This is one of my favorite movies of all time!
I have seen probably 50 times and in the past few years every time I watch it I cant help to think what a great remake this would be if it was done right and Tom Hanks would make a perfect Mister Roberts!
Jack Nicholson as the Captain
Mathew Perry (maybe) as Ensign Pulver
And Steven Spielberg Directing!!!
I would love to see that!
"Watch the Heart!......Spike...aka William The Bloody
When I first saw your post, I thought NO WAY, but I'll admit that if it was done with the cast & director you have, it would be worth watching. Once, anyway. :)
shareThe best reason to redo a movie is because you have something to add. In the case of Mr. Roberts, that would be very difficult. Consider, John Ford directing, William Powell, Jack Lemmon.
And let's not forget Henry Fonda, who not only did the play for 8 years, he lived the part for almost 3, serving as a supply officer on a Submarine Tender on Midway Island (midway makes Gilligans Island look like Manhattan).
Find a set of actors/directors with that pedegree? It'll be tough.
Holy Cow, Lennco, it's like you read my mind! If I had a nickle for everytime I imagined Tom Hanks playing the part of LTjg Douglas Roberts ... I could have enough money to buy enough coca cola to make ten gallons of scotch! Matthew Perry would be perfect for the role of Ensign Pulver, him or Jim Carey. In alternate actors, I could see Kelsey Grammar as the ships doctor, Morgan Freeman as both the captain and the doctor and Gene Hackman as both the captain and the doctor.
Someone who believes that there is nothing worth fighting for is a slave waiting for a master.
Don't make me throw up here.
Hanks could not out act Hank Fonda on Tommie boys best day and Fonda's worst day.
Nicholson is a 3 rd rate hack compared to Cagney
Perry wouldn't even be allowed on the set next to Jack Lemmon.
And Spleenberg would have to have the movie set against the backdrop of the Nazis to even try to direct it.
Wow! You must be one bitter old disgusted person aren’t you?...lol
Hanks, Nicholson and Spielberg have been nominated for a total of 28 Oscars!
Winning 7 of them!
Fonda, Cagney and Lemmon are Great!
But these 3 guys are just as GREAT!
You need to get out of the past and realize that there is also great talent today and worthy of the greats of the past!
"Watch the Heart!......Spike...aka William The Bloody
Why mess with remaking classics? But since this thread appears on almost every classic film's board, I'll play along.
The main problem I see is (and this was a problem with Fonda, too) is that Hanks is about 50 (most j.g.lieutenants are in their early 20's), Perry is about 40 (ditto).
If you HAD to re-make this, it would be much more realistic to use 20-something actors in the key roles.
However, I obviously DO NOT condone re-making perfectly good classic films. Look what happened when Disney/ABC tried to re-do "Brian's Song."
"The main problem I see is (and this was a problem with Fonda, too) is that Hanks is about 50 (most j.g.lieutenants are in their early 20's), Perry is about 40 (ditto)." - dadoo4050
You're right there. I totally disagree with re-making this classic, and I definately really wouldn't go to see it if Tom Hanks was in the leading role, I just can't see it happening really. Or if Matthew Perry would be playing the great Jack Lemmon's role as Ensign Pulver. Perry would try to imitate Jack in the role and it just wouldn't work. Jack Lemmon was 29/possibly 30 in this role; perfect. You know, young, fresh and that something extra special. Perry? Eurggh.
There. Had my bit of a chat about it! Lol!
"Men? We wouldn't be caught dead with men! Rough, HAIRY beasts with eight hands..." - Daphne
Oscars are just a popularity contest.
Bagart was voted the #1 actor of all time and has 1 Oscar.
Cary Grant was # 2 and has zero!
Nicholson, Speilberg and Hanks have nothing compared to the greats!
Cagney was # 8 and he could out act Tommy boy on Jimmy's worst day and worst script Vs. Tommy's best day and best script!
Nicholson could not tie Bogie's shoes let alone fill his roles!
And Speilberg is just the poor man's Hitchcock!
Hey, JJC-3... are there any modern movies or actors that you do like? And keep in mind, it is 2007, not 1950!
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
I think JJC3 hits it right on the money. And personally, I don't care for any modern filmmakers, actors/actresses, directors or films.
shareSorry, but to remake this movie with the caliber of actor around these days would be an affront to an amazing film. Part of what made the film great was the fact that a numer of the elads had actually been in the Navy, including Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon. Both men were able to add their life experience into the film. I would be hard pressed to think of any actor around that has the necessary background,skillset and talent and charm to pull off any of the roles . William Powell was amazing as the world weary Doc, in his final role. Henry Fonda brought his own innate dignity to the role of Doug Roberts, something sorely lacking amongst today's thespians. I'd rather not even speculate who they would cast to star as Ensign Pulver, one of Jack Lemmon's signature roles and his first Oscar role. They would probably cast some mugging horse's ass like Jim Carrey or whoever the current hunk du jour that wants to make a "serious" movie to overcome a prettyboy image or combat drug/gay rumors and go for that ill deserved Oscar. Some things are best left alone, and this movie is one of those things.
shareOscars are just a popularity contest.
Bagart was voted the #1 actor of all time and has 1 Oscar.
Cary Grant was # 2 and has zero!
Remaking MISTER ROBERTS would basically be suicide (how are you supposed to beat Fonda, Cagney, Lemmon and Powell?), but I will admit that Tom Hanks is probably the only person I could POSSIBLY see in the role.
shareYou absolutely couldn't remake this film!! The world we live in is a completely different place and part of what makes Mister Roberts work is the naiivity, pride and patriotism that runs through it. Not within the characters or performances but just within it as an entity. Society is too hard edges these days to be able to underwrite a film so subtly with these sentiments.
I really believe that there is an innocence within the film that cannot be recreated and any version of Mister Roberts without it would not be a worthwhile remake.
Leave it alone.
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There was a live TV production of the play in the 80's with Robert Hays as Roberts and Kevin Bacon as Pulver. Not bad. Especially interesting in a time when live presentations were not the norm. The movie version is pretty hard to live up to, but a new production could be interesting. Don't see Hanks though.
"Wake me when we get to Purgatory."
I saw the live performance..it also had if I recall correctly Howard Hessman as Doc and Charles Durning as the captain...and it was good, if anyone came up short it was Kevin Bacon in comparison with Jack Lemon. Robert Hayes was actually closer to the correct age for Doug and it showed. Theres a differance in remaking a classic film made directly as a film and remaking a stage play that has been done over and over many times since the original production....Its like saying you cant "remake" Hamlet.
I agree however that Tom Hanks is probably too old now to play Roberts...I can sure see him playing Doc though
It is not our abilities that make us who we are...it is our choices
Yeah, hachmom-1. Hanks might be able to do a good Doc. Still can't come up with anyone for Doug.
"It's as red as The Daily Worker and just as sore."
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The problem is they DID already try to remake this film...it was called "Ensign Pulver", with Robert Walker Jr. in the title role and Burl Ives as the captain.
If you've never seen it...keep it that way!
Even the presence of Walter Matthau, Jack Nicholson, and Larry Hagman couldn't save that turkey.
As far as Tom Hanks goes, he might have been a good Pulver if this had been remade back in his Splash or Big younger days. He had that goofy, earnest quality that might have worked.
If it's one of your favorites, then why on earth would you want to do such a disservice to it by doing a remake? I am still waiting for a remake that outshines the original. I can only think of one to be honest, and that's Capra's Pocketful Of Miracles, which was a remake of his own Lady For A Day.
One day a friend, who knows of my intense displeasure of remakes, suggested that I watch the new Peter Jackson remake of King Kong, also knowing how much I enjoyed the original. But he said "rest assured, THIS remake is one you will appreciate, guaranteed! It's great!"
Needless to say this person is no longer my friend. THAT'S how bad it was.
You've seen this flick 50 times and you don't think it was "done right" the first time?!
THIS MOVIE IS PERFECT, AND NOTHING SHOULD BE CHANGED. You don't tamper with perfection!
Tom Hanks ISN'T WORTHY to be in any remake of Mr. Roberts!!
You have TERRIBLE TASTE, my friend.
And next Hanksy can play Tom Joad from Grapes of Wrath too!
And Nicholson can play George M. Cohan in the remake of Yankee Doodle Dandy!
Please Tommy Hanksy does not even deserve to be mentioned in the same post as Hank Fonda or Jimmy Cagney!
And I would not let Spielberg direct traffic!