We’re in an “Inglourious Basterds” mood. There were rumors earlier this year that iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve was offered the part of Madame Mimieux in Quentin Tarantino’s WWII epic. This was very fine with us, we cast her in the part when we did our, “Inglorious Basterds” wish-list casting piece.
Well, we learned this weekend that Deneuve actually was offered the part of Mimieux, a Parisian movie theater owner who gives shelter to the film’s protagonist Shosanna, but turned the role down.
It’s also interesting (and perhaps ironic) to note that Deneuve was the Vice-President of the Cannes Jury in 1994 that awarded Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” the coveted Palme d’Or, a controversial move that some audiences decried. Many expected the final part of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s masterful “Trois couleurs: Rouge” trilogy to win (definitely one of our all-time favorite films). The announcement that ‘Pulp was the Cannes top winner was met with applause and boos and Jury head Clint Eastwood hinted at the schism that may have existed even in the Cannes Jury. “It was a democratic decision. People thought [‘Pulp Fiction’]’ was original. I can’t say how I voted.”
It’s too bad Deneuve didn’t take the part, she would have been perfect and is far better suited than Maggie Cheung who eventually took the role, but c’est la vie, we guess. That’s how the cookie crumbles with film casting, you can’t dwell on it forever and just have to move on (how do you think the filmmaker feels?).
PS. Mike Meyers has apparently already wrapped all his scenes. It appears that the film is speeding ahead at a quick clip in hopes of being ready for Cannes 2009.
