Finally! A 'Fatty' Arbuckle Movie?
Filed under: Classics, Comedy, Casting, Shorts, Celebrities and Controversy, Johnny Depp
Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was one of the great silent comedians, but his career took a nosedive after he was involved in a sex-and-murder scandal. According to the accusations, actress Virginia Rappe died of a ruptured bladder after either being crushed by Arbuckle while he raped her, or following a poorly done illegal abortion, which Arbuckle made her get. There were many different versions of the story, I'm sure; the first time I heard about the incident, it involved the comedian waking up in a hotel room where he had been partying, and finding Rappe dead beside him, not knowing the cause.
Anyway, whatever the real story (Arbuckle was acquitted of all charges), Arbuckle's life would surely make for a great film, and at different times the idea has circulated around Hollywood with John Belushi, John Candy and Chris Farley each rumored to be attached as star. Well, this time there is no actor linked to the part of Arbuckle, but Johnny Depp is apparently very interested in making a film about him. According to BBC DJ Jono Coleman, Depp said he'd like to adapt Jerry Stahl's book I, Fatty, which is a fictional Arbuckle memoir. Although there could be a chance that Depp would want to wear a fat suit and take on the lead, I'm really hoping that he decides to portray Arbuckle's good friend Buster Keaton (we've already seen his imitation in Benny & Joon), instead. I'm also hoping that Peter Bogdanovich, who handled another famous Hollywood scandal all wrong in The Cat's Meow, will not be allowed anywhere near the project.
Also, I would just like to add that I'm completely with the Fark.com commenter who is suggesting Ethan Suplee play "Fatty."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-01-2008 @ 11:21PM
M. said...
How about that Jack Black guy?
For once, he could act seriously and not be so full of himself, as he usually is. For sure the "movies - slapstick" parts would be great for his ego, as he likes people to see how funny he (thinks he) is. For somehow I think he'd fit (or"fat" hehehe) the bill for a real serious part... when Roscoe was constantly beaten by his father, the prison part, etc.
Why not...
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3-24-2009 @ 11:27AM
Lucas said...
Artie Lange.
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8-01-2006 @ 11:45AM
ihatemovies said...
Movie pedant alert: it's Bogdanovich, not "Bogdonovich." :-)
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8-01-2006 @ 11:51AM
Christopher Campbell said...
Eh, either way, he hasn't made a good film in thirty years. He does good things for TCM once in awhile at least.
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8-01-2006 @ 1:40PM
Peter Nellhaus said...
There was a fictionalized version of the Fatty Arbuckle scandal. One of the few films Merchant-Ivory made in Hollywood, "The Wild Party" starred James Coco.
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8-01-2006 @ 1:51PM
karina said...
I actually really liked The Cats Meow. And he's by no means consistant, but come on -- it's been less than 30 years since "Mask"!
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8-01-2006 @ 1:58PM
Christopher Campbell said...
I might have enjoyed Cat's Meow more if it weren't for Dunst and if it was shot in black and white. For a director who's best films were in black and white, it should have been obvious that this story should have been shot that way, as well. He probably had pressure from producers to make it in color, and that is sad.
Anyway Mask is NOT a good movie.
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8-02-2006 @ 8:06PM
Larry wallace said...
Johhny Depp is NOT right for the role of Arbuckle.
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8-02-2006 @ 8:11PM
marisa said...
I think its an interesting idea! Depp is great in anything he is in!
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8-02-2006 @ 8:26PM
Don Dobrez said...
I remember at one time the rumor was that the girl died after being raped with a champagne bottle. True story.. I don't know where it came from or how that rumor died, but it sure wouldnt make for a good family experience.
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8-02-2006 @ 8:31PM
Michael said...
Hey, come on now, I LOVED "The Cat's Meow", and I thought Dunst brought the character & personality of Marion Davies to life and gave her a warmth and humanity that I have always heard spoken about when reading about Miss Davies.
I just hope that this film encompasses the truth about who & what Virginia Rappe was, and her death was in no way caused by Arbuckle.
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8-02-2006 @ 8:46PM
Gwendolyn Miller said...
I think Kevin Spacey could pull it off perfectly of course with padding. That actor could play anything! Johnny Depp in the Buster Keaton role - a big yes! Spacey has the childish face yet cold exterior that the real Arbuckle must have had to be involved in such crime. But, no one will probably ever even consider how perfect he could make this movie!
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8-02-2006 @ 8:47PM
gordon said...
ruptured bladder or an abortion. Isn't that the scandal that had something to do with a coke bottle or something? Maybe I have two different things confused
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8-02-2006 @ 8:52PM
Kayla said...
omg! even though I never really liked Arbuckle....Johnny Depp would succeed in anything...I think it would be rather interesting to see Johnny portrayed as this...if it even IS true...=P go johnny
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8-02-2006 @ 9:05PM
Beth said...
"I, Fatty" is an excellent read. That, plus the magic that is Johnny Depp will provide an insightful and entertaining product.
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8-02-2006 @ 9:16PM
Kylie said...
I once read an old book on Hollywood scandals ( I think it was published in the 1950's) and it said that Virginia Rappe's ruptured bladder was caused by the fact that a beligerant Arbuckle forced the bottom of a broken soda bottle into her vagina, which seems like a more realistic scenario than either of those offered above.
And it had never occurred to me, but Ethan Suplee would probably make a great Arbuckle.
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8-02-2006 @ 9:19PM
Vina said...
I loved I, Fatty, and am a gret fan of Johnny Depp. I sort of hate the idea of a fat suit. How about Depp as Buster Keaton and Artie Lang as Arbuclke?
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8-02-2006 @ 9:29PM
Anonymous said...
Phillip Seymour Hoffman ("Capote") would do a bang-up job with the role of Fatty Arbuckle. In fact, thinking about him in the lead makes me want to see it.
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8-02-2006 @ 9:29PM
scott said...
I hope this film gets made, there's a lot of old hollywood history that needs to be told. Another good movie that could be made is about Ramon Novarro.
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8-02-2006 @ 9:58PM
Carol said...
The lurid rumor at the time was that it was a coke bottle. It started when fatty got pulled over for drunk driving. This was during prohibition, and he had his hootch in a coke bottle. He threw it out the window and said "no more evidence!". The rag papers decided to use this as an admission of how that poor girl died. This was the roaring twenties, after all. It was a terrible thing to besmirch a poor dead girl; it would have gotten every mother with a paper into a tizzy. No talk of back room abortions back then, it didn't even come up in the trial, even though both sides knew about it. It was much better copy to blame the "leacherous" hollywood star. Everyone knew "every star" in hollywood was a dope fiend and worse. It was how parents kept their daughters at home. Virginia was a prostitute; Fatty didn't arrainge her abortion, he didn't even know her. I think johny will do a thoughtful, intelligent account.
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