| May 30, 2001 The Dreyfus Affair
(originally in weblog)
For the last few years I've been keeping my ears open for
news about Peter Lefcourt's book The Dreyfus Affair being made into a movie. I'd be
so happy if it happened. It's just one of those novels that begs to be a movie. (If
you don't know the book, you can read my review of it here.)
Anyway, the rumors about a movie have been circulating for
years, ever since The Dreyfus Affair was published in the early 90s. They pick up
for awhile and then die off. Seems that nobody wants to bet on a movie about gay major
league baseball players.
Back in 1999 there were rumors about John Cusack playing
Randy, and Wesley Snipes playing D.J. In the end, nothing seemed to come of that. The
latest I've seen is a couple of tidbits from Anderson Jones's column on E! Online from earlier this year:
January 5, 2001
An Affair to Forget: Betty Thomas says The Dreyfus Affair -- a film she has
been developing for the past year with Ben Affleck, based on Peter Lefcourt's novel about
a pro second baseman who falls in love with his shortstop -- is in trouble. "No one
will do that movie, dude," she tells me at the Miss Congeniality premiere.
"They won't put money into it because it's baseball and gay." Even with Ben
attached? I ask, dumbfounded. "They don't care," she says.
March 9, 2001
Batter Up: Ben Affleck wants to play ball with The Dreyfus Affair, an
adaptation of Peter Lefcourt's pro baseball novel about a second baseman who falls hard
for his shortstop. "I still want to do it," he says. "That movie will get
made." Director Betty Thomas has expressed interest in helming but told me a while
back that the subject matter makes it's tough to find financing. The writers strike could
also affect the project. But Affleck is optimistic: "When summer comes, it'll be a
good time to look it over again. I just don't want to do a movie that's fake or cheap or
not true to the book, which balances the line between being funny and making fun."
Affleck adds that he hopes Thomas will still be interested when Affair is finally a go.
Don't know how I feel about Affleck as Randy, but I sure
would love to see this movie happen. I hate to get my hopes up and be disappointed again,
though.
The craziest thing is, I really think this movie could be a
hit with a wide audience. It's a better story than In and Out, and the book is
about baseball as much as it is about romance. In fact, back in 1998, Peter Lefcourt did
an interview
with The Advocate where he talked about it, saying "I always thought of The
Dreyfus Affair as a comedy about public relations and baseball."
The Advocate returned to the topic in January of
this year in an article about longtime gay and lesbian projects that are still unproduced:
The Dreyfus Affair: Peter Lefcourt's 1992 novel
about the love affair between two major league baseball players would make a killer
romantic comedy.
Status: Director Betty Thomas (Doctor Dolittle) remains "obsessed" with
the project. It was almost a go at New Line when Ben Affleck expressed interest, but he
subsequently moved on to greener fields.
Prognosis: With Thomas's clout and track record, it could get made -- but only if a
major star commits.
With the recent revelation that the editor of Out
magazine is dating a major league baseball player, I'm hoping that interest in the project
will pick up again. I would love to see this movie happen, under the right circumstances.
The book is hilarious, and the story would play great on the screen. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed. |
