The story of the uber-swindler and his $50 billion Ponzi scheme has already been turned into a thinly-veiled, reliably ripped-from-the-headlines March episode of Law & Order — but despite the glut of Madoff-focused books currently in the works, the only big-screen biopic seems to be the decidedly low-grade-looking Bernie Maddoff: Made Off With America, from filmmaker Edward Druilhet, whose skimpy imdb page doesn’t seem especially promising (nor does the film’s homepage poster, a commemorative-plate explosion of Americana — Lady Liberty! Beady-eyed eagle! Wind-whipped American flag! — and chintzy fonts).
While the official site also, oddly, allows visitors to vote for the best candidate to play the Wall Street Beelzebub and his wife, we can’t help thinking we’d rather see a number of better-known actors in the role. Dustin Hoffman? Veteran British character actor Tom Wilkinson? L&O’s own Atticus Finch, Sam Waterson, playing against noble type?
Much-publicized Madoff victims Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon could no doubt play themselves, but tell us, readers, who else would you like to see in the cast? Or would you rather see Madoff’s entire tale taken off the showbiz table?
Jim Broadbent.
The first guy that popped into my head was Michael Tucker from “L.A. Law.” I’m not sure if he does much acting anymore, but Madoff reminds me of him.
Susan Boyle.
Brian “Hannibal Lecter” Cox
Sam the Eagle
I would vote for a documentary. The truth is always far more interesting.
It was greed beget greed. Seriously, everyone would invest in a pyramid schemed if they were getting the returns and cashing out. unfortunately it is illegal, but so is pump and dump stock trading – http://www.filmloversdate.com
Richard Dreyfuss
David Paymer. With gray hair he looks just like him. Plus, he can do sleazeball in his sleep.
Henry Winkler. He could use the comeback role lol.
Michael Tucker, totally. Get that guy out of retirement.
How interesting it is to see that a number of correspondents have picked English actors to play the role. Always pick a Brit to play an unpopular person seems to be a Hollywood tradition.
My own choice would definitely be Richard Dreyfuss.
Judd Hirsch