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Why didn't Nichols cast Dustin Hoffman as Yossarian?

posted 16 years ago by jonchopwood
6 replies | jump to latest

Personally, I think that Alan Arkin is about as perfect a Yossarian as there could be, except certain times, he is took shrill, and when he is saying "There there" to the dying Snowden, it is completely without any feeling or emotion.

Nichols says in the DVD commentary that Arkin was perfect for the role as he did not court audience sympathey, in fact, as an actor, he tried to push them away, which is essential to Yossarian's character. He contrasted to him to an audience friendly actor like Dustin Hoffman, but he doesn't say anything about whether he ever thought of casting Hoffman, that I can remember.

I wonder if their stormy relationship on THE GRADUATE prevented any further collaboration. Hoffman likely would have been superb as Yossarian.

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"Why do people always laugh in the wrong places?"
--Ethel Merman

[–] information_police 15 years ago

If you listened to the DVD commentary, you should have heard him say that he tried to make the movie cold and the characters aloof. Arkin fit this plan better than Hoffman (He mentions Hoffman as someone who would have connected to audiences better, but as you said, he doesn't say whether he ever seriously considered Hoffman for the role).

Nichols also says he later regretted his decision to go for that aloof approach - which affected the way the film was made on many different levels - and wishes he had gone a different way.

He died. You don't get any older than that.

[–] megatosspot 15 years ago

His 'there there' is perfect. He's numb.

[–] leisureman 14 years ago

Thank you, exactly.

He says what he thinks is soothing, but he's in shock himself once he sees how badly Snowden is injured.

He must feel in that moment completely powerless to help Snowden in any medical way (and don't forget - the plane's first aid kit was cannibalized for Minderbinder's enterprise - which really pissed Yossarian off), so, having no way to do anything physically helpful, he just lamely says "there there" repeatedly.

[–] rooprect 9 years ago

Glad to find some fans of Arkin's "there there". I think it was absolutely perfect, and I often say "there there" under my breath when I find myself or someone else in a totally fvvcked situation like Snowden was in. It's the perfect expression of empty, useless comfort in the face of an overwhelming defeat. Arkin's way of saying it with half-hearted sincerity and revulsion at the gruesome sight was spot on. It's one of the most powerfully subtle scenes in the movie, if not all of cinema.

[–] hka-3 14 years ago

Just to add to what others have said about Arkin's "There, there," there was a lot of noise in the background which he had to compensate for. He displayed a mix of emotions quite well -- a combination of helplessness, urgency and terror (which was in-character). Catch-22 may have been wildly successful with Hoffman in the role, although I doubt I would have gone out of my way to see it.

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[–] facherz 9 years ago

I think Arkin did do a great job, but I would have loved to have seen what Hoffman could have done. The man is an incredible actor and I think he would have been phenomenal in this movie.