Hollywood: reports that Universal Pictures will develop a remake of the 1939 comedy "Midnight" as a starring vehicle for Reese Witherspoon. The film is reportedly being scripted by Michael Arndt, who won the Oscar for "Little Miss Sunshine." The original movie has long been one of my favorite films, and it is easily one of the best comedies of the '30s. In the original, Claudette Colbert starred as a destitute young woman in Paris who becomes a pawn when a wealthy man tries to get rid of the gigolo wooing his wife. A start date for filming has not been nailed down, as Witherspoon is reportedly deciding between several films for her next slot.
"The Women," another classic film from 1939, is being remade with an all-star cast and writer/producer Diane English, creator of "Murphy Brown." Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing and Candice Bergen have either signed or are near committing to star in the ensemble dramedy rumors say. Like the original film starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, and Rosalind Russell, the remake will follow a group of female friends' reactions when the one they envied most discovers her husband's cheating on her. The film, which is being co-produced by Mick Jagger's Jagged Pictures and Inferno Entertainment, is reportedly scheduled to start shooting in August.
I love old movies so I'm sure I will enjoy these new ones. How about you?
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Comments: 30
I agree with Linds, the old movies transport me to another time and place and that is what I like about them. New movies just don't make me feel the same way.
Now if they could bring Jack Barrymore back to be in the new midnight I would watch!
I believe movies like 'Midnight' & 'The Women' will probably always outshine (for me) the remakes, but for generations of people who aren't old enough to have had the privilege of enjoying them, remakes are wonderful! Especially, nowadays: after viewing the remake in theatres, they can rent the original on DVD (if available), or catch it on TCM or via PBS. Or, at school. Or in revival movie houses...
In an age when many people think that downloading an image or story from the Internet qualifies them to call themselves an artist or writer, it makes sense that Hollywood would think that redoing old movies with a new cast qualifies as legitimate film making.
What these remakes cannot succeed at is creating the flavor and texture the original versions of these movies had that was a direct result of the years of experience and living the original casts and directors of these films had. These factors are what made these classics "classic" in the first place.
The list of remakes that did nothing more than dishonor the original versions of the films they "cashed in on " is a mile long. None of these films were made out of a sense of love for the original. Each and every one of them simply wanted to make money for the moment and then move on to the next one.
I'm sure the casts and studios behind these remakes would disagree and insist their only motivation was respect and admiration for the originals. This, my friends, is a load of horse manure.
I'm not a real big fan of black&white, so I would be delighted to try these movies out in a newer format. I mean, there will be no replacement for Charlie Chaplin or Humphrey Bogart, but I think more movies should be updated, recast, and refilmed. There are some wonderful ones out there, and many young people refuse to watch b&w films because there's not enough pizazz. (Shame, that.)