Yesterday I started reading Georgina Howell's biography of Gertrude Bell. Ms. Bell is a really fascinating individual: an Englishwoman who spurned pretty much all of her era's conventions, she did turns as an archaeologist, explorer, mountaineer, spy, Arabist and political player. If you're looking to credit (or blame) anyone for the current State of the Middle East, look no further than Ms. Bell; indeed, Christopher Hitchens calls her "the woman who made Iraq."
Today I came discovered that Ridley Scott, once he wraps up Prometheus, his mooted Alien prequel, is planning a biopic of Ms. Bell. Scott wouldn't be my first choice for the subject, but beggars can't be choosers.
Which leads us to the $64,000 question: Who is playing Gertrude Bell? Funny you should ask...
Yes, Angelina Jolie.
As if that weren't insulting enough, Jolie is also lined up to play Cleopatra.
Why get worked up over this? Hollywood recently has been turning lots of fascinating history into lousy films, from Public Enemies to J. Edgar. Red Tails, debuting this week, seems likely make a mess of the Tuskegee Airmen if the trailers are any indication.
This isn't a new phenomenon, of course; Hollywood's been cramming actors into ridiculous roles for time immemorial (Gary Cooper as Marco Polo? John Wayne as Genghis Khan?). Regardless, for a history buff like me it's disheartening. These are important, fascinating people who deserve to have their stories told, not poorly-thought-out schlock or Oscar-baiting bores. Is it so hard to ask they cast someone who looks and acts vaguely like the individuals they're portraying? Is it possible that a Ridley Scott epic can be anything but dull and derivative? And Angelina Jolie, seriously?
On the plus side, this might mean a Lawrence of Arabia remake with Leo DiCaprio. Stay tuned.
9 comments:
Angelina Jolie as Cleopatra? Ridiculous.
An insult, which trivialises the life of a truly remarkable woman whose reflections still form the basis for our understanding of the Middle East and who was possibly the foremost woman of the Empire. I would have expected far more from Scott who shows a respect and love for history even if not always accurate (he has the Germans at the start of Gladiator make the same war chant as those in Zulu, his favourite film- a terrific touch!). His Kingdom of Heaven is too Hollywood for my liking, with a recognisable star in every role, but still showed a sensitivity that raised others' shackles for being too understanding of "the other side." But this... What a dreadful way to start the day.
If they were going to make a Lawrence of Arabia remake, I would demand that Michael Fassbender, who is Irish and a fantastic actor, better than DiCaprio, should play Lawrence.
Thanks, Keir. I don't share your enthusiasm for Scott normally but I'll admit Kingdom of Heaven was a good (if flawed) film. Something tells me this will be an uninspired biopic though, and casting Jolie as Bell is not getting off on the right foot.
As for Cleopatra, I can't help but think of Jolie's awful performance in Alexander. Did Cleopatra have life raft lips?
Fassbender as Lawrence? I could see that. Lawrence would probably be a character anyway unless they focused on Bell's early life (I suspect Dick Doughty-Wylie will get a lot of coverage).
I would even rather see Winona Ryder as Cleopatra.
(I had trouble typing that with a straight face.)
Well, it's not like Winona's doing anything. Isn't Jolie too busy saving the world or hanging out with the President or something like that?
Probably. It's like we all owe her favors for her charity.
For you trivia junkies Gertrude Bell was portrayed onscreen by Gillian Barge in A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia. I don't recall her being a major character in the film though, Jim Carter as Richard Meinertzhagen had a lot more screen time.
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