I don't know about you, but I just couldn't see Warren Beatty playing Richard Nixon. Fortunately he won't be, but for some reason he was almost cast as the former U.S. President in Ron Howard's next project, Frost/Nixon. If you think it would have been a good idea, then maybe you should write up a script about the Nixon and Kennedy debates -- and if you get Beatty to play Tricky Dick, then maybe you can get Leonardo DiCaprio to play JFK.

Apparently now that Beatty is no longer in talks for Howard's film, which you may recall is based on the play by Peter Morgan, a more proper choice for the role is being considered. Frank Langella, who played the part on stage, is in negotiations to reprise his performance for the screen. The casting of Langella will certainly make more sense than the casting of Beatty, because the play's other star, Michael Sheen, has also been in talks to reprise his own role, as television interviewer David Frost.

Langella should have been considered from the beginning, but obviously he isn't a big enough star for Hollywood to think of right away, despite all the acclaim he received for his work in the play. So as payback, I hope the actor, who long, long ago was nominated for a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer (he lost to James Earl Jones), not only gets the part, but also wins some awards for playing it. I'm surprised that Hollywood still continues to pass over great stage actors for more well-known names when a play is turned into a film. They should have learned 40 years ago with the whole Julie Andrews-My Fair Lady thing.

Do we need another Nixon film? Between Oliver Stone's Nixon and the fluffy satire Dick, we're pretty fulfilled as far as Tricky Dick portrayals go. But neither of those films showed Richard Nixon after his resignation from office. Perhaps because his last twenty years weren't that cinematic. At least one moment is dramatic enough for the stage, though; Peter Morgan's Frost/Nixon presents the story of a 1977 television interview with Nixon conducted by David Frost. Now Ron Howard is thinking that it could be adapted for the screen as his next project. The question would be whether or not he'd cast Frank Langella, who is currently playing the part of Nixon in the London stage production. Another concern might be that this film will seem too similar to Good Night, and Good Luck (which also featured Langella); though it won't have to be in black and white since the interview was conducted in color.

A few months ago, Mark mentioned that Howard is also considering directing the thriller The Changeling. My guess is that his decision will come down to which film has a better part for Tom Hanks -- unless he decides to cast Hanks in a part not suited for him (think The Da Vinci Code); I think it would be neat to see him play Nixon. And when I say "neat to see", I really mean "neat to make fun."