A Big-Screen Shot for ‘Dallas’

Remember the 1980s TV phenomenon “Dallas”? It made show-biz history in many ways, spawned imitations and created huge stars: Victoria Principal, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Charlene Tilton and Larry Hagman as the lovable villain J.R. Ewing. “Dallas” thrived for years--maybe a bit longer than necessary--but it was hard to let go of such a winner.

Now Hollywood is abuzz that a tremendous big-screen version of “Dallas” is in the works. The South Fork ranch will rise again!

So let the casting game begin. How about Matt Damon as Bobby, Halle Berry as Pam, Reese Witherspoon in the Tilton role as the boy-crazy Lucy Ewing? Paul Newman could play sturdy patriarch Jock, and Faye Dunaway the strong but usually placid Miss Ellie. (OK, in her hands, Miss Ellie would carry on a bit more.)

But I pity the actor who has to fill Hagman’s boots. Ditto to whomever might be chosen for Gray’s fabulous dipsomaniac, the tortured and over-the-top Sue Ellen, wife of J.R.

If only they were still together, we could nominate Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie for these roles. He can be appropriately serpentine and she--like Gray--always looks like a woman on the brink

This is all fanciful casting, but, hey, stranger things have happened. The Thornton-Jolie marriage, for instance.