You may have read this week that the Tony-award winning play "The Normal Heart" is getting closer to being turned into a major motion picture. "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy released an exclusive story to the Hollywood Reporter saying that he’d be adapting the drama, under Brad Pitt's Plan B production banner, with an all-star cast that includes Julia Roberts, Alec Baldwin, Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer and Mark Ruffalo.
That sounds like an exciting film -- as well-cast as the one that Barbra Streisand has tried to plan over the years of Larry Kramer's play about the early days of the AIDS epidemic. Unfortunately, for all concerned, Barbra was never able to get "The Normal Heart" into movie houses for a variety of reasons.
Will Ryan Murphy, the TV mogul who's working diligently on new episodes of "Glee," while crafting a second season of "American Horror Story," have more luck actually getting "The Normal Heart" filmed? You have to wonder…
Nobody has been more passionate about "The Normal Heart" than Barbra Streisand. Since she first optioned the play in 1986, Streisand worked with Kramer to get a version of the script that would satisfy his original vision -- a theater piece -- with the requirements of the movies. Barbra had never been able to convince Kramer that his play -- as is -- won't work as a film. That push-pull went on for years and as I wrote last December, their collaboration ultimately turned contentious and collapsed.
Now, apparently, Kramer and Murphy are united on the script and the picture is going forward. At least, that would seem to be the case based on the Hollywood Reporter piece. With the stars attached, it surely seems that "The Normal Heart" will finally make it into production. According to IMDB, the film has no start date; it's also not slated to be released until 2014…two years from now.
Not long ago, James Brolin -- Barbra's husband – mentioned that there’s an important film that his wife still wants to direct. He was certain that she’d get it done in time. The implication was clear; she’d still direct "The Normal Heart" if the opportunity presented itself.
Is it possible that when all is said and done, Barbra might return to this project? Believe it to not, it's not at all unlikely…for a few reasons.
- Ryan Murphy is an unabashed Streisand fan. Even a casual “Glee” viewer knows that Barbra Streisand is worshipped by the characters on the show, most especially Rachel Berry (Lea Michele). When Murphy collected the Best TV Show Golden Globe in 2010 for "Glee," he thanked Barbra Streisand. Check out the video!
- As mentioned above, Murphy has a lot of work to do. He’s a very busy guy. He’s working on two shows in production -- "Glee" and "American Horror Story" – and has a third, a new situation comedy, in preproduction. That’s due to debut in Fall 2012.
- Larry Kramer, despite his highly inflammatory comments to the press about Streisand, still respects her and knows that she loves “The Normal Heart.” He asked Barbra to read the latest version of the script last September.
- And Barbra, for her part, is still hankering for a film to direct. While promoting "What Matters Most," Barbra revealed that she wants to direct a film in which she doesn't star. That film could be "The Normal Heart."
Only time will tell if and when "The Normal Heart" will ever become a major motion picture…with or without Barbra Streisand attached.
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