Eucalyptus

[Valkyrie]

Okay, production on the movie has ground to a halt, and this might not be a bad thing.

The main character Ellen is supposed to be a beautiful late-teenage girl, innocent, blooming and ripening before our eyes. And the script was re-written to make her a thirty year old divorcee, just so 37 year old Nicole Kidman could play the part.

I don't think this would have worked. And Russell Crowe is probably too old also. And he's so far up himself that I would have ended up hating his performance.

Jocelyn should get Murray Bail himself to work on the script. And hire some younger actors. Sam Worthington would be streets ahead of Russell Crowe. And there are so many young actresses out there who could play the part of Ellen. Someone out there can no doubt tell me the name of the girl who was so good in Somersault.

Any other casting suggestions?

[sandeano]

The chances of this film ever getting off the ground again are negligible at best.

Fox Searchlight have already poured around $6 million into development costs and my guess is that if Kidman was on a play or pay deal than the write-off costs will be much higher. Crowe is also tied to this production as executive producer so getting him off the project will be a difficult task, although it appears his involvement is the cause of much of the trouble. And as for Moorehouse, well she doesn't even have any rights left to the script she originally wrote (apparently a fine one). Unfortunately, her work after Proof has been mediocre with How to Make and American Quilt and (especially) A Thousand Acres being large scale disappointments. With that in mind she has very little in the way of leverage.

The fact is that Fox Searchlight were rubbing their hands with glee in securing this deal. A well regarded (and cinematic) literary property and the bonus that three Australian stars - Kidman, Crowe and Rush were willing to make it for a cut rate price. Kidman and Crowe were no doubt wanting to 'give something back' to the industry that made them the stars they are, but only to a degree - Crowe wanted his role beefed up and Kidman only had a small window in her schedule to make it. This film could not afford too much mucking around. Already Geoffrey Rush had to walk after the first delay an now it looks like Kidman has gone too.

Now, to cast this film with international unknowns means that Fowx Searchlight will end up with a small scale drama on a large-ish budget, which will not sell outside of this country. They will have little way of recouping the current outlay. For anyone else to want to make it they will have to purchase the rights (and the accrued debts) from Fox so already they are behind the eightball. Getting another big star on board will be the only way this will go ahead, but none will touch damaged goods. The heat has gone off this project badly and now it seems that no-one will want to touch the accured thing.

My guess is that is will rot in development hell and will never make the big screen.

A damn shame.

[Sprayed]

I want to see a megastar australian movie damn it

[Valkyrie]

... Getting another big star on board will be the only way this will go ahead...

I'm sure I read Scarlett Johanssen's name as a possible Kidman replacement. Star power, looks, but can she do an Australian accent???

[sandeano]

I'm sure I read Scarlett Johanssen's name as a possible Kidman replacement. Star power, looks, but can she do an Australian accent???

She certainly would be a decent casting choice and with her low pitch, sorta monotone speaking voice she might have an Aussie accent in her. The best Attempt I have heard at a non-Australasian playing an Aussie was Kate Winslet in the god-awful Holy Smoke. A fine performance lost in a dreadfully self-indulgent film.

Back to Scarlett though, at this point I would think her management would be looking for her to star in a big crossver pic, one fully American in story and tone. She currently has this association with quietly romantic tales set on foreign soil and it is time she had a big payday and moved onto the A-list.

At this point in her career a troubled Australian production is probably something they would try and talk her out of, lest she wants to be the next Helana Bonham Carter and destined for a career built on repressed middlebrow flicks.

[Magpiespower]

Jocelyn should get Murray Bail himself to work on the script

Few novellists are able to make the transition. Writing screenplays is a different kettle of fish altogether - some playwrights have no idea.

You want to read the worst script ever written? Then check out James Dickey's adaptation of his own novel 'Deliverance.'

It's the complete 'how-not-to-write-a-feature' guide.