Your chance to cast Raiders of the Lost Ark

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pellman

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It's 1980 and Harrison Ford and Karen Allen have been cast for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Could we have done better? I doubt it.

But suppose it were 1970? 1960? 1950? 1940? ** Who would you cast?

Here are a few for starters.

1970: James Garner and Marriette Hartly. If you remember the Polaroid commercials, you know what I mean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H1t7yOLl4w&feature=related

1950 - Alan Lladd of course

1970: My favorte: Steve McQueen

1940: Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Or Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur?

1960: Charton Heston you say? I wouldn't buy it. But how about Kirk Douglas?


** We could go later than '80 as well, but I can't think of any at all.
 
The Drifter

The Drifter

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I always thought Jack Palance would have made an awesome Indiana Jones. Either younger or older. He just holds that badassery IMO.
 
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pellman

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Lonsome_Drifter said:
I always thought Jack Palance would have made an awesome Indiana Jones. Either younger or older. He just holds that badassery IMO.
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Wow. That's ballsy. He was always a villain. But I really like that idea.

If we're going for badassery, though, .. Lee Marvin.

There's always the Duke. But ... that is too much badassery.


For 1960, 1st Mechanic should be Charles Bronson. He was looking for work then.
 
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pellman

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Arghh! I can't help myself.

1950 - the Duke. But only for the Raven bar fight.

"Hello, Marion."

But it isn't Marion Ravenwood. It's Marion O'Malley, played by Maureen O'Hara.

"Indiana Jones... Oi always knew someday ye'd come walkin' through my door. .... Wipe yer muddy boots!"

And during the fight when he says "Whisky?" and she reaches for a bottle, he says, "NOT the Johnny Walker!" and so she hands him something else.
 
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Rocket Surgeon

Rocket Surgeon

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James Franciscus​
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Faye Dunaway​
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pellman

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Man, you guys are springing some surprises on me. And I loved Franciscus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes. Good one! However, Faye might steal the show from James.
 
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deckard24

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Originally Posted by Forbidden Eye
How come? :confused: Have you seen Secret of Incas? I would buy it more than Alan Ladd.
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Yeah, Heston for sure!

Originally Posted by Forbidden Eye
Surprised this guy hasn't been nominated:

the-treasure-of-the-sierra-madre-1-humphrey-bogart-fred-c-dobbs-dobbs.jpg
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Agreed!

I thought he would've been one of the first mentioned, especially considering how similar Ford and Bogart are in regards to their acting styles and everyman looks.

While still in the 40's, I'd vote Lauren Bacall to play Marion.

Peter Lorre for Toht, especially considering Ronald Lacey was cast in the role due partly to his similarities with Lorre.

As for who could play Belloq, Marcus, Sallah, and Dietrich, I'll have to give it some more thought.
 
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pellman

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Forbidden Eye said:
How come? :confused: Have you seen Secret of Incas?
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But was he a professor in Incas? That's the part I would have trouble with, Heston as professor, not Heston as adventurer.

Surprised this guy hasn't been nominated:
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Bogie could probably pull it off. Not sure about the professor again though. But he has a better chance.

How about James Arness? Ever see Them?


We've come up with the some great suggestions in just a few posts. So why can't I think of anyone later than Ford? Well, Russell Crowe maybe. Otherwise, I'm stumped.


I was just remembering Heston in Ben Hur. I think it would work.
 
Robyn

Robyn

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pellman said:
1940: Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Or Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur?
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Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn would be horrible IMHO, "I hate snakes..really I' do..." Jean Arthur would be hideous too..

Harrison and Karen are the ONLY ones for the role.. But if were talkin imaginary casting for older decades... What about Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh? We know they can definitely pull off a love/hate relationship! ;)

And you can't do later then Ford! In this time period Harrison is the ONLY Indy!
 
Rocket Surgeon

Rocket Surgeon

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pellman said:
Man, you guys are springing some surprises on me. And I loved Franciscus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes. Good one! However, Faye might steal the show from James.
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Franciscus has the same build and with the right direction you could parley his tone and timing/delivery from apes into an excellent Indy.

Faye is stong and at the same time beautiful...Spielberg would have gotten something golden out of her.

Fernando Reyas Belloq

James Mason as Brody

Rod Stieger as Major Eaton
James Cromwell as Col Musgrove

Cheech Marin as Satipo
 
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deckard24

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Originally Posted by pellman
We've come up with the some great suggestions in just a few posts. So why can't I think of anyone later than Ford? Well, Russell Crowe maybe. Otherwise, I'm stumped.
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If we're talking about an alternate universe in which Ford never got the role, and the film was cast in the last 5-10 years, I'd vote for either Viggo Mortensen, Gerard Butler, or Eric Bana.

As for the 80's, I can't think of anyone other then Ford, maybe Mel Gibson? After watching The Year of Living Dangerously, he does do quite well in period films.

Other possibilities:

1970's-Robert Redford

1960's-Charlton Heston

1950's- Burt Lancaster

1940's-Humphrey Bogart
 
Forbidden Eye

Forbidden Eye

Well-known member
pellman said:
But was he a professor in Incas? That's the part I would have trouble with, Heston as professor, not Heston as adventurer.

Bogie could probably pull it off. Not sure about the professor again though. But he has a better chance.
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Eh. Just put em in a tux, give them glasses, give them fancy dialogue, they're a professor. :p

We've come up with the some great suggestions in just a few posts. So why can't I think of anyone later than Ford? Well, Russell Crowe maybe. Otherwise, I'm stumped.
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Because A. It would make us depressed as Harrison IS Indiana Jones. B. We don't want to give executives any ideas? ;)

That said, while a stretch, I see a sort of Harrison Ford thing going on with Christian Bale.
 
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deckard24

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Forbidden Eye said:
Eh. Just put em in a tux, give them glasses, give them fancy dialogue, they're a professor. :p



Because A. It would make us depressed as Harrison IS Indiana Jones. B. We don't want to give executives any ideas? ;)

That said, while a stretch, I see a sort of Harrison Ford thing going on with Christian Bale.
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To be honest I never thought Ford was very professorial. If it weren't for the tweed suit and glasses, I'd have never pegged him as a college prof.. For that reason, I think any number of actors could've pulled off the role if it was cast years and years ago.

As for Bale, I can see what you mean in his serious/grumpy personality. Other then that though, I don't see much of a connection. I mean at least Ford could crack a smile/smirk, and deliver a good sarcastic one-liner.
 
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pellman

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ronicle said:
Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn would be horrible IMHO, "I hate snakes..really I' do..." Jean Arthur would be hideous too..
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Ok. we can scrap Hepburn. But Tracy stays.
 
jamesdude

jamesdude

Guest
Early 90's:

Indiana Jones - Bruce Willis
Marion - Margot Kiddor
Belloq - Raul Julia
Toht - Rick Moranis
Sallah - John Candy (look at his performance as the arabic air conditioning guy in Harry Crumb.)


Now:
Indiana Jones - Karl Urban
Marion - Megan Fox
Belloq - Terrance Stamp
Toht - Jim Carrey
Sallah - Omid Djalili (The Warden from the Mummy remake)
 
jamesdude

jamesdude

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Zeppelin said:
Rick Moranis? Jim Carrey? As Toht? Really?
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dont you dare, im not making negative remarks about anyone else' castings.
If this becomes another whine fest, i wont bother reading this thread anymore.
 
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pellman

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jamesdude said:
Early 90's:

Indiana Jones - Bruce Willis
Marion - Margot Kiddor
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90s is a little late for Margot as Marion. She's older than Karen Allen.

But since you mention her, I'm convinced that her performance in Superman (1978) opened the door for Allen being cast as Marion. I've never seen such a connection made by anyone involved in the production, but their performances are too similar for it to be a coincidence. It was something I noticed the first time I watched Raiders when I was 12.

Also with Willis I like the idea of bald or nearly bald Indiana Jones. It further emphasizes the almost secret-identity juxtaposition of with-hat=adventurer, no-hat=mild mannered professor.

Indiana Jones - Karl Urban
Marion - Megan Fox
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I could get behind Karl. Yes. But Megan is just too hot. Marion should be pretty and cute, yes, but not a centerfold.
 
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