Mental Pictures

I just finished re-reading Nora Roberts' In Death series (written as J.D. Robb) and adding the latest to hit paperback (Promises In Death) on the end. I was struck, as I often am when reading these books, by what a neat movie series they would make. First, they would appeal to both genders, because they're not romances, per se. They are mysteries first and foremost. Beyond that, they're near future, which makes them interesting but not crazy to film as you could still do it on location in NYC without too much trouble. (No crazy sets needed.) And finally, all the books are reasonably short, so you could write a script and stay true to the story without having to hack out major plot lines (which is one of my major beefs with most movies based on books). Add to that there are twenty something books so there's no lack of sequels to make.

So as I was musing on this the other day, I asked myself who I would cast as Roarke and Eve (the two major characters.) If I could get in the wayback machine, Roarke is easy -- a Remington Steele era Pierce Brosnan. But alas, he has gotten too old, too chubby, and too grey. (Still gorgeous, just not for this role.) And what other actors are out there right now with his looks? (Because I really think that's who she had in mind when she wrote Roarke; he's just such a prime specimen of the classic Celt.) After much musing, it hit me as I watched CSI: New York.  Eddie Cahill. He's got the looks and build and he's enough of a no-name that people wouldn't automatically say oh that's so and so and use a character name rather than the actor name. The question, of course, is can he pull off an accent (or lack of accent with only tinges of Ireland coming through, as the case may be) when he's a native New Yorker. Still...he fits the bill for me.

Eve gave me a bit of trouble, but I finally decided on Gabrielle Anwar. (And yes, I see the irony in choosing a Brit for the New Yorker and a native New Yorker for the Irish.) I have a few slight concerns, the first being her hair...I've never seen her with short hair and I wonder if that would still make her look the part. The second being that she's a tad too old. (And Eddie is perhaps a tad too young.) She can mostly pull off younger, but there are times on Burn Notice when she starts to look her age. So if I had to pick an alternate, I guess I lean a bit toward Keira Knightley, but I don't know if she could pull off kick butt cop convincingly. I pick her really only because her build and looks are right.

And it's not like this is anything that I've ever seen hinted at, so it's just random mental pictures (though, plea to Nora Roberts, if you do sell the movie rights to these, please don't sell them to Lifetime and let them make travesties like they've done with your romance novels. Please. Just say no!) Still, if you've read the books and have other thoughts, I'd be curious to hear them.