Lizzie Borden Society Forum

If Hollywood ever made a serious film of the Borden case,
Who do you think would be suitable for the lead role of Lizzie?
I've overworked my small brain all day, and I cant come up with any Actress who would even look like Lizzie, yet alone could pull off the role.
I did however think that Cathy Bates could play Abby Borden.
And Jennifer Tilly could play Bridget. Maybe Billy Bob Thorton could be Uncle John.
Any thoughts on Lizzie, Andrew or Emma ??

I was toying with the idea of Kate Winslet as Lizzie. She may not look exactly like her but I felt she was a good enough actress.

She is too feminine in my mind to be Lizzie. A young glenn close would have been my choice back in the day. But now? Charlize Theron can do anything! Sexy or not, she can carry it off.

You mean a "remake?" I thought Elizabeth Montgomery did a fine job as Lizzie 31 years ago. That was a serious film although their plot may have been off a bit. Maybe they should have checked the facts with us first...

I was thinking of Ashley Judd as Lizzie or maybe Hilary Swank, although we would have to do something with that nose. Kate Winslet maybe. Meg Tilly in a blond wig could pass as Lizzie. Bates would be good as Abby, she is good at playing frumpy characters. I do not have a clue for Andrew (Clint Eastwood is too tall). If this was 40 years ago I would vote Georgia Brown as Emma but maybe Kathleen Quinlan as Emma. I just do not keep up with all these new faces coming up on the Hollywood scene. Maybe Sandra Bullock as Bridget?

-1bigsteve (o:

I thought the obvious choice for Abby would be Kathy Bates.

How about Tom Selleck as Uncle John?

I pick Nicole Kidman to play Lizzie. Even though she is too tall. For Andrew I'd go with Gavin Macleod and for Emma I'd pick Laurie Metcalf to play her. Here are a few pics to show why I picked them. Personally, I think the older Gavin looks a lot like Andrew.

http://www.cinema-stars.com/kidman/imageHtms/30.htm

http://www.christiananswers.net/spotlig ... anger1.jpg


http://home.att.net/~smvd/stepp/news/AllMySons.jpg

matt kevin jones @ Sun Jun 18, 2006 3:53 pm wrote:How about Tom Selleck as Uncle John?

Too tall. Acting wise perfect. I like Tom but unless they could put him in a hole he would stand out. But, I don't know, if they can make Alan Ladd look 6' tall maybe miracles can happen.

How about Tom Hanks?

-1bigsteve (o:

Nicole Kidman (Yeah)
I never thought of her
Did you see the Movie Cold Mountain ?
I actually live in that area of N.C.
Nicole would be a great choice.
Somebody call her agent right away.

I dont think Tom Hanks is good looking enough to play uncle John
Uncle John seemed to be a rather Handsome Gent for that time period.
Just wish He would have brought some clean clothes for the Stayover at Lizzies that night.

Nicole's face is too skinny but Gavin may be a good Andrew although his head is a bit too broad.

Hmmmm...

-1bigsteve (o:

Poor Emma
She was so homely
Maybe Gavin could play Her.
Seems lizzie got all the looks in the family.

My sister had a dog named Emma. Come to think of it she kind of looked a bit like Lizzie's sister. I would like to claim the dog was named after Emma Borden but I can't. She was named after Mrs. Emma Peel.

It would be nice to see a photo of Lizzie smiling with her teeth showing. She was not a bad looker. There is an actress floating around in the back of my mind somewhere that I think would make a real good Lizzie. When the name pops up I'll pass it by you all.

-1bigsteve (o:

As a dentist's wife I wonder if Lizzie had nice teeth.

I think I read somewhere (probably here) that she did not.

Bad teeth could have been the reason Mona Lisa was not smiling much. I have wondered about Lizzie's teeth myself.

-1bigsteve (o:

One of the news reports described her as having a glint of gold in her mouth.

A member once posited the opinion that because Andrew and Abby had dental work in the form of some artificial upper teeth, that the family probably did pay attention to their teeth, as a habit.

If you understand Hollywood and economics, you will know that Hollywood will never create a "serious film" (if you mean historically accurate).
Successful films need drama first to bring in a big bos office. The 1974 TV film omitted Uncle John. Oliver Stone's "Nixon" telescoped characters to simplify the story and save time (and money).
Only a book can do this, and it best do it in about 320 pages total.
Those who have experience in publishing can tell why. IMO

I'm not much of a movie-goer.
How about a young Bruce Dern for William Borden?
How about Gary Cooper for Uncle John? Yup.
How about Bette Davis for Lizzie.

If you think this shows my age, it does.

The REAL problem is: would they be available at a price that would ensure financial success given the expected box office returns? It it could make money, it would have been made decades ago.
Did you know they made a "Wizard of Oz" as a silent film in the 1920s?

I think Ted Danson looks like Uncle John Morse.
I bet he'd like the part.
Does there need to be a part then for Mary Steenburgen? (sp).

Ray, not only did they make the Wizard of Oz in the 1920s, but Oliver Hardy played the Tin Man!

The Wizard of Oz (1908)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910), with 9 year old Bebe Daniels as Dorothy
and two other films from Selig Polyscope Company based on Baum's Oz: Dorothy and the Scarecrow in Oz (1910), and The Land of Oz (1910)
three times in 1914, all produced by Baum's own short-lived Oz Film Manufacturing Company
The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914)
The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914)
His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz (1914/15) - the closest to Baum's original book and the only one directed by him
The Wizard of Oz (1921)
The Wizard of Oz (1925), a full-length silent film from Chadwick Pictures, with comedian Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy fame portraying the Tin Woodsman, from producer/director/star/writer Larry Semon