The quality of Broadway-gone-Hollywood is always a shot in the dark. Many musicals have made their way to movie theaters with high expectations of audience appeal, often because the directors insisted that the production would be more palatable with an “all-star” cast. With the exception of films like Rent, in which many of the original Broadway-run cast reprised their roles for the silver screen, most Hollywood adaptations are filled with--and sometimes destroyed by—stunt casting. And like many of its predecessors, Les Miserables, one of the biggest hits from Broadway and the West End, is risking its own life at the hand of a few big names.
Taylor Swift—whom I've been a fan of since 2008—has a great niche audience and well-established place in the music industry as the princess of country-pop crossovers. But when entertainment reporters started spreading the rumor of her being cast as Eponine (not only the strongest female lead in Les Miserables, but also the performer of some of the most beautiful songs in the musical), my fandom had to be set aside.
If, as the media has led us to believe, this is no hoax and Swift may be cast as the premier alto of one of the most renowned pieces of musical theatre in the past three decades, then the question must be asked: Is there really no more reverence for theater adaptation?
In 1955, Shirley Jones made her first film appearance in the musical-turned-film Oklahoma!. The musical’s composer, Richard Rodgers, and the lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein II, were impressed with her vocal talent—leading them to decide to cast her in the adaptation of their original musical from 1943.
What existed in the 1950s and '60s and has somehow disintegrated over time is this notion that the talent makes the star. With so many films these days from He’s Just Not That Into You to New Year’s Eve carrying IMDb cast lists to rival the Golden Globes attendees list, there’s little room for the ingénue to stake her claim on the film industry. Shirley Jones, a classically trained singer, had a rich vibrato and a beautiful tonality that sent a startling chill down the spines of her audience. But after recently hearing Taylor Swift’s performance of “Tonight” from West Side Story for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the only chills running down my spine were from fear at having Swift take on a character who sings such amazing numbers as “On My Own” and “A Little Fall of Rain.”
There is always the possibility that, if the rumors are correct and Swift will take on the role of Eponine, they might have someone perform the songs for her. After all, some of the greatest musical films of all time did this in an effort to preserve the sanctity of the music. In My Fair Lady and West Side Story (1961), actress and singer Marni Nixon performed all of the singing vocals for lead actresses Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood, respectively. While in this day and age having a voiceover singer might not sit well with audiences, if they plan on casting Les Miserables with stylized vocal talents like Taylor Swift, then perhaps this is the only way to prevent butchering some of the most popular songs in musical theater history.
Another big name who has been cast in the show is Russell Crowe as Javert. While his musicals chops have not been tested as of yet, the increasing concern is that this may be a Pierce Brosnan-esque faux pas à la Mamma Mia! (2008). Brosnan, with his debonair good looks and history as a leading man, was a natural choice for the character of Sam Carmichael—if the character did not have to sing a note, much less a whole song. His performance in “S.O.S.” was almost comical with his nasally voice sounding like a Michael McDonald cassette tape that had melted in the sun. While no honest judgment can be made on Crowe’s ability to sing musical theater, all we can hope for is that his audition did not consist of him doing Blue Steel in front of an audience of casting directors. Being handsome does not make you a worthy lead actor, even a villain, in a musical.
The outstanding problem of this era of film is that films with well-known actors have such a leg up on art house films with a bunch of no-names. Though Les Miserables may be at risk for the terrors of stunt casting, there is hope yet. Aaron Tveit, an actor known primarily for his musical theater work, is taking on the role of Enjolras. Tveit is particularly known for originating roles in both Next to Normal and Catch Me If You Can. Additionally, he will be joined by Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, who has also made appearances as a leading man on Broadway, and several other actors (from Anne Hathaway as Fantine to a rumored Amanda Seyfried as Cosette) who have been tested for their ability to sustain a note in various movie roles.
So while Les Miserables may still carry an undetermined fate, Taylor Swift will certainly not ensure its downfall.