You Oughta Be In Pictures

Matt Lewis has an idea:

Top 3 Conservatives Who Deserve a Biopic

One of the most controversial Hollywood films last year was "Milk". It was praised by liberals and gay-rights supporters -- and simultaneously labeled leftist propaganda by many conservatives.

And he goes on to suggest three candidates for a conservative film - Whittaker Chambers, William F. Buckley, and the Duke Lacrosse story.

I bet we can extend that list.  Well, not me personally, not until the caffeine kicks in anyway.  But I believe.

[end of thread]

Comments

[Lord Whorfin]

How about Foghorn Leghorn?

[Robert Bell]

Robert Coase?

[Captain Hate]

This isn't a smart idea. Let the lefties continue to make crock propaganda worthy of Leni Riefenstahl and starring borderline retarded people like Sean Penn. They only appeal to the koolaid drinkers anyway which is why they lose so much money.

[Jane]

Clarice,

You are my hero.

[Chris]

The Duke Lacrosse story would be mandatory viewing...and probably be extremely profitable, too.

Disclosure made $214M in 1994 ($83M dom, the rest overseas)...one of the most conservative social movies of all time. I would consider the two to be of similar theme.

[Sue]

Michael Yon. Don't really know his political affiliation, but his story would be great for conservatives.

[Kevin B]

John Ringo's The Last Centurion

It's just a tiny bit conservative.

[Kevin B]

oops

[Jack is Back!]

Didn't "The Passion of Christ" really p*ss off the left more than any movie in recent times? Why double up when they keep making clunkers and losing their shirts (or do they under our crazy tax code)?

[JayC]

Do you really want to see a biopic made by Hollywood? With all the slander and distortion they would put in?

I'd rather not. Let them go bankrupt making the propaganda they currently make.

[Danube of Thought]

None of the three suggested flicks will be made. Anyone who even tried would never eat lunch in that town again.

[clarice]

Oh, dear, Jane's back. (I was just kidding when I encouraged others to talk nasty about you cause you couldn't post.)

[rhodeymark]

I about spit when I saw that Charlize Theron & Julia Roberts were being considered for the part of Dagny Taggart.

[clarice]

What about food crazy Meryl (Alar) Streep playing Julia ("the more butter the better") Childs?

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/03/meryl_streep_and_julia_child_a.html

[Danube of Thought]

Recall that in the late 40's somebody made a movie out of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead," with Gary Cooper. It was not watchable.

[Paul Zrimsek]

I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a Reagan biopic yet. It would give Hollywood the chance to talk about its favorite subject, namely itself.

[Appalled]

A movie based on Witness -- Whittaker Chambers' autobiography -- would be interesting. Plenty of drama, plus the first third could be disfunctional family theater. Of course, Cahmbers himself is a little odd -- but, then, there have been two movies on Truman Capote -- so that's obviouly not an obstacle.

I think Bucley's gracefully lived life would not film well. (Hah! I I really nailed Galbraith that time, wrote a chapter of my novel, then went sailing. In Hollywood hands, it would like the diary of Teddy Kennedy or that 2004 Democrat Presidential nominee. What his name, again?)

Duke lacrosse story has the feel of TV movie about it. Particularly since there really isn't an easily found hero here.

Generally, though, TM, overtly political movies are terrible, whether made by right or left. The urge to preach ends up killing the drama.

[narciso]

Actually there was that crappy Reagan's miniseries which was full of lines, so after protests it ended up on Showtime.
I've just really started reading Atlas
Shrugged, so it's hard to see who could really play her effectively. On that AOL
blog there was one commenter who was doubting Hiss's guilt but was sure that
Chambers had been a spy.

[narciso]

That ridiculous Apalled, he denounced Yale, right of college, served in the CIA in Mexico, (with Howard Hunt) founded a magazine, ran for Mayor of New York, now who would you get to play him is more of an open question. Voight seems to be doing the older patrician parts well, but for the younger Buckley, you're guess is as good as mine.

[MayBee]

You guys are forgetting last year's wonderful biopic about "W".*

[Thomas Collins]

Duke Lacrosee would be a great movie.

The title: NARRATIVE RULES

DIRECTOR: Paul Greengrass.

NIFONG: Jon Voight.

CRYSTAL: Queen Latifah.

KIRK OSBORN: Daniel Day-Lewis.

TARA LEVICY: Jeneane Garofalo.

ATTORNEY GENERAL COOPER: Sean Penn.

ED BRADLEE: James Earl Jones.

BRODHEAD: Kiefer Sutherland (think about it; Kiefer could play a soft spineless college prez as well as he plays a tough counter-terrorism agent).

MARK GOTTLIEB: Danny DeVito.

THE BOYS: They play themselves.

THE DUKE DEMONSTRATORS: Take footage from the actual demonstrations against the boys.

[narciso]

Sarcasm this early in the morning, Maybee, I had almost blocked that idea, right out of my head with scouring powder.

[dittybopper]

Danube of Thought, "Recall that in the late 40's somebody made a movie out of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead," with Gary Cooper. It was not watchable". Really?

FYI: Ayn Rand did the screenplay herself with the condition that none on her dialogue be changed. The storyline may drift from the book but not the message or the dialogue including Gary Cooper's courtroom speech.

[Chris]

Petraeus? That would get heads exploding.

[Thomas Collins]

Appalled, I would say that the boys and their families would make great heroes in a Duke Lacrosse movie. They stood up with grace and dignity to false accusations. Kirk Osborn, Joe Cheshire and the other lawyers representing the boys also did themselves proud.

Let's not let the passage of time dim our memories. The boys were actually innocent, and this was known (or should have been known to all without an agenda) within a short time after the party.

Ed Bradlee would also qualify as a hero, in my view, for his classy dismembering of the charges on 60 Minutes.

[Dave]

What about a movie that portrays the conversion to conservative ideals from the perspective of a famous liberal as a result of 9/11? Like Ron Silver, for instance.

[jeff]

Scooter Libby story

[Dave]

And the credits to the movie could all be in italics.

[Appalled]

dittybopper:

And that's precisely the problem with that move -- the character declaim at each other, rather than interact in a cinematically acceptable manner.

Look, you had King Vidor (one of the better directors of the period), Cooper (who is perfectly cast) and Patricia Neal (who was having an affair with Cooper-- which lends credibility to her part in the picture). the problem was an Ayn Rand script/story that simply did not work as a movie.

[MayBee]

Was that.....jeff?
The Jeff?

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

Really?

FYI: Ayn Rand did the screenplay herself with the condition that none on her dialogue be changed. The storyline may drift from the book but not the message or the dialogue including Gary Cooper's courtroom speech.

That fits DOT's point pretty well, IMO.
Ayn Rand couldn't write characters or dialogue for shucks.
Maybe her ideas were OK, although she isn't my brand of libertarian, but she sure as heck was no Proust when it came to the aristic end of writing.

A movie based on Witness -- Whittaker Chambers' autobiography -- would be interesting.

PBS did a mini series based on the case many years ago which was actually pretty well made and artistically successful. It was after Allan Weinstein's book so it had no excuse for being far too pro Hiss of course, but since when have the clowns at PBS needed an excuse for being commie symps?

[bad]

"Atlas Shrugged" is read in freshman english in our school district.

[Appalled]

bad:

Just out of curiosity, how do they teach that book?

[bad]

Appalled, my kids claim the book is used to teach "ideas presented as fiction." We had very lively discussions about capitalism and oppressive government as each kid read the book.

I honestly don't know what the teachers intended.

[bad]

Appalled, the neighbor kids were very into discussion of that book as well. As I recall, we talked a great deal about what government was useful and what was oppressive. At the time, we wondered how many of our views were presented in class discussions. I do remember the older kids said class debates were quite lively and everyone had an opinion.

[clarice]

If I were making an independent film, I'd hire KC Johnson to write the Duke screenplay. I think it would be a fantastic movie..

Who do we cast as the lying sob at the NYT who kept hiding the facts from the paper's readers?

[TCO]

But you're not a conservative, Tom. You're a bailout lover.

[Danube of Thought]

"...with the condition that none on her dialogue be changed."

Precisely. Imagine a movie of "Atlas Shrugged" in which an actor delivers the entire John Galt speech. It would be right up there with Andy Warhol's "Empire."

[Appalled]

bad:

While I'm not sure I'd call Atlas Shrugged literature, it is without question an influential book. I'm glad students are forced to confront the ideas in it. For balance, I might want the kids to read Bonfire of the Vanities or Liar's Poker, but, nevertheless...

Color me pleasently surprised.

For the record -- yeah, I read the thing years ago. The whole disappearing executive thing was intriguing, but not for 1K pages...I probably should have just read the John Galt speech and moved on. Never tried any other Rand.

TCO: I don't think there are any great bailout movies, though I think an old movie like American Madness or even It's A Wonderful Life might help explain the whole bank bailout thing to you.

[bad]

Who do we cast as the lying sob at the NYT who kept hiding the facts from the paper's readers?

Jon Lovitz

[rhodeymark]

Precisely. Imagine a movie of "Atlas Shrugged" in which an actor delivers the entire John Galt speech.
Well, you would know when to beat the traffic at least!

[bad]

Appalled, I forget what age they were when they read "Animal Farm" but it was at a younger grade level. Same great discussion.

[Boatbuilder]

"But you're not a conservative, Tom--you're a baillout lover."

TCO--is that really you? It's pretty funny as satire--and even funnier if its not.

[Boatbuilder]

Dave--you beat me to it with Ron Silver. That movie will never be made in Hollywood.

[Boatbuilder]

How about Ollie North--whether you make him hero or villian, the story is a blockbuster.

[clarice]

bad, you win the casting couch.

[Appalled]

We did Animal farm in 9th grade back in the '70s.

[Old Lurker]

The fun movie would be a time travel thing in which the founders all come visit us and see what we done.

[Thomas Collins]

Roseanne Barr as Selena Roberts, clarice.

[Appalled]

old lurker:

They'd be horrified, and we in the 21st would likely be horrified by what horrified them...

[bad]

Clarice, can we get it cleaned first? I've heard stories....

[Captain Hate]

Roseanne Barr as Selena Roberts, clarice

That is beautiful, TC; Selena Roberts is a snarky slut who has all the attitude and flawed insight of Modo who happens to write about sports. I let my subscription to Sports Illustrated expire when they hired that tramp and thought of writing them to tell them why I was doing that except that it would've been a waste of my time (plus there were other issues). Too bad she wasn't romantically linked to that loser Nifong.

[Captain Hate]

Btw, even though I thoroughly enjoyed reading Atlas Shrugged, it really isn't literature per se; more like an effective bit of political writing being delivered by stick figures. Even one of my idiotic lefty friends went through an Rand period before she had her cortex permanently destroyed by the tenured jackholes in wacademia.

TCO bringing teh funnay today.

[clarice]

OL,I did a play like that in High School and Ms Porter, the history teacher thought I was terribly disrespectful. (Actually it was Lincoln and Washington coming back IIRC)

[Daddy]

I am surprised that our Media has been slow off the mark today.

Now that we have a ship captured by Islamic Pirates, isn't it time now to investigate Obama's inner Thomas Jefferson? We already know he's the rebirth of FDR and the reincarnation of Abe Lincoln, so why not also an avatar of The Sage of Montecello? You know, the Marine's, The">http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/thomas-jefferson-and-the-mediterranean-pirates.html">The Barbary Pirates, the First President with a Koran?
I think the media is really missing an opportunity here, but then of course there is also the possibility they're tired of Obama as The Reborn President so-and-so meme, and instead are waiting for bigger historical fish. He's already been community organizer Jesus, right? Well I'm waiting for Obama as the">http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caesar/caesar_t01.htm">the reborn Julius Caesar and the Pirates. "

75 BCE: While sailing to Greece for further study, Caesar was kidnaped by Cilician pirates and held for ransom. When informed that they intended to ask for 20 talents, he is supposed to have insisted that he was worth at least 50. He maintained a friendly, joking relationship with the pirates while the money was being raised, but warned them that he would track them down and have them crucified after he was released. He did just that, with the help of volunteers, as a warning to other pirates, but he first cut their throats to lessen their suffering because they had treated him well."

Now that, I think we can all agree, would make a great TV movie.

[Captain Hate]

Daddy, I congratulated you threads ago on your Tarheels march through the tourney like Sherman through Atlanta. Very well done by Roy, who coaches some of the most exciting basketball in Div-1.

[narciso]

Well Robert Harris, before he went totally nuts, with his evil Tony Blair manque in the Ghost, wrote Empire, which focuses on the Gabinus law, which helped them tackle the pirates, but seems to have seen it akin
to the Patrior Act, in terms of over reach.
Although Conn Iggulden wrote a whole series
on Caesar, and I recall the second volume focused on his experiences against the pirates.

[Jane]

You know the next time we get stuck in italics someone should also leave on the bold, because it is easier to see.

[Porchlight]

Agree with most of the comments on Atlas Shrugged. There are some effective stylistic elements in the way the ideas are transposed to characters and plot. I particularly enjoy the way the story is teased out. I don't mind the stiltedness of the dialogue too much; I find it somewhat refreshing even if unrealistic. That said, some of the interplay between Hank Rearden and his family does actually seem realistic to me.

I'm also pleased to hear that it's being taught to high schoolers. It really couldn't be more relevant to our current situation.

The idea of Julia "Erin Brockovich" Roberts playing Dagny Taggart is revolting. Erin Brockovich is pretty much the anti-Dagny, though I suppose that's not Roberts' fault.

[Thomas Collins]

Angie Harmon as Dagny.

[Old Lurker]

Perfect, TC.

[narciso]

Great choice

[daddy]

Thanks Captain Hate,

The boys played great upholding the honor of the ACC. I had just arrived in Oakland an hour before tip-off, so caught a quick cab to The Raleigh Tavern on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley to watch the game. Great beer, and even before half-time I was already unanxious enough to start hollering politics with the bar-stool patrons sitting around me. Great fun. A nutty town, but a fun place to pound good beer and Moe's Used Bookstore just down the block is probably my favorite Used Book joint on the planet.

Time for baseball!

[jimmyk]

The fun movie would be a time travel thing in which the founders all come visit us and see what we done.

There was a "Bewitched" episode along those lines, with a suitably appalled George Washington.

How about Fabrizio Quattrocchi?

But biopics and overtly political movies never work for me. The best political movies are subtler. I remember how liberal heads were exploding (perhaps a bad choice of metaphors here) when "Deer Hunter" came out. It was rather apolitical, but still managed to come across as sympathetic to the soldiers and the war effort, at least in contrast to dreck like "Coming Home" (wonder how Jon Voigt feels about that one now?).

[Les Nessman]

Cripes, when are we going to get a movie about the history of the former Soviet Union? It was one of the biggest forces of misery, oppression and death in the 20th century (and beyond); yet no historical movie. Seems there would be plenty of fodder for action, intrigue, etc...

I know there was Dr. Zhivago and Reds, but how about something more contemporary and truthful?
Ah, well. No doubt Hollywood would take the side of the Commies anyway.

[Danube of Thought]

Say, weren't they gonna make a flick in which Susan Sarandon would play Cindy Sheehan? I think Joan Baez was going to play herself, serenading the campers at Crawford, TX.

How's that one working out?

[Appalled]

Hey -- I have a movie suggeston. "Black Like Me" starring Mr. Lester Nessman!

[matt]

Norman Schwarzkopf is another great story. He's a very interesting guy with a very colorful history. One of the reason's they call him Stormin' Norman is his temper. Very theatrical, like Patton.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

There was a biopic of Ayn Rand with a surprisingly effective Helen Mirren in the title role. The Passion of Ayn Rand It was based on Barbara Branden's biography of Rand.

Another good candidate would be based on Milton and Rose Friedman's 'Two Lucky People'. It's a love story, Milton's contributions to the war, and finally his triumph over Keynes in the 70s.

M Stanton Evans' 'Blacklisted by History' would be a great opportunity to show what a gasbag Edward Murrow was, as well as what McCarthyism was really about.

[PD]

Recall that in the late 40's somebody made a movie out of Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead," with Gary Cooper. It was not watchable.

I'd have to concur. TMC aired it recently and I recorded it. After maybe half an hour, I hit the Erase button.

[PD]

I think the media is really missing an opportunity here

They do that, yes.

[JM Hanes]

Don't even think about making the film in Hollywood! North Carolina is already filmmaking state #3 in the country. From Last of the Mohicans or Talladega Nights, which were filmed here, to TV series and first rate documentaries, we've got the very user friendly production environment you need, You want sand dunes or hillbilly mountain hollers? Look no further! Got swamp? You betcha. You can build your sets in non-union shops; and you've got a superbly trained supply of professionals, from actors & musicians to gaffers at your command. Come on over! Come on down! Help turn North Carolina back into a red state hub again!

[JM Hanes]

And oh, yeah, think of the extras you could line up for the Duke saga!

[JM Hanes]

My hat's off to the rest of you guys. Every time I tried to read Atlas Shrugged, it put me to sleep by page 30.

I'm sympathetic to authors who want final veto power over a script, but they should never never be allowed to write them. Novels and screenplays are entirely different art forms, and translation from one medium to the other is a very specialized skill.

[Jane]

I'd do a movie about Clarence Thomas.

[Danube of Thought]

Good one, Jane.

And brother, would I like to see someone--anyone--make a movie letting the world know what a ridiculous figure Edward R. Murrow was. I believe two of the most overrated Americans of the 20th Century were Murrow and Arthur Miller.

[Extraneus]

My hat's off to the rest of you guys. Every time I tried to read Atlas Shrugged, it put me to sleep by page 30.

It might be a story better suited to younger minds, JMH. You already have a deep understanding of the ideas intuitively, so you can focus on the actual characters and their situations, find them stilted, etc. When I read it, at around age 18 after reading The Fountainhead and wanting to be Roarke really bad, I spent the whole book in one revalation after another, and never forgot it. Hate to admit it, but I don't even remember the characters.

[Extraneus]

Not that I'm saying you're over 29.

[Diogenes]

DOT;

My mother worked at CBS News during the war in New York, and was rock solid conservative, back in the day when many people from Brooklyn genuinely were. She thought Roosevelt was a communist sympathizer. She knew and thought the world of Walter and Murrow and Sevareid. She felt they were real reporters who did their jobs.

Perhaps later on they drifted left, but at the time they were real reporters doing dangerous work.

[Sue]

Cripes, when are we going to get a movie about the history of the former Soviet Union?

I don't know how old I was when I realized the iron curtain wasn't really a curtain. And I can't tell you how disappointed I was to learn that. I soooo wanted to see that . I think any movie about the former Soviet Union should include a virtual iron curtain so I can finally get to see it.

[Sue]

Pirates pose annoying distraction for Obama

Seriously? That is the Reuters headline. I wonder what the captain of the ship thinks about these annoying distractions?

[JM Hanes]

Extraneous:

LOL. I wonder if today's youngsters even know the adage! I became untrustworthy a long, long time ago. I'm afraid I have to admit that I was yawning over Atlas (& Fountainhead too), back when I was in college -- though I'm flattered by your vote of confidence now. I did have a series of pretty life changing revelations more recently, however, so perhaps I was just a late bloomer. :-)

[bad]

Sue, I wanted to see the iron curtain, too. Thanks for a funny memory.

[centralcal]

Ah yes, the "iron curtain" of our youth - back when young people had real and vivid imaginations! I remember it well.

Completely unrelated . . . my city is really going whole hog on this tea party thing. Buttons, bumper stickers, t-shirts, professional signs, etc. etc. Woo Hoo! Take that MSM (CNN supposedly said they weren't gonna cover any tea parties because there was no "point" to them, no "end game" or some nonsense. Of course, they are sinking in the cable ratings, but go figure!)

And, am I the only one starting to think Allahpundit at HotAir is a mole? I can't stand to read anything he posts anymore. I think he should just sign up with Ariana and be done with it.

[Ann]

CC,

I just read Allah's piece on Meghan McCain's six figure book deal and I agree TOTALLY with you, surprise!!! :)

Clarice could make enough to buy our island plus some, if we could just persuade her to turn ugly on the last administration and/or right wing media. LOL

Heck, she could even make more money if PUK contributed an ugly UK perspective. Clarice and PUK could give up their small trinket business all together and....

Shoot, they would probably take off together and forget about the rest of us. (Don't tell them, OK :))

[Captain Hate]

And, am I the only one starting to think Allahpundit at HotAir is a mole? I can't stand to read anything he posts anymore. I think he should just sign up with Ariana and be done with it.

I think I've made my opinion well known on that douche, who must be spanking it furiously now that the cellulite-laden caboose of Meghan can be un-supersized with the proceeds from whatever book deal she got (or maybe that fluffer likes it that way, ugh). What's she gonna write: "Stabbing Conservatives in the Back Doesn't Skip a Generation"?

[bad]

LOL, Captain

[bad]

I'd like to give Mugem McCain such a punch...

[centralcal]

Ann, I won't tell, but, I don't think Clarice and PUK would do that. They are leaders. They really, really need us followers (/snark).

Blessings during this Passover, Clarice. (I admit ignorance as to what one is supposed to say on this holy day).

[Elliott]

caught a quick cab to The Raleigh Tavern

Cool. I had a teacher one semester who insisted on holding class there every once in a while.

[Rick Ballard]

I would rather see a biopic focused on Truman, starting on Aug. 6, 1945 and ending with Eisenhower's inauguration. Just so the wing of the Democrat party which is not composed of damned dirty socialists can understand what has happened to their party.

[Ann]

Elliott,

Do you think we could persuade TM into a "2009 Masters" thread?

Round One:

Tiger -2
Mickelson +1

With lots of guys to choke go yet. :)

[Ann]

CC,

I love the /snark idea except I would have to start most of my posts with snark on and off.
However, it might be preferable to smiley faces. :)

Typepad should come up with a idea for that...
nevermind.

[clarice]

What makes you think Mr PUK and I haven't run off together? Hmmm.

I could get a bigger advance than Leghan if I claimed to have slept with Trig or something, I suppose. But Meghan is a jerk and in the end this will not be worth the money.

It's like those wretched Reagan kids who never understood their father's greatness..oddly only their adopted step brother did.

[Jane]

I'm in on a Master's thread. Are Ann and Elliott going to be around for the weekend?

We know Tiger is! Yippee!

[Stephanie]

Forecast for tomorrow's Masters... Tiger continues up, Mickelson down... and the weather is going to be an issue. Scattered Storms and Tornado watches. BTW Masters tix are going for $500+ each on the street for one day... OUCH!!!

[Elliott]

With that finish I can't use the "Campbell fires 65, Mahan 66; Mr. Woods leads at four-under" headline I had in mind.

[JM Hanes]

Clarice:

"But Meghan is a jerk and in the end this will not be worth the money."

$50,000 for Meghan's story, and $750,000 for an in depth, moment by moment, recounting of the week or so she spent en famille with the Palins.

[narciso]

That's about what they offered Tina Fey, for her 'sparkling' collection of comic
anecdotes, Maybe we'll see her recycle the
rumors she passed along tothe press, after
the campaign in the first person, what other
garbage can be worth this much money. She makes Scott McClellan look like a Rhodes scholar, and that's an achievement of sorts, nothing I'd want to brag about thought Kathy Shaidle, the Canadian version of Anne Coulter, (technically that's Rachel
Mardsen, but no one has heard from her in along while, had a fairly vicious putdown
of Ms. MeCain's intellectual gifts or lack of same.

Didn't Gary Sinise, do a Truman biopic, although it was more centered on his early
years. It was done in the early 90s, I don't think it would really go into
development now. This is the Henry Wallace
administration, as I've pointed out before.

[Ann]

Clarice,

How soon we forget about the Reagan kids. Thanks for reminding me.

Maybe we should remind Mugem McCain of Ron's illustrious career on MSNBC. What a creep.

================

I wouldn't miss Tiger's return for anything.
I am here guys! GO TIGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!