A STARK CHOICE FOR JOHN WAYNE.Byline: - Glenn Whipp Could The Duke have pulled off playing Willie Stark Willie Stark is an opera in three acts and nine scenes by Carlisle Floyd to his own libretto, after the novel All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, which in turn was inspired by the life of the Louisiana governor Huey Long. ? It's a tantalizing tan·ta·lize tr.v. tan·ta·lized, tan·ta·liz·ing, tan·ta·liz·es To excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach. question. When he decided to bring Robert Penn Robert Penn (born October 10 1872, died June 8,1912 at Las Animas, Colorado) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Spanish-American War. Warren's political novel to the screen, producer-director Robert Rossen sent the script to Wayne's agent. Rossen thought the charismatic Wayne would be great in the role of Stark, a self-described hick who rises to political power only to be corrupted by the very things he initially fought against. Wayne's agent, Charles Feldman, forwarded the screenplay to the actor. Wayne sent it back -- along with an angry letter. He accused Rossen of wanting to make a movie that ``threw acid on the American way The American way of life is an expression that refers to the "life style" of people living in the United States of America. It is an example of a behavioral modality, developed from the 17th century until today. of life.'' Wayne sarcastically told Feldman to send the script to any of his other clients, provided they were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a movie that ``smears all relationships,'' that is ``populated by drunken mothers, conniving fathers, double-crossing sweethearts, bad, bad rich people and bad, bad poor people if they want to get ahead.'' Wayne's final direction to his agent: ``You can take this script and shove it up Rossen's derriere.'' The part of Stark eventually went to the burly Broderick Crawford, a career B-lister, whose blustery blus·ter v. blus·tered, blus·ter·ing, blus·ters v.intr. 1. To blow in loud, violent gusts, as the wind during a storm. 2. a. To speak in a loudly arrogant or bullying manner. , belligerent big-screen manner made him a perfect fit for the character. It proved to be Crawford's big break. The 38-year-old actor was nominated for an Oscar in 1949, and found himself in the same category as Wayne, recognized for the patriotic ``Sands of Iwo Jima.'' Crawford won, as did ``All the King's Men,'' which took best picture that year. ``I guess that goes to prove there is some justice in the world,'' says Stephen Zaillian, writer-director of the new version of ``All the King's Men.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) CRAWFORD (2) WAYNE |
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