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When Steven Spielberg weighed choices for the first live action film to kick off the DreamWorks/ Reliance/ Disney relationship, word was the bigger the better. From the cast he’s announced for his adaptation of the Michael Morpugo novel War Horse, the onus is on Spielberg’s own starpower. Most of the cast is new to me. The lead in the movie adaptation of the hit Nick Stafford stage play will be teen British newcomer Jeremy Irvine. Spielberg has Emily Watson and David Thewlis as the young horseman’s parents. The rest of the lineup: Peter Mullan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Niels Arestrup, Celine Buckens, Nicolas Bro, David Kross, Leonard Carow, Rainer Bock, Robert Emma and Patrick Kennedy. Last time Spielberg made a period war movie with a young actor discovery, he misfired (at least from a box office standpoint) with Empire of the Sun and a pint-sized Christian Bale. We’ll see how this one works out when Disney releases it August 11, 2011. Awareness on the British play will rise when it moves to Lincoln Center next April.
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Or, you know, that war movie he made with a then-unknown Matt Damon playing the title character in Saving Private Ryan. Or Ralph Fiennes in Schindler’s List. Or Liam Neeson in Schindler’s List.
Spielberg always finds unknowns, or character actors looking for their moment. That’s what makes his best films.
Matt Damon unknown in Private Ryan? Ever hear of the Rainmaker or Good Will Hunting? Remember the Oscar for Good Will Hunting? Remember? That was all before Saving Private Ryan.
The problem with Saving Private Ryan, in fact, was that the whole world knew that Matt was cast as Private Ryan, and so when they thought they had found him in the movie, and the actor playing the wrong Pvt Ryan truly was an unknown, it was immediately known to be a fake-out scene before it was revealed in the story. All because that actor was NOT Matt Damon, who was definitely known at the time.
Re: Empire, it is very underrated, but the tone goes totally haywire 45 minutes in, when the young Bale meets Joe Pantoliano (when he is almost run over by the truck). The tone goes from serious to cartoonish in that exact instant and thereafter, the movie is plagued with similar moments where the tone of a particular beat is way out of whack with the overall tone of the picture. Munch on that.
I’m not sure film geek would call Christian Bale in Empire of The Sun a misfire… perhaps the suits upstairs might… but they don’t count.
I agree completely – Empire of the Sun was an outstanding film.
Misfired? That is one of my favorite 5 movies EVEr made. u are crazy. there was no misfire there…why, cause the Academy didnt like it? The Academy likes films like Shakespeare In Love and Crash, if the Academy did not like it, then that was a GOOD thing…
If “Empire of the Sun” is one of your favorite five movies ever made, then you have a serious problem. Really.
This from a guy who probably put all his weight behind House of Sand and Blahh…
Empire rocked — go back to film school boy-o.
I’m not saying Empire isn’t a fine movie. I’m just saying you haven’t seen so many movies if it is one of your fives favorite ever. This kind of statements only illustrates your lack of knowledge of cinema’s history. Or you are a moron or you are deliberately ignoring a vast majority of great great movies. Can I have my show back?
It’s great to see a big time Hollywood director use his clout to break unknown talent.
-The Gingerales
I still think your making a big mistake Mr. Spielberg. You should be making Jurassic Park IV or even that Abraham Lincoln movie that hes been thinking about making for years. I still cant believe this is the project hes going to do next out of all the other ones hes attached to.
This project has hit all over it. Does anyone ecpect anything less?
I’m cautiously optimistic about this. I saw the play in London over Xmas and it was fantastic…but unsure how well it would hold up as live action. The first half no prob (its all about the Boy: Albert and his Horse:Joey), but once the horse gets shipped off to war there’s a good chunk of the second half of the play that’s about the Horse and ANOTHER horse (topthorn) without people really involved much at all (except an enemy officer). The play is about what these 2 horses go through as much as it is about the humans…and that’s the part I’m a little afraid will be short changed in a live action version–although it was beautifully done in the play.
fingers crossed Spielberg pulls it off!
(also–was Empire of the Sun really a “misfire”?! I never thought so: 6 oscar noms, stunningly beautiful film…I loved that movie.)
He “misfired”?! Really? Did you see the film? Bale was amazing as was the movie! and Spielberg is notorious for finding untapped talent. Crucial to him more, is the story telling not navigating inflated egos.
I just myself recently rediscovered Empire of the Sun after having seen it (oh, so long ago) during it’s initial run, and had not previously made the Christian Bale connection. Duh. I thought the movie was great – both times.
But then, again, I could say the same thing about 1942. (Again, I saw it twice, across the decades; though I did know who John Belushi was. Sigh.)
I am assuming that you mean “1941″?
“Misfire”???? “Misfire”?!!!!
Don’t you realize Christian Bale was in that Batman movie?
This will end up being a little gem for the berg. It has a solid script with some very rich visuals to play with.
Although you are a bit incorrect dear boy with your reporting, its based on the childrens novel by Michael Morpurg. The Berg has seen with stage play at least on a few occasions for research an d development of the script.
I must agree with a lot of the comments. Throughout his career, Spielberg has done his best with work with unknowns or, at least, little-knowns. I think the trouble began WHEN he started working with movie stars. The magic dissipated ever so slightly…
When he said “misfire”, he clearly points out at the box office, were the film only made $22 million domestically. That would be a box office misfire by any standard, especially Spielberg’s.
With that said, Empire of the Sun is amazing and one of his best.
Empire of the Sun is one of his masterpieces, a truly masterful, completely overlooked movie. When the retrospectives come a few years from now, that will be one of the surprises, like John Ford’s Wagonmaster.
As for this one, you just never know, but there is always the chance he’ll work his magic.
Uhhhhhh, ever hear of a little movie called SAVING PVT. RYAN, quite possibly the best war movie done so far. Sheesh, you make it sound like Spielberg is an unsucessful movie director. Can’ wait for this war movie.
I’ll know one if i see one (a hit) otherwise, it’s all sandy beaches with little tiny hats.
-PC
I hope this works out. I saw the play in London last year and it was very powerful. But part of the magic was the life-size horse puppets. Not sure how it will play with real horses.
Jeremy Irvine is great. I saw him play Romeo and at the RSC and he was brilliant! Steven is a great director and knows how to find brand new talent. Can’t wait to see the film.
John Hammond