If there is ever a remake of this classic I have some ideas on who should be casted
1. Cat Ballou- Scarlett Johannson
2. Kid Shelleen/Tim Strawn- Johnny Depp
3. Clay-Ewan Mcgregor
4. Jed-Bill Moseley
5. Sir Harry Percibile-Tim Curry
I realize alot of people are sick of remakes but with this cast this one can work. Johnny Depp is a chamelon type actor who can do comedy/evil/drama. He is perfect for Shellen/Strawn. Scarlett Johannson is so beautiful and so right for Cat. Any feedback on my casting suggestions?
Acutually I have two choices for Cat. The second is Kristen Dunst. She or Johannson has to be Cat Baliou. I really want Depp for Shelleen/Strawn but Kevin Spacey or Jim Carrey could also do well in that duel role.
If Fonda is a traitor what does that make Nixon? Or Dick Cheney and the Boy King Bush 43? Fortunately, we still live in a relatively free country and when our government behaves despicably in our name, we have the right, the ability, and the obligation to speak out in opposition anyway possible. Hurray for Wikileaks! You may not like Fonda because she didn't support your 'follow the flag at any price' mentality but one could argue that people who do follow government without questioning it, even when that government behaves in ways that are morally reprehensible are guilty of treason. I suggest that you read the Declaration of Independence a few times to understand the obligations of a free citizenry. May I offer this quote for your intellectual edification:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
You, me, all of us havethe right to change government if it acts in ways that contradict our best interests and desires. We have no obligation to blithely follow a government that is morally corrupt and reprehensible.
Fonda supported the "poop on the flag and on POW's being tortured" mentality at all times. Wow, bravo. She grew up in privilege and has never been anything but an entitled, spoiled idiot. Forget the Gucci guerilla BS.
In caseyou missed it, the AFrican Queen was remade in 1975 as 'Rooster Cogburn.' It starred John Wayne and Kate Hpeburn. Thestory line was nearly identical to that of the John Huston vehicle. Watch it and see what I mean.
May be some truth in that. Tommy Lee Jones made a movie recently, and he said with the dearth of westerns being made, there really weren't horses that were trained the way he needed for his movie.
You need someone with some Talent to pull off Kid Shelleen what about Tommy Lee Jones he has some comic Talent and can pull off the Dramitic stuff as well.
Very nice--what about Jackson? And even though I love the choices of Johnny Depp and Ewen McGregor, the two of them together would be very costly, even if they would consider playing supporting rolls to Cat.
I watched this fave tonite, and I was thinking Tom Waits, would be a good choice as Kid Sheleen but Depp is another, that's a good one, but Waits already has the voice and his off beat personality and terrific showmanship and loads of talent, would suit the role perfectly. I also would go with George Clooney, seeing his performance in O' Brother Where Art Thou had me thinking about him as Sheleen as well.
Kristen Bell or Rachel McAdams....Catherin e 'Cat' Ballou Ron Perlman or Michael Keaton....Kid Shelleen/Tim Strawn Paul Rudd or Ryan Gosling....Clay Boone Steve Carell....Jed Taye Diggs....Shouter John C. Reily or Jim Belushi....Shouter Justin Long....Jackson Two-Bears Donald Sutherland....Frank ie Ballou Tim Curry....Sir Harry Percival
Hmmm, remake casting might become a new craze - sort of like playing air guitar - even if some of those remakes should never see the light of day.
This one carries some intrigue, even though I don't see why there needs to be a remake of "Cat Ballou" any more than of "Casablanca" or "African Queen". Even the generation of cell phone babies has to admit that modern technology or a more contemporary music soundtrack can do nothing to improve this flick. Let me assure you that the Nat King Cole & Stubby Kaye routine was way retro even in 1965. And funnily enough, my first thought about a Cat Ballou remake was that I would love them to use those segments - the exact footage - in it.
No, the intrigue is mostly about what Mr Depp would make out of that role. It wouldn't be anything like Lee Marvin - for many reasons. And for the role of Cat - to put Scarlett Johansson on screen is a valid excuse for any project, so I'm game.
Johnny Depp ? Are you people nuts ? He's a very fine actor, but not a Lee Marvin replacement, nor anywhere near old enough. I think that the Depp fan club thinks he should play the male lead in any and every remake or the classics...
Possible actors for the role - each providing his own spin on it:
* Tommy Lee Jones * James Woods * John Malkovich * Danny Glover * Gene Hackman
i don't know who he is murphy but i am still very much opposed to a Cat Ballou remake. It is flawless and perfectly cast and you can't beat Lee Marvin!
I just thought of someone else who could pull off Kid Shaleen(not as brilliant as Marvin, but close), Michael Keaton! Just watch Batman and then Beetle Juice.
Though a remake is completely not necessary, I'd LOVE to see Cat Ballou as a Broadway show.
I can't believe nobody has thought of the obvious choice for the Kid Shaleen role... Nick Nolte is a shoe-in!
And for Cat, I think it has to be Julia Roberts... with George Clooney as Clay... I think it would be a brave and timely project for Clooney's production company with the recent success of westerns...
Another option would be some kind of sequel, like "The Return of Cat Ballou"... give Jane Fonda something to do... maybe put Julia in the starring role as Cat's daughter and give Jane a cameo as the original Cat... I think it would be great fun to see what George and Julia could make of it...
One more option... if Hollywood won't touch it, I wouldn't mind seeing Nashville take a shot at it... think about Faith Hill as Cat and Tim McGraw as Clay... it would be a great diversion for those two... Tim has already shown he can act a little and I think Faith shows some chops in some of her music videos... either a remake or a sequel, maybe showing what happened afterward with Cat and Clay settling down together... the whole cast could be Nashville stars... think about Kris Kristofferson as Kid Shaleen, or Dwight Yoakam if Kris is too old... Neal McCoy or Joe Nichols as Two Bears... Big and Rich or Brooks and Dunn as the Shouters... other Nashville stars to be considered for casting would be Randy Travis, Travis Tritt and Brad Paisley... and there would be great opportunities for cameos for oldtimers like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Little Limmy Dickins, etc...
I remember back in the early 70's, C&W took a shot at movies but they were terribly done... Tim and Faith would have the deep pockets to do it right...
I have great memories of seeing Cat Ballou at the Airline Drive-In in Houston, TX in the family station wagon at age six... I would love to see some kind of tribute to it now!
There really shouldn't be talk of a remake. SOme hollywood exec might get wind of it and decide to do it. Then, bam, another great movie tarnished by a horrible remake. But I had to jump in to say Johnny Depp is a horrible choice for that role. He's not western type at all. No testosterone there. Great actor, just couldn't pull it off. If your looking for a younger actor for that role maybe Christian Bale, for an older actor I would go with Gene Hackman.
Lee Marvin was born in 1924, and Cat Ballou was released in 1965, so he was around 40 when it was filmed. Johnny Depp is 45, so not only is not 'anywhere near old enough,' he may actually be too old! Not really, of course, but he does fit the age of the character pretty well.
I think Depp and Clooney are both guys that could pull of the dramatic and comedic aspects of the role. There are plenty more, to be sure, but if we're going to dream, dream big.
Pity, I only stumble across this comment of yours today, but since we are talking about veritable movie classics, a few years among friends shouldn't matter, right?
Formally, I suppose, Rooster Cogburn wouldn't qualify as a remake of African Queen. On the other hand, Katherine Hepburn was most certainly reprising her classic performance here. And what a great example why Jamie Lee Curtis was so wrong when she decided to quit acting since nobody would want to see her at her age anymore. (I think she may have come around to my point of view, though, by now - not that she would know about me or my point of view, unfortunately ;-)
Another interesting comparison is between the old Hollywood legends Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne.
Unlike my normal attitude towards remakes, I like both of these movies very much. Maybe it has to do with the fact that there isn't THAT much of a parallel story, as far as I remember. I always found those movies particularly embarrassing that didn't add anything to the storyline except a locale that was, shall I say, less irritating to US audiences?
Whatever, I would happily watch through a television evening featuring both of these classics, one after the other.
And now I must run along and check how many years passed between the two productions.