MovieChat Forums > Barry Lyndon (1975) Discussion > Who would you have play Barry Lyndon?

Who would you have play Barry Lyndon?

posted 10 years ago by markmaille-647-361733
43 replies | jump to latest

Barry Lyndon is one of my all time favorite films my one and only problem is Ryan O Neil. now lets go back to 1973 during the casting for the film who would you have picked. For me i have 2 possible choices.

1. Malcolm McDowell i would have loved to see him and Kubrick reunite. I really think he could of pulled it off back then when he was showing alot of range in his roles before he basically stopped trying in the 80's.

2. Anthony Hopkins this would have been perfect i think he and Kubrick would work so well and his voice i think would be perfect for the dialogue.

[–] TravisChaplin 9 years ago

Malcolm McDowell and Anthony Hopkins both would have been interesting( as would have David Hemmings) but after watching Barry Lyndon again for first time in a while, I do think that Ryan O'Neil did do a good ( great?) job. It's not as as an immediately iconic a performance as say Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange, Jack Nicholson in The Shining, or George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove but O'Neil was able to bring enough nuances to the role that he definitely worked despite not being the most well suited for the part.

[–] RKharlamov2001 9 years ago

I just watched it and thought the whole way through Malcolm McDowell would be fantastic. Watch him in O Lucky Man!

[–] peterduray-bito 9 years ago

Oliver Reed.

[–] shobozenzo 9 years ago

I thought I did this already, but maybe there's a delay (my first post=noob.) So I will give the short version:

Then: Leonard Whiting (Romeo and Juliet)
Beautiful, could act, could get the accent(Irish and uppah crust Brit)better than Ryan with his flat American that kept popping through.
Now: Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark, Kili the Elf). He IS Irish, beautiful, a terrific actor.
Loved seeing Marisa Berenson.
Found out why Ryan and Farrah named their son Redmond.
All in all, a C because I fell asleep, which is better than staying awake yelling at the screen.

[–] aciolino 9 years ago

Since Ryan O'Neal was the worst possible choice for the role, just about anyone would have been a better choice, including Woody Allen or Arnold Stang.

If Ronald Colman, Richard Burton, Frederic March, Peter O'Toole (all in their youth, of course) would be ideal.

O'Neal, sounding like he just got off his surf board in Malibu, is an embarrassment.

[–] Felixthecat34213 8 years ago

If Ronald Colman, Richard Burton, Frederic March, Peter O'Toole (all in their youth, of course) would be ideal.

They would have brought too much Hubris, would have been too self aware. Almost the stereotype of the typical "rogue."

Although lacking the charm of the above mentioned, Ryan O Neal brings a quiet, calculating resolve to his character that works much better.

O'Neal, sounding like he just got off his surf board in Malibu, is an embarrassment.

No he really doesn't, he actually came off as someone who studied and observed the accent thoroughly, although I can't say that about most of his roles. Ryan O Neal actually worked on this role and put some effort into it.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Huskies545874 9 years ago

Ryan O'Neal was outstanding in the lead.

[–] jones7418 9 years ago

Tom Courtney, Oliver Reed or Alan Bates.

[–] kaskait 8 years ago

They are better actors than O'Neal but none of them had his angelic good look. The way O'Neal looked was many times more important than his acting.

[–] Bob_Schaaf 8 years ago

In the same way that the look of a Kubrick movie is often more important than its content.

[–] andyk69 8 years ago

Anybody except Ryan O'neil, his performance is the only thing in this beautiful movie that doesn't fit quite right at all.

[–] guccipix 8 years ago

I actually think O'Neal suited the role, but McDowell would've been awesome in it too.

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