Sunset Boulevard

[birchie]

We have probably all heard the previously audio only version of The Perfect Year but this is Hugh & Debra performing it on a TV show. I hadn't seen this one before...& I thought I'd seen them all. Not enough of Hugh in the singing part but totally lovely to watch him! smiley-love067

Sue

[mamaleh]

I remember that clip fondly. I believe they were promoting SB on an Australian variety show, "Hey, Hey, It's Saturday," if I'm not mistaken. Baby Hugh: just lovely.

Ellen

[jo]

That is also a great favorite of mine smiley-love067 ... There is a current discussion on Sunset Boulevard on BWW and I reposted the clip on the board to show off young Hugh - LOL - and because a snarky Australian poster said that the casting of Debra Byrne was horrible ( not so!).

There was also a long documentary on the show and the theatre where it played in Melbourne - clips would occasionally show up on YT -but it was such a great documentation of how the show was staged. Plenty of young Hugh ( almost a bit gauche but how very adorable!)! It included rehearsal photos of Hugh and Catherine Porter ( Betty) singing TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE ( according to Hugh, his favorite song from the show - and mine, too ).

Too bad that no cast recording was made ( this show had quite a few, where they have been staged) -- the show suffered from Debra Byrne's constant absence because she was having personal problems then. If you were lucky, there was also a bootleg audio version of the show floating around then.

Sunset Boulevard is my second favorite ALWebber musical score, second only to Aspects of Love smiley-love029


Jo

[jo]

The BWW thread is more like a post-mortem of the show ( What went wrong?) --

www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1069064&dt=81

But had it not been for the show, Trevor Nunn would not have discovered Hugh and would not likely have cast him in Oklahoma! ( which certainly opened doors for the talented young Aussie)!


Jo

[jo]

This is the title song as sung by Hugh --

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELEtTFK-_DQ&feature=youtu.be

Many have compared his version to those of John Barrowman ( who played the role on London -- which I had seen twice) and Michael Ball ( who released the title song ahead of the show, at the behest of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and who has performed it in concerts as well as in concert version of the musical) and some other versions ( Alan Campbell on Broadway). The first two are known vocalists ( and Michael is my favorite singer) but many of the comments say that in all comparisons, Hugh comes out as maybe not the better vocalist but definitely the better performer, because he acts out the song in full character!

I have not paid attention to his interpretation of the song as much as I am doing now ( in the past, I was busy looking at "Young Hugh" all the time smiley-love067) -- but he does an exceptionally good interpretation and acts out the true character of Joe Gillis in this version!  An out-of-luck screenwriter who had to become someone's gigolo to continue to exist in Hollywood! 

Hugh has such a fine grasp of acting - on stage (which is more flamboyant, in a sense) and films ( which is more introspective and quiet) and it is evident early on in this song interpretation. That was why his acting in the RIVER was such a revelation -- a quiet but inwardly intense character who seems to be lost in his personal quest!


But it will always be a pity ( in my mind) that the movie version of SUNSET BOULEVARD ( the musical) with Hugh and Barbra S never came to pass ( my choices!)!

Hugh might have also succeeded in a remake of the non-musical classic by Billy Wilder, following the footsteps of William Holden ( who was billed ahead of Gloria Swanson in this movie, maybe because Sunset Boulevard is the story narrated by first onlooker Joe Gillis!).

And look at the kind of movies that Hollywood makes these days smiley-rolleyes010


Jo

[jo]

Too Much In Love To Care -- Hugh's favorite song from Sunset Boulevard!


prevodi-na-pesni.com/pesen/pokazvane/289525/catherine-porter-hugh-jackman/tekst-i-prevod-too-much-in-love-to-care/


As this is just an audio clip from a real performance, you can follow the complete lyrics below.


I love the duet, especially towards the end when Hugh sings as well as his co-star, with his high baritone tenorish notes - dramatic, romantic, and powerful smiley-love067


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

Based on this, it seems that the allegation that he was NOT interested in the film adaptation is NOT true at all!

www.bluntreview.com/reviews/hughjackman.html

EMILY: You had a great run on Broadway. Are you going back?

HUGH: Absolutely. I'm looking at several things at the moment in terms of Broadway. I think the one thing that "The Boy From Oz" did for me was re-ignite my passion for the stage. I hadn't been on stage for about five years, and made me realize that, for me, it's an important part of who I am as a performer to be balanced and helps my movie career in terms of my movie acting. I need to be doing both. That's what I'm planning to do. "Sunset Boulevard" has come my way in terms of interest and I'm looking at it but there's nothing concrete yet. That role, that movie, it's very important who plays Norma [Desmond]. That's really key.

Maybe his name was mentioned at that time ( 10-11 years ago? ) for the Joe Gillis role? But from what theatre boards were saying ( Broadway.com, forerunner forum for BWW), the talks between Lloyd-Webber and Streisand bogged down because of disagreement on the issue of artistic control ( Streisand supposedly wanted to direct the movie). It was also bruited about that Streisand wanted Hugh for the role of Joe Gillis. Not surprised because Hugh portrayed and sang the role in Australia some 9 years before that.






And the interview ( probably in late 2006) included a mention of his work in The Fountain, too.

EMILY: Can you talk about your part in The Fountain?

HUGH: Yeah. "Fountain" was the toughest thing I've ever done on film and probably the thing I'm most proud of. It's the film that I can guarantee, it's like nothing you've ever seen before. I'm proud to be in it. Darren Aronofsky is the new Kubrick. I think he's that good.

This was before LES MISERABLES, of course



Jo

[jo]

While reading up on past stuff ( re the filming of AUSTRALIA), circa 2007 -- I found this little bit of news --

www.news.com.au/heraldsun...02,00.html

Entertainment tsar Lloyd Webber also revealed Australian Hugh Jackman might star in a future film version of Sunset Boulevard.

"It flickers to life from time to time, that project. Nothing definite has happened yet," he said.

So, there was a definite link to the project ( which never happened)...but that of course is all water under the bridge now.

I am curious as to why one of the best musical scores ever composed, with a book that was faithfully based on a classic Hollywood film noir movie by Billy Wilder, could not get off the ground.

I am a bit sad now that any future prospects of a film adaptation is one where 70-year old Glenn Close is playing Norma in a possible movie project ( because she has done a current revival in London with the English National Opera). By the time the project gets off the ground, Glenn will be older. Maybe Andrew Lloyd Webber should have been less controlling of his works -- if a much younger Barbra or a much younger Meryl or a much younger Glenn had been cast a decade or a little earlier ago ... and a much younger Hugh had agreed to do the role of Joe, we could have had an excellent movie musical!

ALWebber does not have a strong scorecard for converting his stage musicals to film musicals -- I think the only one that was fairly successful was EVITA. PHANTOM disappointed some people because he cast two relatively unknowns for classic musical theatre roles. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR remains as a cult adaptation. Yet, he is one of the most prolific composers whose work has mainstream appeal!


Jo

[mamaleh]

Around the time he was starting that never-completed CD with Richard Marx, I remember asking HJ at the BOY FROM OZ stage door whether he was going to include any songs from SUNSET BLVD. His answer was rapid and short: No. That made me think that he no longer wanted to be associated with that title. In any case, both projects--in terms of his involvement--are kaput.

Ellen

[jo]

Sorry, but...given the kind of songs that he was working on ( one was SMILE which was presumably the Charlie Chaplin-composed song...and I can no longer remember the others but they were in a similar vein...and did not seem evocative of musical theatre) for that aborted album project, I doubt that the songs from SUNSET BOULEVARD would have qualified. The title song, which was Joe's main song, would be too dramatic and too spectacular. His other songs from SUNSET BOULEVARD were mostly duets ( Too Much in Love to Care/ The Perfect Year/New Ways to Dream/Girl Meets Boy) while most of his sung parts were recitatives (i.e., Sunset Boulevard was sung-through). Even if he had used crossover material and he considered WITH ONE LOOK or AS OF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE, they would be a little out of place, too. Of course, I really have no idea what he intended for that aborted album project

Also, if Richard Marx was the supposed producer of that album, he would probably not have suggested using musical theatre material.


Plus Hugh was quoted directly re the film adaptation of SUNSET BOULEVARD ( see Post # 7 above )

EMILY: You had a great run on Broadway. Are you going back?

HUGH: Absolutely. I'm looking at several things at the moment in terms of Broadway. I think the one thing that "The Boy From Oz" did for me was re-ignite my passion for the stage. I hadn't been on stage for about five years, and made me realize that, for me, it's an important part of who I am as a performer to be balanced and helps my movie career in terms of my movie acting. I need to be doing both. That's what I'm planning to do. "Sunset Boulevard" has come my way in terms of interest and I'm looking at it but there's nothing concrete yet. That role, that movie, it's very important who plays Norma [Desmond]. That's really key.

Even if what he had been offered was the role in a remake of the Billy Wilder non-musical film classic , I still think Hugh would have been a good choice to reprise the William Holden role ( who was actually billed ahead of Gloria Swanson...and likewise earned an Oscar nod for the role).



But...as you say...this is all water under the bridge

[jo]

Thanks to Jackman's Landing for finding this YouTube upload of the documentary on SUNSET BOULEVARD AND THE REGENT PALACE. It was uploaded on Hugh's birthday, October 12, 2016

It's been sometime since I watched my copy ... but it is "as if we never said goodbye"

SUNSET BOULEVARD is one of my two favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals...and I think it is criminal that it has never been adapted to film ( when Hugh was young enough to be Joe Gillis)

I love the score...and the book is very faithfully based on the Billy Wilder film noir classic of the same name!  I saw it twice in London, with Betty Buckley and then Elaine Paige...with John Barrowman as Joe Gillis in both stagings. I do have numerous versions of the score ( the original London cast recording with Patti Lupone and Kevin Anderson, the Broadway cast recording with Glenn Close and Alan Campbell,   a BBC recorded concert version with Michael Ball ( who was the first to sing the songs of Joe Gillis when Lloyd-Webber premiered the musical score at his Sydmonton Estate) with Petula Clark...and a bootleg of you-know-what Also, at Lloyd-Webber's prodding, Michael Ball released the title song, which was my first recorded version of a song from the show. Lloyd-Webber also allowed Barbra Streisand to release two songs ( With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye) ahead of the cast album which was included in Barbra's Broadway album. I also have the DVD of the birthday tribute to ALWebber where Glenn Close sang the two prominent Norma songs.

And if you have a chance, don't miss the original movie by Billy Wilder! It is a classic film noir... and a sad commentary of what happens in Hollywood and its stars who used to be " big"!


The documentary gives us many bits and pieces from the show - hey, I think I can still follow many of he songs/recitatives, complete with lyrics. Hugh looks so fresh-faced, excitable, even looking a little naïve or not very sophisticated (compared to now where he is the epitome of manly elegance and sophistication!)...but he retains that warm and friendly demeanor up to this day. I have always loved two musical moments from him from this documentary -- when he hums SURRENDER with Norma and when he sings TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE ( my favorite song from the show!) with Betty!

Also, the documentary failed to mention the tragedy that happened the day or two before he show opened. One of the key members of the creative team ( I think he was assistant musical director ) met with a fatal road accident.

Not actually in the documentary, another event that marred the run of the show was Debra Byrne's personal problems ( marital problems leading to a divorce) which led to numerous absences from the show...which futher led to its premature closing!

But we will always have these memories from the show!





Jo

[mamaleh]

Such a watchable documentary; hadn't seen it for a while. When HJ sings in his most comfortable keys, the results are pure magic.

Ellen

[jo]

Hugh has been classified as a high baritone -- when we mostly thought he had a deeper (lower) regular baritone range. But in TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE, he seems to be showing off his high baritone range. The title song, and the recitatives ( of course) were sung in the lower regular baritone range, though. It is his high baritone range which made the composers and maybe the musical director, as well as his voice teacher Joan Lader, who thought it was appropriate for Hugh to sing in the tenor-ish range of some of the Valjean songs.

One thing good that came out of his association with Debra Bryne was the duet they sang together from INTO THE WOODS, which Debra included in her album " NEW WAYS TO DREAM".


NO ONE IS ALONE / CHILDREN WILL LISTEN --

[jo]

Btw, his Wolverine growl and rough talk is definitely frighteningly low baritone

And when he uses his powerful lungs as Wolverine (" Noooooooooooo!!!" - when he finds Silver Fox lying dead) or as Keller Dover ( "Where is my dauuuughterrrrrr!!!") -- that is his musical-theatre vocal power helping him in a film role

Great vocal ( singing and speaking) range!!


Jo

[hughmanity]

I never thanked you for reposting this.  Watched for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed.  Had to capture this screenshot  because I adore the look on his face while he was observing Debra Byrne in practice.

Oct 13, 2016 10:25:57 GMT -5 jo said:

Thanks to Jackman's Landing for finding this YouTube upload of the documentary on SUNSET BOULEVARD AND THE REGENT PALACE. It was uploaded on Hugh's birthday, October 12, 2016

It's been sometime since I watched my copy ... but it is "as if we never said goodbye"

SUNSET BOULEVARD is one of my two favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals...and I think it is criminal that it has never been adapted to film ( when Hugh was young enough to be Joe Gillis)

I love the score...and the book is very faithfully based on the Billy Wilder film noir classic of the same name!  I saw it twice in London, with Betty Buckley and then Elaine Paige...with John Barrowman as Joe Gillis in both stagings. I do have numerous versions of the score ( the original London cast recording with Patti Lupone and Kevin Anderson, the Broadway cast recording with Glenn Close and Alan Campbell,   a BBC recorded concert version with Michael Ball ( who was the first to sing the songs of Joe Gillis when Lloyd-Webber premiered the musical score at his Sydmonton Estate) with Petula Clark...and a bootleg of you-know-what Also, at Lloyd-Webber's prodding, Michael Ball released the title song, which was my first recorded version of a song from the show. Lloyd-Webber also allowed Barbra Streisand to release two songs ( With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye) ahead of the cast album which was included in Barbra's Broadway album. I also have the DVD of the birthday tribute to ALWebber where Glenn Close sang the two prominent Norma songs.

And if you have a chance, don't miss the original movie by Billy Wilder! It is a classic film noir... and a sad commentary of what happens in Hollywood and its stars who used to be " big"!


The documentary gives us many bits and pieces from the show - hey, I think I can still follow many of he songs/recitatives, complete with lyrics. Hugh looks so fresh-faced, excitable, even looking a little naïve or not very sophisticated (compared to now where he is the epitome of manly elegance and sophistication!)...but he retains that warm and friendly demeanor up to this day. I have always loved two musical moments from him from this documentary -- when he hums SURRENDER with Norma and when he sings TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE ( my favorite song from the show!) with Betty!

Also, the documentary failed to mention the tragedy that happened the day or two before he show opened. One of the key members of the creative team ( I think he was assistant musical director ) met with a fatal road accident.

Not actually in the documentary, another event that marred the run of the show was Debra Byrne's personal problems ( marital problems leading to a divorce) which led to numerous absences from the show...which futher led to its premature closing!

But we will always have these memories from the show!





Jo

[jo]

Then later on, he hums SURRENDER with Debra -- one of my favorite moments in that documentary.

Too bad we never saw any scenes for "THE LADY'S PAYING" - here the tailors take off his clothes ( outerwear only ) so he can be measured for more luxurious wear, courtesy of Norma!

Of course he was not Wolverine yet at that time -- but will the tailors be oh-ing and ah-ing as they do their job (job?? we can all volunteer to be assistant measurers )


Jo

[jo]

Here's one of the better bootlegs of THE LADY'S PAYING.

With Betty Buckley in the London production ( she also reprised the show on Broadway, after Glenn Close), if I remember right. The scene also gives an appreciation of the magnificent palazzo in Hollywood where fading star Norma lives.





And a version with Glenn Close... as Joe's transformation becomes complete in the Broadway production --

[jo]

The movie musical that never was!

Hugh would have been perfect as Joe! Had it been the remake of the non-musical original film classic, Hugh would have also done justice to the role originated by William Holden.

[jo]

Try this clip if the above does not play --






*I've also seen John Barrowman as the Beast in Beauty and the Beast in the London production. I have always wondered why he never tried to do a show on Broadway. He is Scottish but I understand part of his upbringing was in the USA...and that he was also once popular on a US TV show.

*Quite a few links to Hugh --

**Ruthie was Fantine in the 10th Anniversary Concert of Les Mis in London. Fantine was played by Anne Hathaway in the film adaptation with Hugh as Valjean
**I have also see Ruthie in a London production of Chicago - not sure which role she played then. I also saw another production with Josefina Gabriel, also in London. She was Laurie in the London Oklahoma! with Hugh ( and she also transferred to Broadway with it). Hugh was offered the role of Billy Flynn in the film adaptation of CHICAGO but he thought he was too young for it.
**And we know that Hugh was Gaston in the Aussie production of BaTB!

[njr]

I love John Barrowman! First saw him as Jack Harkness on Doctor Who in 2005, then his character was spun off in 2006 for his own show, Torchwood. Today he plays the recurring role of Malcolm Merlyn on the shows Arrow, DC Legends Of Tomorrow and The Flash.

www.imdb.com/name/nm0057882/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1

[jo]

Are you a fan of the original SUNSET BOULEVARD?

The film noir from Billy Wilder which is always a film favorite in the American Film Institute list of favorites over the years!

Here is a very informative article written by The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg, who was given a chance to interview the original "Betty Schaefer" ( Nancy Olson).

Quite a revelatory piece on how it was to be a starlet in the old days...and the impact of Sunset Boulevard.


www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/sunset-blvd-star-nancy-olson-wilder-holden-why-she-walked-away-stardom-1290825

[jo]

One of my favorite Hugh songs -- this time, with printed lyrics.

Please click on the link --


www.bing.com/videos/search?q=hugh+jackman+too+much+in+love+to+care&refig=185047faecf74fff86522f82da204ba0&sp=1&qs=HS&pq=hugh+jackman+&sk=PRES1&sc=8-13&cvid=185047faecf74fff86522f82da204ba0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dhugh%2bjackman%2btoo%2bmuch%2bin%2blove%2bto%2bcare%26form%3dANSPH1%26refig%3d185047faecf74fff86522f82da204ba0%26sp%3d1%26qs%3dHS%26pq%3dhugh%2bjackman%2b%26sk%3dPRES1%26sc%3d8-13%26cvid%3d185047faecf74fff86522f82da204ba0&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=2B6D284CDD4759CDFFB22B6D284CDD4759CDFFB2&FORM=WRVORC

[ADMIN]

Not good quality audio, but interesting to hear nonetheless.

[jo]

Thanks! It is the start of Act 2 of the musical.

In the olden days of VHS, I was able to find a copy of the whole unofficial recording on VHS ( the above clip was part of it)...and had a techie shop transfer it to a CD ( actually 2 CD-long). Just like the unofficial Carousel concert recording, the audio is not perfect but it is a good copy of the production. Sunset Boulevard is my second favorite Lloyd-Webber musical theatre work. I was also lucky to have seen the musical in London twice. And was able to get a DVD of the original film by Billy Wilder. Did you know that in the film, it was presented very obviously as a story from the viewpoint of Joe Gillis?. That was why William Holden had top billing in the movie!

But what I would have given to see Hugh in the stage musical... or for a movie musical to have been done a decade and a half ago when gossip was rife that Barbra Streisand was in talks with Lloyd-Webber and rumor has it that she only wanted one leading man - Hugh Jackman!

Jo