He Sings: Movie Musical Revivals Starring Richard Armitage

We’re in Day Six of  FanstRAvaganza 3 in THE FREEFORM tagteam chain! see my partner’s posts at C.S. Winchester and Something About Love (A).

From the moment I saw the first trailer for The Hobbit and heard Richard Armitage sing I've had a burning desire to see him in a movie musical. 


Hollywood hasn't been doing too well with film musicals in the last few decades, I think one of the few successful ones was the Academy Award winning Chicago (2002).  But maybe now after the success of the new American television series SMASH the movie public will be yearning for the days of the film musicals to return.

Is this Richard Armitage?

Is this Richard Armitage in CATS? I'm not sure if it is him, from the Richard Armitage Board.

Who better to star in the revival of the film musical than Richard Armitage. For those that may not know, Armitage started his career on the musical stage, including 42nd Street (1990-1991) and CATS (1993-1995).  Of course, a new musical written just for him, including a few scenes of him dancing the tango, would be ideal. In the meantime there are a few musicals out there that could use a film revival and that would be perfect for Richard Armitage. 


Try to imagine him in the role as you view the clips below.

Kiss Me Kate

A Cole Porter musical based on "The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare.  The story follows a troop of actors behind-the-scenes and on stage rehearsing a musical production of Shakespeare's play.  The actors that play Petruchio and Katherine used to be married but are now feuding on stage and off. Of course, being a musical, the fighting between the two actors can only mean that they are still in love. In this film clip from the 1948 movie we see Howard Keel, who plays Petruchio/Frederick sings "Where is the Life that Late I Led?" and I can certainly see Richard Armitage in this comedic leading man role.

Company

Considered one of the first musicals to deal with adult themes, this 1970 musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth revolves around the birthday party of single man Bobby and his group of married friends. Instead of a linear plot the musical is a series of vignettes revolving around different themes about relationships. One good thing about making a film with Richard Armitage as Bobby is that I believe Company has never been made into a film. The nature of this musical calls for an imaginative director along with an imaginative actor (Armitage) to make this work on film.  Below is a clip with Dean Jones as Bobby signing "Being Alive" in the original 1970 cast album. 

The Fantasticks 

One of the longest running musicals ever by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (not the one you're thinking of!) this 1960 musical was based on Edmond Rostand's play "Les Romanesques".  In a small town two fathers hire a traveling company of actors, led by El Gallo, to trick their children, Matt and Louisa, into falling in love. 
The musical was made into an unsuccessful film in 1995 (released in 2000) so there is lots of room for improvement with the right director and with Armitage as El Gallo. The name El Gallo means The Rooster in Spanish and you really need a man who embodies those "gallo" qualities, and no one will do that better than Richard. Below is a clip with British actor Jonathon Morris as El Gallo from the film:

My Fair Lady

Who is that man on the left? Jeremy Brett

The 1958 musical by Alan Lerner and Frederick Loewe is based on George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" and was made into a film in 1964. It is the story of  Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle and misogynistic phoneticist  Prof. Henry Higgins.This would be the musical on my list that I would be reluctant to remake. Why tamper with a perfect and much loved film with performances by Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison? Because the only contemporary actor that I believe could rival Rex Harrison in playing a charming curmudgeon in this comedy/romance is Richard Armitage. We can also add that Harrison really was not as handsome. Below a clip of Rex Harrison singing "I've Grown Accustomed to her Face": 

You can also download and watch at link below.

http://www.badongo.com/vid/2029241

Please vote on the POLL in the right hand sidebar and select which one of the musicals profiled above you think Richard Armitage should star in. You can also select Other and write your selection in the comments section of this post. 

I will post the results of the poll a week after FanstRAvaganza 3 and also update this post with the results.

For more of THE FREEFORM tagteam in FanstRA 3, see my partner’s post at C.S. Winchester and  Something About Love (A).  Tomorrow The FREEFORM tagteam continues at La Loba,  Me, My Thoughts, and Who Knows,  and I Want To Be A Pin- Up . All previous The FREEFORM posts and All F3 links can be found here.

This is my last post for FanstRAvaganza 3.  It has been incredible fun and a privilege to be part of this special week to celebrate Richard Armitage and his wonderful fans, my fellow fans. Thank you all so much for reading, viewing, and commenting. Looking forward to next year's FanstRA.