Discussion

[applea.livejournal.com]

While watching Blackadder over the weekend, I began to wonder- what would have happened if Rowan Atkinson had been asked to play Jeeves instead of Stephen Fry. I mean, Laurie's character is much the same (yet, dare I say it- smarter? in Plum's version) and both Blackadder and Jeeves share the similarities of serving the Prince/Wooster (henceforth shortened to Prince Wooster), rescuing him from the soup, being the cleverest one in the room, coming out ahead in every situation, and being darker to Prince Wooster's light.
Now, the characters are similar, but obviously different, so if Atkinson had gotten the role he'd be playing it slightly differently than he would his Blackadder role.

But it still stands Jeeves would probably sound much more blackadderish/malicious if he had gotten the role. How much do you think that would impact the message and interpretation of Plum's stories? And as a theoretical, which would you prefer/ think is more true to the stories?


For reference, here's a bit of Blackadder:
http://youtu.be/3iHPOabGtXs

Comments

[dogwoodblossom.livejournal.com]

Heh, my first thought was that Rowan Atkinson also played Mr. Bean, so I'm picturing a Jeeves even stupider than Bertie.

Of course if you want to look at Atkinson playing a Jeeves-esq role, he voiced Zazu (the King's anal-retentive advisor bird) in The Lion King. So, even at his most uh...servile (though that word has some connotations that don't quite fit what I'm getting at...) he's still bossy and snide.

Rowan Atkinson likes to play the bad guy, so a Jeeves and Wooster with him as Jeeves would have to be a lot meaner. And for it to be funny instead of just mean, Bertie would have to be a lot stupider. And then we'd just have the last two books of Blackadder over again (which, granted, are hilarious).

Actually I read that Hugh Laurie's performance as George was what inspired them to ask him to play Bertie in the first place.

[applea.livejournal.com]

No, really? :0 Good lord, I wondered why his name was familiar!

And I suspected as such, which I why I pondered the question. :o) They're both loveable idiots...Bertie more lovable than most, of course.