Who doesn’t like a legend to come back to life on the big screen? For one, the family members are afraid that a little too realistic dive into the legend’s life will paint him in a bad light. But isn’t that a risk worth taking? Well, not for the Sinatra family whose disagreement with filmmaker Martin Scorsese’s vision for Frank Sinatra ended up being a dead-end project.
The unmade Frank Sinatra biopic by Martin Scorsese titled ‘Sinatra,’ promised a cinematic journey through the crooner’s life. Now, the singer had his fair share of controversies. But one person who could never play him on screen is Mark Wahlberg, as per the diktat of Sinatra Jr.
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Frank Sinatra Jr.’s Verdict On Actor Mark Wahlberg
As Martin Scorsese toyed with the idea of bringing Sinatra’s life to the silver screen, casting became a pivotal concern. While this one important decision was far away in the production Scorsese had some names in mind. “My choice is Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro as Dean” said the filmmaker to the Guardian. However, there was one name he couldn’t choose even if he wanted to.
During an interview with Ok Magazine, the legend’s son Sinatra Jr. gave his thoughts on one particular name he wouldn’t like to see in his father’s life story. He said, “Mark Wahlberg, I would hope they would pass.” When the interviewer asked why ‘The Family Plan’ star be excluded from the project he simply stated, “Because we need an actor.”
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Martin Scorsese’s Sinatra Dream Is The One That Got Away
Renowned for his masterful storytelling, Scorsese had a vision for the Sinatra biopic. He aimed for a structure reminiscent of ‘Goodfellas,’ focusing on specific chapters of Sinatra’s life. The film intended to capture the essence of Sinatra’s life, in the four stages of it. Knowing that he can’t capture every important moment of the singer’s life Martin wanted to make it as close to reality as possible. Given the complexity of the main character, it wasn’t an easy task to do.
The Academy Award-winning producer opened up about the matter in a conversation with the Toronto Sun. He said, “Certain things are very difficult for a family, and I totally understand. But, if they expect me to be doing it, they can’t hold back certain things. The problem is that the man was so complex. Everybody is so complex — but Sinatra in particular.” Frank’s alleged connections with the mafia and political involvement weren’t what Sinatra’s family wanted to display on the big screen. Certain off-limits aspects of the legend’s life led to the early demise of this epic project.
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