One of the great difficulties about re-casting this movie, is in, particular, casting the "Dorothy" role.
Playing "Dorothy" was actually some of the most brilliant acting ever. Let's be honest, Dustin Hoffman did *not* make a very attractive woman--the first time you saw Dorothy, you went, "Ugh." There were numerous jokes in the film about how unattractive she was.
But Dustin, very delicately, made us fall in love with Dorothy. The audience soon forgets that she's not conventionally attractive--her charisma, her strength, her will *makes* her attractive. Dorothy became a person in her own right, not just "Dustin in a dress". Sometimes it's difficult to even realize that she *is* being played by Dustin Hoffman.
And I just cannot see any new up-and-coming actor pulling that off. Many off the ones I've seen listed as possibles, in fact, are 'pretty boys'--softer features, could probably make fairly attractive 'women' if they did this. They'd be relying on their looks to sell Dorothy. Dustin (who isn't exactly considered conventionally attractive for a *man*, if we're to be honest) relied on sheer acting talent alone to make Dorothy a great character.
This is why a remake would be a disaster. It will take a very skilled *actor*, and not just the 'hunk of the month' to be the part.
I'm not saying I didn't come up with an idea myself--to be honest, if it *had* to be redone....honestly, I'd go after Alan Tudyk. His motion-capture and voice work for "I, Robot" shows that the man has a lot of range and subtlety (so Dorothy wouldn't become a gross overexaggeration). He's attractive as a man, but he probably wouldn't be considered attractive as a woman (so Dorothy'd still have that battle to fight with the executives, as she did in the original.) Only thing that *might* be harder is I think Tudyk's about six foot (Hoffman's very short, I know that, so that helped him out in playing a woman.) Granted, taller women in entertainment are more common nowadays, but a more masculine looking woman that height might get folk suspicious from the start that Dorothy was really a guy.
The other question would be, would you set this in the 1980's, or in the modern day? If it's in the modern day where transgendered is becoming more accepted, it'd be harder to explain why Michael Dorsey would disguise himself as a woman. Set it in the original time period (when such things weren't accepted), and you could still work with the story.
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longcooljolie
9 years ago
It's fun to think about which actor and actresses today could have played these roles but Tootsie is basically un-remakeable. And to set the story today with ubiquitous internet and iPhones is completely unthinkable.
Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie kind of worked because of a. Dustin's tremendous acting performance, b., he wasn't going for glamour and they costumed him extremely carefully and c., he's about the height of the average woman and this helped him blend a little bit better.
Still, out of all the actors today Robert Downey could have created a good Dorothy Michaels-ish character. And Lisa Kudrow as Sandy maybe? For Julie there could be a lot of choices.
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ronniehrubin
8 years ago
magdalene_1024; You say;"If it's in the modern day where transgendered is becoming more accepted, it'd be harder to explain why Michael Dorsey would disguise himself as a woman. Set it in the original time period (when such things weren't accepted), and you could still work with the story."
Did you watch the movie?? Dorsey isn't trying to be a woman, he just wants a job in the acting industry. He's completely male, has no desire to change sexes in real life, just on the job!
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xavlexav
8 years ago
It's a very good question because it seems quite impossible to top the talent displayed in Tootsie.
For Sandy, Lisa Kudrow is a good choice, she's always been related in some way to Terri Garr ( she was playing het mom in Friends)
Dr Brewster : As strange as it may sound Will Ferrell could play a dumb but yet kind character
I'd like to see Larry David take on the role of Sydney Pollack
For Julie, Marion Cotillard Julie must be an unreachable beauty. She can play someone soft and delicate yet very passionate. I like Rose Byrne too.
For Ron : Steve Carrell? There's something in him that want to play overconfident office prick and make us love him and laugh about him.
The most difficult part is Michael Dorsay. Don't forget Dustin Hoffmann was considered a dramatic actor, he wasn't used to make comedies and that's why the attitude of Michael Dorsay was working. No Ashton Kutcher or Shia Leboeuf here, you need someone so utterly recognized in his real life job that it's totally funny when he's forced to disguise himself in woman to find a job. You need an academy award winner actor to play a beautiful loser, someone that we KNOW he's a great actor but not recognized yet.
So I'd say Christian Bale or Daniel Day Lewis.
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brendanchenowith
8 years ago
I don't think this should be remade, it's perfect as it is, but I agree with Larry David as George Fields.
Steve Carell's a little too "northern" to play Ron, his voice is too soft, I think - Dabney Coleman (from what I hear) is from the south, you can hear a little drawl, so I think someone with a Dabney Coleman-gravelly sounding voice should do this. Looks don't matter, but only that type of voice can deliver those lines. I can't picture anyone who's out these days, except maybe Alec Baldwin. He's always played a good creep, and now we see what a great comic actor he is, he'd be perfect. In 1982, Baldwin was too much of a pretty-boy, but now I can take him seriously as a Ron Carlisle.
Lisa Kudrow is the perfect Sandy, and Jennifer Lawrence would make a nice Julie Nichols....either her or Beth Behrs from 2 Broke Girls (Yep, you read right). On the subject, with April Paige's underwear scenes, wouldn't it be the best if Kat Dennings stepped into her...shoes?
When autograph hounds approach the stars outside the studio, and April says to a fan "I don't know - I don't write this (crap) you know..." Dennings could deliver that perfectly.
Dennings would really shine out during the live-broadcast-reveal when she sees "I'm EDWARD KIMBERLY" - she could shout "WHAT! ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW!"
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.
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xavlexav
8 years ago
Good choice for Baldwin.
Now please, even if it's an impossible task, dare to pick someone for Michael Dorsay
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brendanchenowith
8 years ago
Johnny Galecki is one idea.
There'll be others, but it's just after 6 in the morning here.
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.
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