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Spock 2.0 to Play a Broadway Composer for a Spielberg Film

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (21)

zachary-quinto-sylar-heroes-season-2.jpg

George Gershwin is one of those names that almost everybody knows, but so few of us (including myself) know very much about. He was a composer. He was responsible for a lot of Broadway plays. He wrote a lot of famous songs. That’s about all I know without looking him up.

Steven Spielberg apparently has an eye toward helping to alleviate our collective ignorance of Gershwin, who actually died of a brain tumor when he was only 38. Deadline Hollywood is reporting that it’s one of three projects that Spielberg has his sights on for Dreamworks, and that there’s actually someone already lined up to play Gershwin: Zachary Quinto, otherwise known as Spock 2.0 or Sylar.

I’m not sure, really, how interesting a Gershwin biopic might be — he’s most famous for creating a large body of work in a very short period of time (along with his brother, Ira Gerswhin, who wrote lyrics for his compositions). He did have a 10-year affair with another composer, Kay Swift (the first woman to complete an entire score for a musical), but how exciting is a heterosexual love affair between two people who sit at the piano all day? (“I’ll strike your keys if you strike mine, baby!”) I hope to God there’s something scurrilous going on here (there’s no controversy subheading under his Wikipedia entry), otherwise, we may be in for a dull biopic for those who aren’t particularly into Gershwin’s music (maybe Will Smith can jazz it up!).

I don’t even know if Quinto is a good choice for the role — I really don’t even know if he can act yet. He can look menacing or flash a dead stare convincingly, but I don’t know if he can pull of a performance adequate enough for a Spielberg movie, though apparently Dreamworks has already put him into accent and dialogue classes. Doug Wright (Quills) penned the script.

Quick: Name a famous Gerswhin composition. Rhapsody in Blue doesn’t count.









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Comments

Porgy and Bess

Posted by: Nate at January 31, 2010 10:45 PM

An American in Paris

Posted by: jiggity at January 31, 2010 10:56 PM

Was Fiorello a Gershwin?

Posted by: A-ron at January 31, 2010 11:05 PM

I was going to say Summertime, but somebody already said Porgy and Bess (which is what that's from), and I can't remember anything else.

Posted by: Lucas at February 1, 2010 1:07 AM

I Got Rhythm

Posted by: Rlr260 at February 1, 2010 1:25 AM

"performance adequate enough for a Spielberg movie"?

Are you one of those people who buy into Spielberg being something more than a glorified action-movie director? You were probably cool with the Gladiator Oscar too, weren't you?

Posted by: Eep at February 1, 2010 1:29 AM

"Fascinating Rhythm"

It's different than "I Got Rhythm."

Posted by: kelsy at February 1, 2010 2:11 AM

"Name a famous Gershwin composition. Ok, easy, Rhapsody in ..... Damnit!"

Posted by: Kiddo at February 1, 2010 6:57 AM

And, isn't it Sylar, not Cylar?

Posted by: Kiddo at February 1, 2010 6:58 AM

"Someone to Watch Over Me" -- lovely song

Posted by: Shonda at February 1, 2010 7:35 AM

So is "Lincoln" not happening now, because that's the Spielberg movie I want to see. A George Gershwin biopic? Not so much.

Posted by: TylerDFC at February 1, 2010 7:51 AM

I can't look at Quinto's face too long - it makes me feel like one of us is cross-eyed. Seeing as how I'm not, it must be him; why would I want to look at anyone who makes me feel cross-eyed?

Posted by: Cindy at February 1, 2010 8:46 AM

I see no Spock here.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at February 1, 2010 9:22 AM

Concerto in F

And a Gershwin biopic has already been made: 1945's Rhapsody in Blue, starring Robert Alda.

Posted by: jthomas666 at February 1, 2010 10:08 AM

I may be in the dull minority, but Gershwin biopic and Zachary Quinto in one post makes up for today being Monday.

Posted by: Patty O'Green at February 1, 2010 10:28 AM

The Man I Love
Strike Up The Band
Nice Work If You Can Get It
How Long Has This Been Going On

I would so see this if it was anything decent (unlike that godawful Cole Porter biopic Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd crapped out).

Posted by: Anne (in Reno) at February 1, 2010 10:54 AM

Sound like the Benny Goodman bio with Steve Allen in the lead role. Nice story, great music, blah movie.

Posted by: richmac at February 1, 2010 11:48 AM

Zach Quinto's a damn good actor once you get beyond the menacing stare. He could pull it off.

I'm no expert on Gershwin, but I do agree that his life lacked controversy, which is something that every biopic requires. Maybe they'll focus on Ira as well, or just his writing Rhapsody in Blue.

Posted by: Brie at February 1, 2010 12:22 PM

Skip the biopic and just have someone who can sing and dance belt out the good songs. They were damn good songs.

Posted by: BWeaves at February 1, 2010 2:27 PM

"They Can't Take That Away from Me"

Aside, I wonder which composition title they'll take to use as the title.

Posted by: kiyo-chan at February 1, 2010 4:11 PM

'Sweet and Lowdown'. Also 'Kickin' the Clouds Away'. And his Preludes for Piano are awesome.

I think I heard also that he was constantly trying to escape being just a song man and be more classical. So maybe the film will touch on that?

Anyway, I like Gershwin, so I'm game for this.

Posted by: kalexal at February 2, 2010 7:14 AM