The Celluloid Muse
So how about another angle on Mawrdew Czgowchwz? Since, at the end of the novel, the eponymous oltrano decides to take a brief hiatus from her métier of “musicry” to star in motion picture, how about we produce (in the boundless realm of imagination) a film based on the McCourt novel? Above, La Cieca’s nominee for the title role, Cate Blanchett. Your suggestions for further casting?
The photo above obviously depicts La Czgowchwz in one of her stage roles (bonus points if you can guess which) and the next photo is of the diva offstage, or, to put it another way, as offstage as she gets.
Note: if you care to illustrate your musings on this thread with a photo, please just paste the URL of the image into your comment. La Cieca will do the necessary housekeeping to insert the image.
Melisande and Emilia Marty, yes? Although the top one could be any of what I call the art nouveau opera heroines: Mascagni’s Parisina or Isabeau, Zandonai’s Francesca — or even Desdemona come to think about it.
Anyone else to play Mawrdew? Helen Mirren, an actress of enormous range and considerable fascination.
Well, I was thinking of the second photo as depicting Mawrdew as herself, e.g., at a dinner party given by the Countess, or receiving the public after a performance at the Met.
Here, perhaps, backstage at the Arena di Verona during a break in Sansone e Dalila?
Oh yes! — just before receiving “Maxie” which is one of my favorite scenes in all opera.
And here, perhaps, a flashback sequence as the diva remembers her “lost” years during the war.
Manou, but if she is not available:
…still breathing – not much of a recommendation otherwise I fear.
I vote for Tilda Swinton.
As for Ms. Crawford, Kate Winslet is playing her in the remake of Mildred Pierce. I predict Ms. Crawford will win.
Given that Todd Haynes, not Michael Curtiz, is directing the new Mildred I think I’d like to see it first. And given that Julianne Moore left Jane Wyman in the dust in Haynes’ re-imagining of All that Heaven Allows, I have a feeling that Winslet will be quite interesting. And does one actually consider Crawford’s Mildred a “good” performance? Sure it has all the surface glamour one might expect but I’m rarely if ever convinced by Crawford’s usual huffing and puffing onscreen.
Yes, one does. I find her brittle in a lot of her roles, but I adore Mildred Pierce. One doesn’t understand, though, why it has to be 6 hours. One loves Winslet. The Reader was amazing, but Revolutionary Road? Not so much.
And one didn’t like Julianne Moore in that. In fact, the only two movies that one liked her in were A Single Man and The Kids Are All Right (which Annette Bening should be nominated for an Oscar for).
Speaking of what one likes, though, one listened to Giovanna D’Arco this morning with Bruson, Malagnini and Rowland (amazing) and one is now finishing Trovatore with Dame Gwyneth, ELizabeth Bainbridge, and Bruno Previdi. Also amazing.
Is Jonathan Rhys-Meyers too old to play Jacob Beltane, do you think?
Or would his role be Jameson O’Maurigan?
I’d opt for Rhys-Meyers’ Rodney.
For Rotten Rodney, I would lean toward Seth Green.
Johnny can be rotten, I’ve read.
Oh, why do people have to manscape? why? Where the hell is his treasure trail?
If he wasn’t too thin to play Henry VIII, he’s not too old to play Garbo’s mother.
I think that Tilda Swinton is a better actress (and has a much more interesting personality) than Blanchett and would be great in anything–even as Callas.
I know she is a bit older, but so what!
Um.
Tilda Swinton has been featured in a film titled “Io sono l’amore” of late — -I’ve seen the trailer for the film and from that alone, I would conjecture she would be quite a marvelous Mawrdew. Has anyone seen this film? And who is that lady, soubrettino?
Too bad Vaness Redgrave is too old.
At the time the book appeared, Redgrave would have been ideal! Now, this is how Isolde should look!
Isabelle Adjani
Sorry – this was in answer to Camille at 7. Foiled again by the idiosyncratic “Reply” button.
Merci, ma Madame Manou — I knew her face was familiar but I’m always getting Adjani and Huppert mixed up. I see well that I shouldn’t as Mlle. Adjani is far the most fair.
What say the Parterriani to nominating the one, the only MME. VERA? If there was ever a fabulous diva it surely was she. And, cher Maitre Siff, should you cast eyes hereupon, PLEASE essay the title role of GALAS!! I beseech Thee, O Divina!
YIkes, I thought it was the eternally smokin’ Monica Bellucci!
This
is Monica Bellezza
Io Sono ‘l’Amore is terrific – go see.
Rhys-Meyers was pretty mediocre in The Tudors. As Henry got older, his performance got worse. And he does a strange pursing thing with his upper lip.
Yeah, his problem is that he is too one-note. He just does a lot of intense yelling and screaming. Those eyes can only carry his performance for so long. His performance suffers even more when compared to the real acting going on around him, especially in the first season with Sam Neil and the actress playing Katherine of Aragon.
Credit where it’s die, Kashania: Maria Doyle Kennedy. You’re right, she did a bang-up job.
Thanks! I didn’t have time to google her when I wrote my post. I loved her in the show.
He’s probably had a lot of off-camera practice with the lip pursing.
Once we cast Mawrdew, who is she going to be lip-synching? What combination of great recorded divas awaits us from the bowels of IRCAM (which if I remember correctly, did the same service for Farinelli)?
Well, according to The McCourt:
“I had in mind for her a Farrell-Traubel voice, unleashed torrents of sound. But to tell the truth, I didn’t know what she sounded like. For the Amneris, she would have sounded as much like Rita Gorr as possible, that big a sound. But in addition, she would have the consummate artistry of Simionato, plus she would be a little nuts like Fedora Barbieri.”
I think a great “base” voice for Czgowchwz would be Christine Brewer.
Dear Cieca, I hope I don’t incur your eternal wrath by inserting this, but ever since I discovered it (after years of longing to see it) I’ve been seeking even the flimsiest of pretexts for downloading it here, and the McCourt quote (or the The McCourt quote), together with the idea of post-opera diva appearances seems to provide just that. (And besides, Mardew C., though not checked out, was missing from the local library’s shelves.)
Meant Mawrdew, of course–forgive!
No pretext needed:
Great choice. But, of course, one would need Rennnaaaayyyy for the visuals. Just give her the “Nicole Kidman” botox bouquet and some lessons in lipsynching. ALthough, now that I think of it, Brewer,who has apparently now slimmed down to a size 6, might just work. But wait, that’s still toooo large for the cinema. ;-0