A superb and highly recommended bit of non-fiction writing that’s currently circulating amongst screenwriter types is “Montague the Magnificent,” by noted sports journalist Leigh Montville for Smithsonian magazine. We don’t do this often at Slashfilm but: Hey, Guy in Hollywood looking for a great movie premise, here you go. In the 1930s, a man calling himself John Montague (right) touched down in Hollywood and quickly swooned the showbiz elite with his debonair poise, elusive wealth, penchant for whisky and stunts of uber-strength, and a stunning golfing ability that soon convinced followers of the sport nationwide that a complete unknown could very well be the best in the world. In fact, his talent is still debated, especially after too many shots.
In a town mastered in smoke and mirrors, Montague’s feats—-like beating Bing Crosby on the greens using a baseball bat, a shovel and a rake instead of clubs, and knocking birds on a wire dead with golf balls—-became championed tales shared by men and friends like Humphrey Bogart. When professional golfers and sportswriters finally put the pressure on the ever camera-shy Montague to compete in professional competition and end the deafening buzz, he was soon ousted as something else entirely. Of course, this just made the town more interested in him, or at least his legend. The article—-I’ve revealed nothing, really—-is basically a condensed version of Montville’s newly released book, The Mysterious Montague, and it’s worth a read if you enjoy superlative American do’ers, Hollywood history and t-total bullshitting with your friends. Movies about golf are usually ghey, sure, but this ain’t Bagger Vance blah blah. There’s a sharp edge and social undercurrent to this story that is very alluring and timely. As for who would play this wily (and stocky) SOB in a movie, it’s hard to say. Everyone seems too pretty. Maybe Ed Norton after 30 steaks? A slightly squashed Christian Bale?
Discuss: Any hypothetical casting suggestions based on the pic above and the article? Anyone read the book?
July 8th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Haven’t heard anything on this, but I would go with everyone’s favorite everyman Paul Giamatti or Tom Wilkinson. or Phillip Seymour Hoffman or… I could do this all day.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I don’t know.. There are a lot of great books that should be made into movies. Another “Legend of Bagger Vance” wouldn’t be at the top of my list.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
The guy who played Bruce baxter in King Kong comes to mind.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Liev Shreiber.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I’m with jon, Damon, lebuff, & Costner already did the ‘everyman’ golfer film - with bats/rakes etc. Unless the twist is that he was an alien sent to tell the people of earth to stop fighting; f-ing yawn.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
@ orange / “Golf sucks” argument
This isn’t some gussied up bullshit golf story or a rags-to-riches bag of jelly for lil girls.
It’s about a shark moving into the Land of Wannabe Sharks and it says a good deal about how America feeds on myth and then craps it out and says, “What’s all this myth in my stool?”
Again, it helps to read the article.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:02 am
Donal Logue
July 9th, 2008 at 5:28 am
I think Mark Ruffalo might be a good pick here.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:40 am
A (young) Ernest Borgnine. Sure I know it ain’t possible, but he looks a lot like him…
July 9th, 2008 at 7:42 am
This project sounds awesome. I love stories like that. Hopefully it gets made.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Jason Alexander? Paul Giamatti? Jason Bateman?
July 9th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
wait a minute… haven’t i seen this guy in a beer commercial?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bc0WjTT0Ps
August 9th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
My father in law brought the smithsonian mag with him on a recent visit to Oz which had the Montague story in it. I think his story/myth is definitely worth telling and would have more legs than most hollywood pap. If they don’t make it then it would just prove to me that hollywood film makers can’t see past a quick buck.