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Posted on 02/11/2007 2:15:16 PM PST by saganite
Ayn Rand is one of the most controversial writers in modern American literature, known for her tireless advocacy of the right to selfishness and her hatred of big government. She has been derided and loved in equal measure and her books have sold millions of copies, attracting followers as diverse as banker Alan Greenspan, President Ronald Reagan and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Her most famous book, Atlas Shrugged, has long been a target of Hollywood producers and attracted such big names as Faye Dunaway, Raquel Welch and Sharon Stone. But each project collapsed in the face of turning a 1,200-page philosophical novel into a watchable movie. Now that is to change. The latest attempt to film Atlas Shrugged is set to star Angelina Jolie in the role of Rand's railroad heiress heroine Dagny Taggart. Unlike past efforts, this one seems likely to succeed. A two-hour screenplay is almost complete and filming is to start this year with release in 2008. It is being written by Randall Wallace, who wrote the Mel Gibson epic Braveheart, and is backed by Lion's Gate Entertainment.
Atlas Shrugged is one of the most controversial books in modern literature. It is a passionate defence of Rand's belief that the world is best served when individuals act entirely in their own rational self-interest. Or, to put it more bluntly, they act selfishly. Rand, who died in 1982, founded the objectivist school of philosophy and still has millions of followers. Atlas Shrugged and another novel The Fountainhead promote her views. In financial circles Atlas Shrugged has been dubbed 'the bible of selfishness'.
(Excerpt) Read more at observer.guardian.co.uk ...
She died of lung cancer from smoking but refused to the end to allow her illness to be used to encourage others to stop smoking ala Yul Brenner. She knew it was killing her but accepted that she was responsible for her personal choices. I guess she figured anyone else should be able to make that determination on their own.
The Who said a paranoid is someone that knows more about what is happening then most of will admit.
James Wood as Galt.
That seems unlikely, given Jolie's one-time "U.N. Goodwill Ambassador" status, which conflicts with Randian philosophy on a number of levels.
jolie and pittie may be fans of Rand's work, but that doesn't mean they understand it.
LOL! There's virtually nothing out there on his personal life and although I own just about every piece of music he's ever done I've often wondered why he wasn't "like" other country stars. I did see one of his music videos that was disturbing. Can't recall which song though.
Jude Law as Galt.
James Wood as Galt.
All the same, I bet someone helped her through that to the end. From reading her book I got the impression she had zero compassion for anyone. Kinda cold-blooded.
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Most of the actors I can think of are now too old. Don't laugh but Russell Crow is the only age-correct actors that I can think of who might pull it off.
I thought he was pretty convincing, even in the big speech he made in court. I can't see Brad Pitt having the same screen presence as Gary Cooper.
If you read her interview with Playboy you would know that she loved her husband even though she pretty much ruined his life. Let's just say she wasn't adept at personal relationships.
Bruce Willis as Hank Reardon and Jaquin Phoenix as Dagny's wimpy brother.
I enjoyed the book overall, but damn me for being a little more compassionate than Rand. For instance, if she had developed mental illness or some such thing, and fell down, would she really have said "My tough luck, let me fall by the wayside", or would she have hoped someone would have helped her out?
Interesting. Maybe she had a cold upbringing. I suppose many of us are lacking in the "personal relationships" department.
I always pictured Jodie Foster as Dagney Taggart, Andy Garcia as Francisco D'Anconia and Harrison Ford as Hank Reardon. But that would probably have worked best about 10 years ago.
As far anti-casting!! How about Susan Sarandon for Dagney, George Clooney for John Galt and Sean Penn as Reardon.
Her upbringing was in early Communist Russia and she was Jewish and suffered the normal persecution. That might account for some of it.
When I lived in N. Maine I would regularly see this crazy man walking the road 10 miles between Limestone and Presque Isle, ranting and raving out loud to himself, while carrying his meager belongings with him, no matter the weather, and it gets pretty rough up there in the winter. He somehow seemed to fend for himself, even though he was lost in space. I suppose Rand would appreciate a man like him.
How about an outside the box choice, such as Dennis Haysbert?
So is your retirement portfolio full of Lysenkoist shares or intelligent-design mutual funds?
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