What were they smokin’?
Jun 10th 2007
Karen RoseWhen Goddesses Fall To Earth
It’s Mr. R’s birthday today, so in honor of this auspicious event, I will blog about his hobby, nay, his passion. MOVIES. Mr. R. is a movie buff from way back and prides himself on his … shall we say … rather ecclectic taste.
So I staggered out of my cave yesterday after finally finishing edits on my latest book 
SCREAM FOR ME (everybody cheer, go ahead, I’ll wait). Surprise, surprise, Mr. R. is watching a movie. It’s an oldie with rather odd casting - Robert Mitchum and Olivia de Havilland. Both are favorites of mine. Mitchum was incredible in Cape Fear and deHavilland was simply a goddess in Captain Blood with Errol Flynn (see pic to the left) - and of course who can forget her as Miss Melanie in GWTW?
So why the title of my blog? 
Because they had Olivia deHavilland play a dowdy, Swedish blonde from MinneSOta with a VERY bad accent. Oh, and Harry Morgan from MASH fame also played a Swede with an even worse accent. Give me Swedish Chef any day! Bork, bork, bork.
What were the directors THINKING? I’m thinking they had them both on contract and didn’t know what else to do with them, but STILL.
Sometimes you watch a film and think “Who else could have played that role?” and come up with nobody better. That’s a great film - when the actor embodies the role so completely you can’t envision anyone else. Like Gable in GWTW - who else could have played Rhett? No, really, who? Nobody, that’s who.
This Mitchum/deHavilland flick was not one of those films. Not only could anyone have played the roles, the casting had no chemistry. Movie couples MUST have chemistry. 
Scarlett and Rhett - perfect. Rick and Ilsa - perfect. Sean Thorton and MaryKate Dannaher - perfect. Mitchum and deHavilland - um, no. Not only do the individual roles have to be well-casted, the leads have to light up the screen together. An easy task, you think? Maybe, maybe not.
Which movie castings have made you ask “What were they smokin’?” Which have been perfectly casted, so that you could envision no other in the role? Which movie couples make the screen sizzle? And which are duds?
29 Comments »
29 Responses to “What were they smokin’?”
Karen Rose on 10 Jun 2007 at 6:22 am #
This is too weird. I’ve known that we share a name…Karen Rose, but our Mr. R’s also share a birthday!?! Happy Birthday, Mr. R.
Karen Rose on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:10 am #
That is Twilight-Zone-spooky! Happy birthday to your Mr. R as well!
Kay on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:22 am #
Happy Birthday to Mr.R. We will lift a glass of Surly beer in his honor!
IMHO, there is no better movie couple than Bogey and Bacall. “Slim” and “Steve” were HOT. We watched them again a few weeks ago, and the chemistry was amazing. They way they implied so much in the days of strict “moral” oversight in Hollywood. It was much sexier than everyone falling into bed.
I also loved the characters in My Big Fat Grek Wedding. Total cast chemistry!
The second and third Indiana Jones movies had AWFUL female leads. I guess I enjoyed the first one so much, that the other two didn’t cut it for me.
Mr. C and I don’t get out to movies much (unless you count Shrek and Pirates 7 *G*) unless we’re with the kids, so I can’t comment on any of the current “date” movies. We just rent them later–sometimes.
Kay on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:24 am #
Real life total chemistry—-My DH and I are celebrating our 18 year anniversary today. I think we still have some chemistry going! LOL
Karen Rose on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:51 am #
Agree 100% on Slim and Steve. Bogey and Bacall had zing. Other couples - Streep and Redford in Out Of Africa. I was surprised. I didn’t see those two together but it worked - another mark of good casting. BTW, Redford’s character was supposed to have a British accent. I read somewhere that he just wasn’t getting it with the speech coach and right before filming they decided rather than do a bad Brit accent, he’d keep his American one. I think that was a good decision.
Now important stuff- Happy Anniversary to Kay and her DH, who truly is dear. I know because I was in their wedding! And she was in mine. In fact Kay played a pivotal role in Mr. R and my relationship - a very sweet story to be divulged on my next blog date.
Kay on 10 Jun 2007 at 9:01 am #
Thank Karen R.
Now, for the important question. When can we get our greedy hands on SCREAM FOR ME?!
You are taunting us, and that’s not fair. I am waiting……..
Nicole Jordan on 10 Jun 2007 at 9:23 am #
Great title for your new book, Karen! And big congrats for finishing edits.
You know, I’m probably the only woman on the planet who never cared for Gable. Didn’t like him as Rhett cause he didn’t fit my mental picture of the book character. Maybe because I didn’t like mustaches at the time. Now how sad is that? But I though Vivian L was a perfect Scarlett.
I particularly love Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn together. What was the movie, Charade?
NicoleJ
Karen Rose on 10 Jun 2007 at 9:43 am #
Ok, Nicole, because we’re engineering sisters, I’ll forgive you on Clark Gable. I read GWTW in junior high (kept it hidden in my locker since my mom wouldn’t have approved of the cussing) and didn’t see the movie till college. I never thought about the match between movie and book. I just love Clark Gable.
Of course Cary Grant is wonderful, too. I love him with Kate Hepburn in BRINGING UP BABY. I like him better in his comedies, I think - ARSENIC AND OLD LACE continues to be one of my all time faves. Actors like Gable and Grant sometimes seemed to overwhelm the screen - it took a very strong actress to meet them head-on.
Kind of like in books, eh? Have you read a book where the hero just jumped off the page and the heroine was mostly just tugged along in his wake? I think I just mixed metaphors there…
Karen Rose on 10 Jun 2007 at 9:48 am #
Kay - you’ll just have to wait for SCREAM FOR ME, bwahahahaha.
Claudia Dain on 10 Jun 2007 at 11:01 am #
Kay! I feel like I’ve found a soul sister! I HATED every female lead in the Indiana Jones movies. I’m not actually blaming the actresses (although it’s tempting) but the roles…blech. And no chemistry at all.
I loved the chemistry between David Duchovny and Minnie Driver in Return to Me. Loved the chemistry between Minnie Driver and John Cusack in Grosse Point Blank. Loved the chemistry between Minnie Driver and Rupert Everett in An Ideal Husband…are you seeing a pattern here? Minnie Driver must be the Queen of Chemistry!
And Karen, what a coincidence! My DH celebrated his birthday this week as well.
Kelly Ann on 10 Jun 2007 at 11:25 am #
I really like Gene Kelly & Judy Garland together & Cary Grant w/ Sopia Lauren (Sp?).
I can’t remember her name, but the woman who played opposite Will Smith in Hitch - I really don’t like her!
Julia London on 10 Jun 2007 at 11:45 am #
I hate to beat a dead horse, but I think colinfirthfan will agree with me — Colin Firth was perfectly cast as Mr. Darcy. There have been other good ones, but he was by far the best.
Did anyone watch Studio 60 this year? A friend of mine loved the whole story between Matthew Parish and his love interest, but I could never buy her as the uber-Christian love of his life. There was something about her that wasn’t endearing enough to me.
Suzanne Enoch on 10 Jun 2007 at 12:13 pm #
I agree, Julia. On the other hand, I loved Danny and Jordan. When he said (something like) “You’d better run, because I’m coming after you,” when he started his pursuit, I got goose bumps.
Movie-wise, I’ve always thought that Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis in “Witness” had GREAT chemistry, and they only kiss once in the entire movie.
Claudia Dain on 10 Jun 2007 at 12:16 pm #
Kelly Ann, I’m with you all the way. I hated the actress who played opposite Will Smith in Hitch–she ruined that movie for me. I know it was *her* because she tried to ruin Ghostrider with Nick Cage as well. And I can’t remember her name either! I think I’ve blocked it.
Julia, I’m one of the many who never watched Studio 60, though I refuse to take responsibility for its cancellation. LOL
foreverdelayed on 10 Jun 2007 at 12:32 pm #
All of the couples in Love Actually were cast perfectly. I love that movie and love how they cover all kinds of relationships.
I also think they have done a wonderful job casting all of the Harry Potter movies. They are so much fun!
Kay on 10 Jun 2007 at 12:45 pm #
Claudia–Minnie Driver and Rupert Everett in AN IDEAL HUSBAND, I had forgotten about that movie. How could I?! It was fantastic, My DH loved it, too. Maybe we can watch it again soon.
Foreverdelayed–all of the couples in LOVE ACTUALLY were great, but the Emma Thompson / Alan Rickman deal–oh how I cried. I will never forget the look on her face when she opend her Christmas present. I will never be able to watch it again, because that part is just too sad.
It must be the mark of great acting, to make me feel that way.
Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant in Sense and Sensiblility–WOW.
cookeemama on 10 Jun 2007 at 12:51 pm #
How about Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in “An Affair to Remember”?
Margaret
Brandy on 10 Jun 2007 at 2:08 pm #
A bad couple? Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock in Two Weeks Notice. Total lack there to me. Loved Minnie Driver and David Duchovney in Return to Me. I always liked Fred Astaire, but never thought his leading ladies suited him in the speakig roles. As for the dances, well, Ginger Rogers glided across the screen with him.
Karen Rose on 10 Jun 2007 at 2:11 pm #
Here’s a couple I didn’t buy, although I loved the concept of the movie - Redford and Streisand in THE WAY WE WERE. I love Robert Redford and I know that opposites are supposed to attract, but they were TOO opposite.
Never saw LOVE ACTUALLY, but I loved Minnie and David in RETURN TO ME. I saw that again recently after we’d talked about it here on the blog and I sobbed my eyes out again. “I miss Elizabeth, but I ache for Grace.” Aaaah. A cute couple that I also love - Lucy and Jack in WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING.
And I agree totally that Colin Firth is THE Mr. Darcy. No one else compares.
Judy F on 10 Jun 2007 at 2:31 pm #
Happy b day to Mr. R… I loved Return to Me.
I can’t think of the movie but it had Hugh Jackman and Meg Ryan. He time traveled, he work in the part but she didn’t for me.
dbrown3400 on 10 Jun 2007 at 2:39 pm #
Many happys to the birthdays and book edits and those ladies whose books have reached the charts. I’ve been away so didn’t get to extend my congrats earlier.
Richard Gere and Julia Roberts come to mind as an all-time great pairing in Pretty Woman. I’ve watched that umpteen times.
I’ll need to think of some bad pairings or other good ones.
Donna
DebMarlowe on 10 Jun 2007 at 6:18 pm #
Happy Birthday Mr. R!
I think that Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler have a nice chemistry that translates as easiness together, on the screen.
This will sound weird, but the kids who were in the live version of Peter Pan had great chemistry. Those kids can ACT! I was blown away by them!
Sabrina Jeffries on 10 Jun 2007 at 7:00 pm #
Agree totally on Peter Pan and While You Were Sleeping. Still haven’t seen Return to Me.
This is going to be blasphemy, but much as I adored Sense and Sensibility as a movie, I thought Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson made a horrible couple: she was too old for him, and he just didn’t fit my image of Edward Ferrars. I wasn’t that keen on the other pairing either (I know, I know, I just don’t get the love for Alan Rickman, although Kate Winslet was fine).
And speaking of Austen–Matthew MacFadyen was LOVELY as Darcy. Do not diss my MacFadyen!
lisapbailey on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:15 pm #
My knee-jerk response to this question isn’t in casting a couple but it is a timely response.
Keith Richards as Captain Jack’s father in POC3! Since in reality Depp used Richards as inspiration for Cpt. Jack it was appropos but my God the man didn’t even need makeup for his role–he is the perfect pirate.
krystal on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:25 pm #
I loved Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo in JUST LIKE HEAVEN I think that they had great chemistry. I also think that Matthew McConaughey and Kate Winslet in HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN TEN DAYS are also great.
I agree with Judy F about KATE AND LEOPOLD. Hugh Jackman was wonderful (but then he always is). Meg Ryan not so much. (I did like her with Tom Hanks in YOU’VE GOT MAIL though.)
Erica R on 10 Jun 2007 at 8:57 pm #
Happy Birthday to Mr. R and a big WHOOOOOO!!!!! for Scream For Me! Yay!!! =)
Melissa on 11 Jun 2007 at 11:29 am #
Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun. LOVED the movie….but she was sooooooo not that part. Like she should have been a friend of his mom’s or something.
TinaLouiseF on 11 Jun 2007 at 10:23 pm #
Hugh Grant did not work for me as the lead in “Two Weeks Notice.”
AnnaSwede on 13 Jun 2007 at 3:27 pm #
Oh, don’t talk about Swedish accents in movies.
The worst part for me is when someone “talks” Swedish as he/she actually knows it, and I - as a Swede - can hardly understand what he/she says. It’s happened several times, especially in TV shows… It should be enough Swedes in Hollywood, so they could get someone to teach the actor how to say the line properly.
I do love Jamie Lee Curtis in Trading Places, when she pretends to be Swedish.
Good chemistry - Minnie Driver/John Cusack in Grosse Pointe Blank. Drew Barrymore/Michael Vartan in Never Been Kissed. Gwyneth Paltrow/Joseph Fiennes in Shakespear in Love. Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant in Notting Hill.
Bad chemistry - Sean Connery/Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment (the age difference…)