought so too, enough that he used a replica of Wayne’s rifle and copied Wayne’s twirl-cock-and-fire from atop a motorcycle in Terminator 2. That said, Jeff Bridges (at this point in his career) seems like a really credible casting decision, and Matt Damon is gonna kick Glenn Campbell’s performance to the curb. Robert Duvall brings so much to every role, I have my doubts Brolin can match his performance, but I’ll give him a chance to see what he can do with it.
It’s as if people forget that a remake doesn’t erase the previous movie. That first movie is still there to enjoy. Often they’re disasters, but sometimes remakes can add their own unique touches, and sometimes they’re like reminiscing with an old friend - memories distorted and twisted by time, but still warm and pleasurable, and sometimes better for the changes made.
As much as I like Kim Darby for her roles in *Star Trek *and Better Off Dead, I hope the Coens take the opportunity to dial down Mattie in the new version. She’s like nails on a chalkboard in the original movie. I’m most interested in seeing what the Coens do. I don’t think it’ll be the acting that will make or break the remake, but what they do. Finally, I wouldn’t go casting a morning talk-show guy because he has John Wayne eyes. Wayne could’ve worn sunglasses throughout True Grit, and still been 7 kinds of awesome.
Good lord! I just realized the first part of my second sentence up there makes me sound like a religious hooker! 
Q
William Shatner, in the role that finally wins him critical acclaim as an actor in the waning years of his life.
Either that, or you get Hamlet on a Horse.
Either way, it rocks.
Huh. Sorry I gave you the impression I’d be stupid enough to actually cast Scarborough as Wayne! I meant to indicate that, to me, nobody can play Wayne. I meant also that when I look at his eyes, they remind me of Wayne’s.
I will concede that the story and the other actors you mentioned might be better than the original (Campbell for instance). They’re going to follow the book more, right? Well, okay - great.
Also, did I give the impression I was against all remakes as well???
Damn! I must really be losin’ it.
Thanks
Q
I’m with Equipoise’s OP here – True Grit is a book I have read and re-read with pleasure my whole life. The movie’s fine, and Wayne is given to do what he does best, so it’s a good outing. But a new look at the book by the Coens could only be awesome.
It reminds me of another book/movie that could stand a remake: Addie Pray aka Paper Moon. It’s a cute little movie but it covers only half of the hilarity of the book. It ends when Addie Pray is just getting good and started. My copy of this book is in tatters. I’ve read it any time in my life when I’ve felt blue.
I just read Addie Pray earlier this summer for the first time, having long enjoyed the movie Paper Moon, and I wholeheartedly agree with you. And much as I liked True Grit and Wayne’s performance, I think - I know - that Jeff Bridges will do a great job in the role, too.
Unneccesary remake. The original was fine. They have a right to remake it. I have a right to not be interested, for the reasons stated.
It was probably me. In my experience, the internet consists mostly of people talking past each other. Still, we’re in agreement on the Duke being great in the role of Rooster, so we at least have a consensus on that. You didn’t give the impression that you were against remakes, I was just making a comment on the general hatred for them.
“. . . It’s a rat writ, writ for a rat, and this is lawful service of same!”
Nah, we had that pegged a loooong time ago.
Normally I’d agree. But I’ll cut some slack for Joel and Ethan Coen. They don’t make lazy formula movies. So this is a remake I’m looking forward to.
You can’t go wrong with Sam Elliot playing a cowboy.
No hope for Big Lebowski II huh?
What is John Goodman going to do? He is in a lot of Coen movies. Maybe now that he is skinny (relatively) maybe he can be the Rooster.
John Goodman is skinny? He can’t very well be John Goodman then, can he?