Recasting Susannah

I agree about the lack of "chemistry" with Susannah and Samuel; it was intended. He was too young and naive. But when she saw Tristan/Brad Pitt, the sexual tension was electric, between both of them! Whether there was true love too is up for debate, but there was definitely a huge moment out on the prairie, (which continues later), when they first see each other! You know something is going to happen.

I also felt that Tristan always did want Susannah, and even love her, despite his comfortable, "normal" marriage to Isabel Too. Hey...I've been in his shoes so i KNOW what it feels like; this is no fabricated romance!



She deserves her revenge, and we deserve to die.

I like Julia a lot in this character but if we had to re cast her id go with Madeline Stowe or maybe Michelle Pfeiffer.

Julia Ormond couldn't be more perfect for that role. She was made to play one role in one film and this was it. She was absolutely striking, as out of place posh as you can be and her look, nature and even voice fit the timid character.

Sam Mathis would never fit that role.

Michelle Pheiffer? What?? Jesus christ....

Madeline Stowe was the one person I could have seen playing the role at the time and Ormond is so much more naturally beautiful it's not funny.

Another thing to keep in mind, you've got brilliant acting in it already. Ormond's character is there for a reason, to be a supporter. She's Shelly DuVall in The Shining.

The look, nature, voice ... everything about her was there for a reason, meant to loathe her.

If you can't fall in love with Ormond in this movie as a guy something is wrong with you.

They had to find a woman that had as nice of hair as Brad Pitt. Julia Ormand was the one.?

I love Julia Ormond......she was gorgeous, delicate and refined in the role of Suzannah, but it is always fun to consider some other choices. How about British actress Lesley-Anne Down who was fabulous in the North and South. Or Finola Hughes from General Hospita. She is also Britsh and look s lot like Julia Ormond. (In fact have heard they have been mistaken for each other) Diane Lane may have also been a good choice as she is fabulous in historical roles. She shined in Lonesome Dove. What about Scarlet Johanasen?

I think Julia Ormond was perfect for the role. I can't see anyone else playing it, but that may be partly because I'm not that familiar with tons of actresses of that generation. She was very genuine and vulnerable in her performance, not to mention naturally beautiful. I completely bought it that all three brothers fell for her. She brought a new spark to the Ludlow home (you know...before all that stuff went down) and grace and a delicateness, but there was also a quiet fierceness underneath. That's partly why I think she was drawn to and deeply attracted to Tristan; he was a free spirit who therefore represented the part of her who yearned to be so herself but couldn't due to societal expectations. Had they ended up together, I think she would've been perfectly ok with living out on a ranch or wherever. Well, she might've longed for certain aspects of society every now and then, but that's a different story.

Julia was great in the movie. I thought she and Brad Pitt had natural chemistry. I don't know how to explain it...like it wasn't over-the-top or jaw-droppingly palpable, but they just were and it was believable, at least to me.

Agreed. She was miscast. But the other performances overcame that issue.

Trust me, the author didn't think much of women. He made her crazy.
She played the role very well. Too bad the writers had no talent.