Thinking about U.N.C.L.E...

[fajrdrako]

I was wondering whether The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. is out on DVD, so I was looking for it online.

While browsing, I came across this on IMDB:

Clooney Targets "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."

18 November 2010 5:06 AM, PST | SneakPeek | See recent SneakPeek news »

Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh ("Ocean's 11") is in talks to direct Warners upcoming feature adaptation of the 1960's TV series "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", starring actor George Clooney.

The new "U.N.C.L.E." screenplay will be written by Scott Z. Burns ("The Informant") for producers John Davis and Jeff Kleeman.

The original TV series, broadcast on NBC September 1964 to January 1968, followed the exploits of two secret agents, played by actors Robert Vaughn ("The Magnificent Seven") and David McCallum ("The Great Escape") , who work for the clandestine, international law-enforcement agency 'U.N.C.L.E.' ('United Network Command for Law and Enforcement').

Presumably George Clooney is to play Napoleon Solo, or a new character as the protagonist agent.

George Clooney. I like George Clooney, though I didn't like the Ocean's 11 movies at all. Still. The Three Kings redeems him. If they take the story seriously, it might be good. If htey don't... Well. I'm still reeling from seeing the terrible Green Lantern trailer on Saturday. Spare me.

Clooney: rather too old now to be Napoleon, but I guess Napoleon ages along with all of us (except Marvel and DC heroes), and won't be thirty-three forever. And theer's no hint there of who might play Illya... Can I hope for a talented, fair-haired unknown? One good thing about having Clooney in the lead: he will probably encourage slashiness. But really, Napoleon should be in his thirties, and Clooney should be playing Alexander Waverly... Myself, I'd cast Alex O'Loughlin, I think. Off the top of my head. Unless I can think of someone better.

And if they should get that far, Kris Holden-Ried should play Mark Slade.

The item continues:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced 105 "U.N.C.L.E." episodes, originally developed by Sam Rolfe for executive producer Norman Felton, with "James Bond" author Ian Fleming contributing characters 'Napoleon Solo' and 'April Dancer', to series scriptwriters Robert Towne ("Chinatown") and Harlan Ellison ("The City On The Edge Of Forever").

I'd forgotten Ellison wrote for it, but then, in my teens I would have had no idea who Ellison was, and cared less. And I totally disliked Chinatown, so just as well I didn't know about Towne.

I see Sam Rolfe died in 1993. He did a lot to enliven my early teens and stimulate my imagination.