Biggles Goes To War (A Discussion Post)
Nov. 1st, 2023 05:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosanicusFinished a reread! Frankly I am shocked this one never got made into a film or (I think) into a serial for the TV series. It's so thrilling! There's dogfights and dawn executions and even a princess with a dashing love interest. Yes I still love the background romance in this book which is basically three lines and Biggles taking a paternal interest in Ludwig's happiness (read my Ludwig/Mariana fic or face the consequences).
Pursuant to this I wanted to try and do a Goes To War fancast but was immediately thrown up against the wall that is trying to cast & Co. So I come to Dreamwidth, cap in hand, to ask for crowdsourced ideas. I do think we can be temporally flamboyant and cast from any time period since the movie is NOT getting made unless something very unlikely happens. Obviously my dream is a Malory Towers-style CBBC series but the budget would never work out, although once the books are properly public domain I think we might get something in development as nostalgia bait.
THE CAST LIST
Biggles:
We all know this casting is borderline impossible. Perhaps we can just cast anyone and conceal their face behind shrubberies and other shields for the entire film.
Algy: James Wilby somewhere between Maurice and Regeneration
I think JWils could be a good Biggles but he's closer to my mental picture of Algy really. If he had a slightly more waifish cousin that would be perfect for our main guy.
Ginger:
The main distinguishing feature Ginger has is his hair colour, which could theoretically be altered by an actor to fit the role, and therefore I am once again drawing a blank on male actors that exist. This is what I get for being a lesbian.
Smyth and Carter:
Fairly sure these two never get even a hint of a physical description in this book. It's possible Smyth does in one of the WW1 books but as it is this is a genuine free-for-all. I think it would be really funny to cast a comedy duo in this role and then not have them do anything comedic in the film.
Ludwig Stanhauser:
Described as 'a slim young man, little more than a youth, with a pale, rather delicate face adorned with a tiny black moustache.' Again we are looking for a waifish man. Twinkish, even. My mental image is sort of like the current vogue for fanart of Jonathan Harker, so perhaps a young Keanu Reeves is a good starting point here.
Princess Mariana: Marie Doro
Described as 'not more than eighteen years of age [...] She was rather pale, but [...] her features were the most perfect he had ever seen.' She also has 'a halo of golden curls'. I don't know enough actually young actors to cast this with much efficacy. The closest I can think of for what I imagine Johns meant here is someone like Lillian Gish but blonde. Then I looked for blonde silent film actors and the first one I found (Mary Miles Minter) turned out to have been a murder suspect. Silent film, crazy stuff. I've settled on Marie Doro for now but she is distinctly not blonde.
Princess Mariana's Nurse: Miriam Margolyes
In what universe am I going to cast a nursemaid character as anyone other than Miriam Margolyes. I saw Romeo + Juliet.
Count Max Stanhauser: John Lynch
Described as 'old, not less than sixty years of age, [...] a gentleman [...] His hair was grey, as was the square cut beard that covered his chin, but his steady eyes were blue, and as bright as those of a young man.' John Lynch doesn't have blue eyes but I do think he can do the 'poise and expression of quiet dignity' very well. Also I am still deep in The Terror emotionally speaking and he does sadness with extreme skill.
General Bethstein: Jason Isaacs
Described as 'a tall man, rather past middle age, with a commanding figure and a powerful face in which were set keen grey eyes.' Unfortunately I did immediately think of Ciaran Hinds but that's definitely my Terror brain speaking. Anyway I think this is an obvious Jason Isaacs joint. He would also be a good Count Stanhauser now I think about it although he might read a little young despite being 60. Also if the film was actually made it would create an army of Tumblr-based Bethstein apologists and I really don't want to think about that, like, at all.
Prince Zarovitch
Described as 'a middle-aged, clean-shaven, hard-featured man, with a square face on which the cheekbones were high and prominent. The hair round his ears was clipped close.' My store of middle aged male actors starts to run dry around here. Tobias Menzies? Paul Bettany? Please send help.
Klein the Banker: Jim Carter
Described as 'a short, rather fat, middle-aged man with a large nose and no hair on the front of his head'. I did immediately think of the guy who played Carson in Downton Abbey but it turns out he's 6'2" which puts a wrench in my plans. Then I thought of the guy that played Bates, but he's 6'1". I'm starting to think actors might be quite tall. However since the entire Klein character is a bit of an anti-semitic trope (whether Johns was aware of this I have no idea!) I think we can make some edits. So Jim Carter it is.
DISCUSS.
Pursuant to this I wanted to try and do a Goes To War fancast but was immediately thrown up against the wall that is trying to cast & Co. So I come to Dreamwidth, cap in hand, to ask for crowdsourced ideas. I do think we can be temporally flamboyant and cast from any time period since the movie is NOT getting made unless something very unlikely happens. Obviously my dream is a Malory Towers-style CBBC series but the budget would never work out, although once the books are properly public domain I think we might get something in development as nostalgia bait.
THE CAST LIST
Biggles:
We all know this casting is borderline impossible. Perhaps we can just cast anyone and conceal their face behind shrubberies and other shields for the entire film.
Algy: James Wilby somewhere between Maurice and Regeneration
I think JWils could be a good Biggles but he's closer to my mental picture of Algy really. If he had a slightly more waifish cousin that would be perfect for our main guy.
Ginger:
The main distinguishing feature Ginger has is his hair colour, which could theoretically be altered by an actor to fit the role, and therefore I am once again drawing a blank on male actors that exist. This is what I get for being a lesbian.
Smyth and Carter:
Fairly sure these two never get even a hint of a physical description in this book. It's possible Smyth does in one of the WW1 books but as it is this is a genuine free-for-all. I think it would be really funny to cast a comedy duo in this role and then not have them do anything comedic in the film.
Ludwig Stanhauser:
Described as 'a slim young man, little more than a youth, with a pale, rather delicate face adorned with a tiny black moustache.' Again we are looking for a waifish man. Twinkish, even. My mental image is sort of like the current vogue for fanart of Jonathan Harker, so perhaps a young Keanu Reeves is a good starting point here.
Princess Mariana: Marie Doro
Described as 'not more than eighteen years of age [...] She was rather pale, but [...] her features were the most perfect he had ever seen.' She also has 'a halo of golden curls'. I don't know enough actually young actors to cast this with much efficacy. The closest I can think of for what I imagine Johns meant here is someone like Lillian Gish but blonde. Then I looked for blonde silent film actors and the first one I found (Mary Miles Minter) turned out to have been a murder suspect. Silent film, crazy stuff. I've settled on Marie Doro for now but she is distinctly not blonde.
Princess Mariana's Nurse: Miriam Margolyes
In what universe am I going to cast a nursemaid character as anyone other than Miriam Margolyes. I saw Romeo + Juliet.
Count Max Stanhauser: John Lynch
Described as 'old, not less than sixty years of age, [...] a gentleman [...] His hair was grey, as was the square cut beard that covered his chin, but his steady eyes were blue, and as bright as those of a young man.' John Lynch doesn't have blue eyes but I do think he can do the 'poise and expression of quiet dignity' very well. Also I am still deep in The Terror emotionally speaking and he does sadness with extreme skill.
General Bethstein: Jason Isaacs
Described as 'a tall man, rather past middle age, with a commanding figure and a powerful face in which were set keen grey eyes.' Unfortunately I did immediately think of Ciaran Hinds but that's definitely my Terror brain speaking. Anyway I think this is an obvious Jason Isaacs joint. He would also be a good Count Stanhauser now I think about it although he might read a little young despite being 60. Also if the film was actually made it would create an army of Tumblr-based Bethstein apologists and I really don't want to think about that, like, at all.
Prince Zarovitch
Described as 'a middle-aged, clean-shaven, hard-featured man, with a square face on which the cheekbones were high and prominent. The hair round his ears was clipped close.' My store of middle aged male actors starts to run dry around here. Tobias Menzies? Paul Bettany? Please send help.
Klein the Banker: Jim Carter
Described as 'a short, rather fat, middle-aged man with a large nose and no hair on the front of his head'. I did immediately think of the guy who played Carson in Downton Abbey but it turns out he's 6'2" which puts a wrench in my plans. Then I thought of the guy that played Bates, but he's 6'1". I'm starting to think actors might be quite tall. However since the entire Klein character is a bit of an anti-semitic trope (whether Johns was aware of this I have no idea!) I think we can make some edits. So Jim Carter it is.
DISCUSS.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 06:46 pm (UTC)I love your Algy and Mariana, and of course Miriam Margolyes for the nurse!
BethHauser Anti For Life
Date: 2023-11-01 07:11 pm (UTC)Re: BethHauser Anti For Life
Date: 2023-11-01 07:14 pm (UTC)I meant to say, I love the idea of a non-comic comedy duo for Smyth and Carter, they can be the weird offbeat ship that gets very popular based on the bit where Carter gets injured and Smyth looks after him (am I remembering that correctly?)
Re: BethHauser Anti For Life
Date: 2023-11-01 07:18 pm (UTC)Re: BethHauser Anti For Life
Date: 2023-11-01 07:48 pm (UTC)OTOH, Pegg & Frost would be perfect casting if they're doing a Rosenkrantz & Guildenstern bit where they've obviously got their own thing going on in the background of the main action and occasionally show up to make anachronistic pop culture jokes the other characters don't get.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 07:53 pm (UTC)I still want 1930s Katharine Hepburn for Biggles.
I too struggle very much with casting Ginger, I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone who I thought fit (apart from one time at the Royal Highland Show, I should have sneaked a photo). Although I maintain that Mia Farrow in the original Death on the Nile could be Ginger in a dress.
I am always 100% here for Miriam Margolyes.
I will give the other casting some thought, more as I have it...
no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 08:12 pm (UTC)JWILS ROBBED! Truly a shambles, they didn't even bother making Algy and Biggles look related so why not cast him </3 Having just looked up Farrow in Death on the Nile: Yes perfect. I think I might even have seen it when I was younger and yet somehow have no memory of it whatsoever. Please do keep me updated!!
no subject
Date: 2023-11-02 07:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 07:54 pm (UTC)Biggles:
We all know this casting is borderline impossible. Perhaps we can just cast anyone and conceal their face behind shrubberies and other shields for the entire film.
🤣
That's a very reasonable solution.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 08:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 08:26 pm (UTC)Our favourite nemesis needs to be in more of the books, and I have ambitious notions of doing fanon versions of some of the ones where he's missing by putting him in!
Ty! I might actually post my favourite results for each character. I mean, they'll still just be more or less my mental picture, but it might amuse someone. I have very little patience, tbh, but most of the time with the AI generator, it takes so long to get anything created, I just check back several hours later. :)
no subject
Date: 2023-11-01 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-11-03 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-11-02 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-11-03 05:33 pm (UTC)