Inglourious Basterdsis arguably one ofQuentin Tarantino’sbest films. The World War II-set action-drama (that is also funnier than most comedies) was a welcome return for the writer-director after his more explicit genre pieces,Kill BillandDeath Proof.Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his group of soldiers taking on the Nazi regime with no mercy, combined with Jewish survivor Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent) literally using the power of film to take on Germany’s high command,had critics and audiences raving. But the road from script to screen is often a long and arduous one that leaves the final film looking different from the initial version. Tarantino has been open about the difficult process of crafting the story ofInglourious Basterds, even admittinghe once considered making it a miniseries. So it’s not surprising to hear thatTarantino’s original vision for his cast was completely different.
Quentin Tarantino Considered Leonardo DiCaprio and Simon Pegg?
Leonardo DiCapriohas given two great performances in films made by Tarantino. He was the scene-stealing villain inDjango Unchainedand the abrasive but sensitive fading star inOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood, but Tarantinooriginally had him in mind for Colonel Hans Landa. As Landa, DiCaprio would have had the chance to sink his teeth into a menacing villain role, and his subsequent work inDjangosuggests he might have done quite well,but as memorable asChristoph Waltz? No one would fault DiCaprio as an actor, but Tarantino made the right choice, deciding Landa should be played by a German-speaking actor and discovered Waltz through auditions. Waltz has the advantage of being a new face for most audiences and uses it to imbueLanda with an unpredictability that makes his performance and character all the more effective.DiCaprio in the role may have been too familiar an entity to makethe shock of Landa remain with audiencesto this day.
Quentin Tarantino’s Pick for the Best Character He Ever Wrote Isn’t Who You Think
It’s probably not who you think, but it makes sense.
Lieutenant Archie Hicox, as portrayed byMichael Fassbender, is a key figure in the “Operation Kino” section of the film and was a fresh face in 2009. Some may have recognized him fromSteve McQueen’sIrish prisoner dramaHunger, but beforeBasterds,Fassbender’s biggest film wasZack Snyder’s300. It’s natural to assume Tarantino may have wanted someone with more star power for such a key role, which is likely why he consideredTim RothandSimon Pegg.Roth, a recurring actor in Tarantino’s films, had expressed enthusiasm, andPegg was on the rise at this point.Pegg had starred in his own filmswithEdgar Wright, likeShaun of the DeadandHot Fuzz, and proved he could hold his own supporting an action hero inMission: Impossible III. But Pegg cited “scheduling conflicts” as the reason for being unable to take the role,supposedly due to his commitmenttoThe Adventures of Tintin.Unlike DiCaprio instead of Waltz,it’s easier to imagineInglourious Basterdsremaining similar with Pegg swapped in for Fassbender.But what if a bigger casting shifted the story of the movie entirely?
The Bear Jew Was Going to Be a Major Star and Have a Bigger Part
Eli Rothis incredibly memorable as Sergeant Donnie Donnowitz, or as he’s referred to in the film, “The Bear Jew.” The baseball bat-wielding Nazi-bashing soldier is a stand-out supporting part in theInglourious Basterds, but not so dramatically heavy that theHosteldirector couldn’t play the part. When looking at the final film, it’s hard to imagineAdam Sandlerplaying a part of that size. Tarantino, who appeared as a cameo in Sandler’sLittle Nicky,wrote the role of “The Bear Jew” with Sandler specifically in mind.Due to scheduling conflicts withJudd Apatow’sFunny People, Sandler had to bow out of Tarantino’s film, which is likely why some of Donowitz’s scenes were ultimately excised from the film.
In the published script forInglourious Basterds, the scene of Donowitz’s dramatic entrance is not as simple as it is in the final film. Before confronting the Nazi he is about to beat with his bat, Donowitz’s backstory reveals him to be a barber in Boston looking to fight the Germans as opposed to the Japanese forces. He buys a baseball bat and asks his Jewish neighbors to sign a name for anyone whose safety they’re worried about in Europe. The scene,which was shot and featured Academy Award-winnerCloris Leachman, was cut likely due to story and pacing reasons,but may have been seen as more superfluous when “The Bear Jew” was no longer set to be played by one of the biggest movie stars of the 2000s.As delightful as it would have been to see the Sandman use his on-screen rage to bash some Nazis with a baseball bat, the film doesn’t suffer from this recasting.
It’s impossible to know whether a version ofInglourious Basterdsfeaturing DiCaprio, Tim Roth, Pegg, and Sandler would be good.All four are great actors, and Pegg and Sandler have shown themselves to have great dramatic chops in addition to their comedy work. But what the movie gains from the casting of Waltz, Fassbender, and Eli Roth is a lack of baggage from star personas that risks distracting from the film itself.Inglourious Basterdsisone of the most celebrated filmsof its decade, and it’s not to say those actors would make the movie worse, but would you want to risk not getting the version that was made instead?
Inglourious Basterdsis available to rent on VOD services.
Inglourious Basterds
