Rama's Screen

Variety had an interesting short article trying to find out if Steven Spielberg’s biopic project LINCOLN is still alive now that Robert Redford has come up with a competition, a drama/thriller titled THE CONSPIRATOR about the woman who helped John Wilkes Booth and his gang commit the tragic assassination. Spielberg basically wishes Redford well but he’s still determined to go forward with his own version of LINCOLN which will focus on the President’s anguish over the length and toll of the Civil War. The script is being revised by Tony Kushner, the pulitzer prize winner behind the great HBO’s Angels In America.

But deep in that article is also a talk of Spielberg’s actual next project which was announced not too long ago, the remake of the 1950 Jimmy Stewart classic HARVEY about a man named Elwood P. Dowd who makes friends with a spirit taking the form of a human-sized rabbit named Harvey that only he sees. Their friendship affects every member of the family and the community.
Tom Hanks at one point was rumored for the role but he said no. People have been calling Hanks the next Jimmy Stewart all his life, he probably didn’t wanna give the public the satisfaction of making it come true.
Anne Thompson did a voting to find out who should star in HARVEY but she left out a name that Variety said might be attached to the project.. Robert Downey Jr.
I think it’s a great choice, Downey Jr. could easily pretend talking to a six-foot rabbit. After playing an Australian playing a blackguy and getting Oscar nominated, everybody is convinced that Downey Jr. could even play Betty White if he needs to. The man is a fantastic actor and I hope he gets to star in HARVEY.. but the problem is he’s already doing a gazillion other projects including COWBOYS & ALIENS with Iron Man director Jon Favreau.