What if the Lord of the Rings films were made in the '60s?

[Slimybug]

This is a fun thing to think about, even if it was rather impossible for them to be produced then.

Of course, David Lean, Mr. Epic (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago) would be director. Here would be some of my casting choices. Of course, getting ALL these actors would be the most ridiculous casting ever, making for the most ludicrously all-star cast in history, and itself be too expensive, but allow me to fantasize!

Frodo - Tom Courtenay
Sam - Michael Caine
Merry - Roddy McDowell
Aragorn - Omar Sharif
Gandalf - Ralph Richardson
Legolas - Peter O'Toole
Gimli - Rod Steiger
Boromir - Charles Bronson

Gollum - Peter Lorre
Theoden - Laurence Olivier
Eomer - Sean Connery
Eowyn - Julie Christie
Elrond - Rex Harrison
Arwen - Audrey Hepburn
Galadriel - Ursula Andress
Denethor - Orson Welles
Saruman - Alec Guiness

[Scott Taylor]

If it had been done during the 1960s, they would have used little people for the hobbits just like the Munchkins were used in Wizard of Oz and like Oompa Loompas were in Willy Wonka. People like Billy Barty, Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Malcolm Dixon, Rusty Goffe, Ismed Hassan, Norman McGlen, Angelo Muscat, Pepe Poupee, Marcus Powell, and Albert Wilkinson.

But I like your alternative choices better! Except that I'd still have Christopher Lee play Saruman. He was very active in the 1960s, and he was playing mostly bad guys!

[ChrisIII]

If it had been done during the 1960s, they would have used little people for the hobbits just like the Munchkins were used in Wizard of Oz and like Oompa Loompas were in Willy Wonka. People like Billy Barty, Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Malcolm Dixon, Rusty Goffe, Ismed Hassan, Norman McGlen, Angelo Muscat, Pepe Poupee, Marcus Powell, and Albert Wilkinson.

But I like your alternative choices better! Except that I'd still have Christopher Lee play Saruman. He was very active in the 1960s, and he was playing mostly bad guys!

There's long been a possible urban myth that Willow was originally based on Lucas wanting to adapt LOTR, using the same casting idea.

Billy Barty of course did appear in Willow as the "High Aldwyn"


Although Barty technically was in LOTR! As a rotoscope actor for Frodo and Sam in Balkshi's animation.

[James Cameron]

That would be cool...the 60s are just shy of the era of Hollywood epics. 3-5 hour monsters like Spartacus, Ben Hur, and Giant. A Lord of the Rings film on that level, from that era, would have been soooo cool

[Scott Taylor]

Although Barty technically was in LOTR! As a rotoscope actor for Frodo and Sam in Balkshi's animation.

Wow, that is awesome! Love the Bakshi version.

[Frobisher]

They’d have little in common with the source material. Directors/screenwriters then we’re way more liberal with adapting material.

[DanMad1977]

Charles Bronson would have thrown the script away.

[Panic]

This is a fun thing to think about, even if it was rather impossible for them to be produced then.

Of course, David Lean, Mr. Epic (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago) would be director. Here would be some of my casting choices. Of course, getting ALL these actors would be the most ridiculous casting ever, making for the most ludicrously all-star cast in history, and itself be too expensive, but allow me to fantasize!

Frodo - Tom Courtenay
Sam - Michael Caine
Merry - Roddy McDowell
Aragorn - Omar Sharif
Gandalf - Ralph Richardson
Legolas - Peter O'Toole
Gimli - Rod Steiger
Boromir - Charles Bronson

Gollum - Peter Lorre
Theoden - Laurence Olivier
Eomer - Sean Connery
Eowyn - Julie Christie
Elrond - Rex Harrison
Arwen - Audrey Hepburn
Galadriel - Ursula Andress
Denethor - Orson Welles
Saruman - Alec Guiness

I love your casting ideas. Rex Harrison as Elrond is so great I almost feel I've seen him play it. Peter O'Toole as Legolas would be very cool, he has that twinkle in his eye that would play well in his rivalry with Gimli; if it was shot in the Seventies I could see Michael York as Legolas. Peter Lorre as Gollum, again perfect, though he'd be better if it was shot in the Forties, imo. Orson Welles would ruthlessly steal every scene he was in as Denethor.

[Jim Kelly]

The Beatles wanted to make THE LORD OF THE RINGS in the 1960s. Paul would've played Frodo, John would be Gollum, George was set to take on the Gandalf role and Ringo was cast as Samwise Gamgee. It would've been a musical with new tunes from the Fab Four. Their dream director was Stanley Kubrick. Obstacles got in the way--J.R.R.R.R.R. Tolkien didn't like those long-haired hippies with their rock and roll music. "I fought the war for your sort." "Bet you're sorry you won."

[ChrisIII]

Henson was also interested. He of course did his own brand of fantasy with DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRYNTH in the 80s.

Now I'm kind of thinking of how Wolfgang Peterson or Ridley Scott might've handled LOTR>

[DrNewGod]

...I'd still have Christopher Lee play Saruman. He was very active in the 1960s, and he was playing mostly bad guys!

1960s Lee could have played almost any role in LotR, other than maybe the hobbits. It would have been fun to see him do Theodin in both his enthralled and mighty depictions.

[achilles]

Sean Connery was in the running for the role of Gandalf in Jackson's LOTR, but turned it down because he "didn't understand" the source materiel. It would have been under the terms offered him by far his biggest payday ever, probably bigger than all the rest combined. And IMO at least, it would have been wild. First of all, in my version of a Connery Gandalfed LOTR, they wouldn't walk to Mordor, they'd take a tricked out Aston. And Connery's Gandalf wouldn't cower at the sight of the Witch-King, he'd pull his rocket launcher and Walther PPK and shoot the guy! With a little quip on the side. Balrog? No problem for Bond, I mean Gandalf. He's just again resort to his trusty rocket launcher, and problem solved.

[Panic]

Sean Connery was in the running for the role of Gandalf in Jackson's LOTR, but turned it down because he "didn't understand" the source materiel. It would have been under the terms offered him by far his biggest payday ever, probably bigger than all the rest combined. And IMO at least, it would have been wild. First of all, in my version of a Connery Gandalfed LOTR, they wouldn't walk to Mordor, they'd take a tricked out Aston. And Connery's Gandalf wouldn't cower at the sight of the Witch-King, he'd pull his rocket launcher and Walther PPK and shoot the guy! With a little quip on the side. Balrog? No problem for Bond, I mean Gandalf. He's just again resort to his trusty rocket launcher, and problem solved.

He was in Zardoz for Pete's sake!

[ChrisIII]

What's also funny is that it's the role he chose to break out of the James Bond typecasting (Which he would a bit later with better films-Lion In Winter, Man Who Would Be King and Robin & Marion).


The few times Connery has played mentor roles he's still largely playing a tough guy (Ramirez, Mason and ESPECIALLY Malone)

The one exception I think was Last Crusade, where he largely (intentionally?) played against his usual type (Except for him still being a Ladies man) and was quite good at it.

[Panic]

What's also funny is that it's the role he chose to break out of the James Bond typecasting (Which he would a bit later with better films-Lion In Winter, Man Who Would Be King and Robin & Marion).


The few times Connery has played mentor roles he's still largely playing a tough guy (Ramirez, Mason and ESPECIALLY Malone)

The one exception I think was Last Crusade, where he largely (intentionally?) played against his usual type (Except for him still being a Ladies man) and was quite good at it.

If you've never seen The Hill, you need to see that. A great performance surrounded by great performances. I think I've only seen it twice, but wow, it hits hard. I think it might be his best performance.