Redford or Hoffman are imagined in a 1970s version, but neither would supply Travolta’s particular lightness and finesse.
Travolta is imagined in Tom Hanks’s 1980s roles, Romancing the Stone, Beverly Hills Cop and Amadeus, praising his combined dancing and everyman abilities.
Purple Rain is jokingly floated and doubted, while Manhunter receives enthusiastic support as a hypothetical Travolta vehicle.
Gere is imagined in Urban Cowboy’s Scott Glenn role but not Travolta’s lead.
Travolta in No Way Out and Field of Dreams is imagined; Field of Dreams versus Bull Durham suitability is disputed, including whether he looks like a baseball player.
Travolta in Die Hard is enthusiastically supported; missing an action vehicle around 1986–1988 is considered a lost opportunity.
Travolta is imagined as Danny in Prince of the City.
Nancy Allen is the recasting target despite admiration for Dressed to Kill and Carrie; repeated casting of a romantic partner is compared to Sondra Locke, while Allen is said to improve in the second half.
Susan Sarandon, Debra Winger, a young Glenn Close and Jessica Lange are proposed for more star power.
Lange is initially considered the only proposed actor suited to the character’s ditziness; Allen’s apparent dullness is defended as manipulation plus genuine hospital sedation.
Allen is defended through her attentive eyes in the bar scene; the alternatives might project too much intelligence and professionalism, including Lange’s light rather than ditzy Tootsie performance.
Sarandon remains a possible alternative, but Allen’s Bronx background makes her believable as Philadelphian in a way Lange may not.
Margot Kidder and Carrie Fisher are proposed then rejected as different or too smart; Allen’s lightness is defended as exactly right, while the desire for a new actress persists.
Harrison Ford is proposed as capable of the lead but acknowledged to produce a different performance.
Roy Scheider could make it work as a more 1970s film; Redford is doubted as too beautiful and insufficiently East Coast, while Pacino and Gere remain conceivable.
Stallone is jokingly the worst case because he would rewrite the material.
The invited producer agrees Allen works better by the end despite disliking her early performance.

Half-Assed Internet Research

Career choices; Blow-Up inspiration; budget; reviews; local casting; Allen’s reception; insomnia; stolen footage; reshoot; dam; parade; Murder à la Mod

In the discussion (13)

Approx. transcript time · 00:32:05Read transcript

Travolta reportedly turned down An Officer and a Gentleman, Splash and American Gigolo while choosing Staying Alive, Two of a Kind and Perfect during his decline.
Blow Out is described as a reimagining or homage to 1966’s Blow-Up, shifting perception from eye to ear; the earlier film’s influence is distinguished from rewatchability.
The film reportedly cost 18 million dollars and made 13 million, following Dressed to Kill’s success; the bleak ending is offered as a reason for commercial failure.
Pauline Kael’s rave compares De Palma’s achievement to Altman and Coppola transcending genre, and praises Travolta and Allen.
Philadelphia weatherman Dave Roberts appears early in the film and is identified as David Boreanaz’s father; the discussion corrects confusion between him and the actor playing Frank Donahue.
Allen reportedly received both Golden Globe new-star recognition and a Razzie nomination for Dressed to Kill, illustrating her divisive reception; her subsequent career moved toward genre work including RoboCop.
Travolta reportedly had insomnia throughout filming, which is thought to help his tired appearance and performance.
Two reels of parade footage were reportedly lost when a delivery van was stolen during a doughnut stop, requiring a 750000-dollar Philadelphia reshoot.
Kovács reportedly shot the replacement ending because Zsigmond had moved on; its visual relationship to the rest of the film is questioned.
Missy Cleveland, the shower performer, is identified as Playboy’s April 1979 Playmate.
The water crash required a 60-foot-long 15-foot-tall dam and environmental involvement; the parade used 11 cameras,1000 extras and 25 stunt drivers.
Manny watches De Palma’s first film, Murder à la Mod, on television.
De Palma wanted to make Prince of the City, which ultimately went to Lumet, considered well suited to it.

Roger Ebert's review

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 00:55:46Read transcript

Ebert gives four stars, praising cinematic intelligence and an audience actively sharing the discovery. No denominator is spoken.

Casting What-Ifs

Pacino first choice for Jack; Travolta pushed for Allen

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:26:07Read transcript

Pacino was reportedly the first choice for Jack; the alternative is considered interesting but more haunted and operatic, losing Travolta’s surprising lightness.
Travolta reportedly insisted on Allen and had supported her since Carrie; Allen welcomed working with him again.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Donahue’s competence; Liberty Day; best Philadelphia film

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 01:27:54Read transcript

Frank Donahue delaying a callback on the story of his life raises doubt about his competence.
A real Philadelphia Liberty Day is proposed; the existing July 4 celebration and a reported historical Liberty Loans Parade are discussed.
Blow Out as the best Philadelphia film is considered alongside Philadelphia, Trading Places, Rocky and Twelve Monkeys.
Blow Out is a favorite Philadelphia movie with agreement; another preference ranks Trading Places first and Blow Out second for the former’s less obvious locations and critique of old Philadelphia. Silver Linings Playbook’s eligibility is doubted.

Picking Nits

Political stakes; missing copies; ceiling hiding; news audience; Manny; sudden darkness; crash recovery

In the discussion (7)

Approx. transcript time · 01:38:36Read transcript

A plausible presidential contender’s death should have triggered enormous media attention and tighter hospital control; Jack would be followed and the loose handling of witnesses is doubted.
Jack should make more tape copies or arrange automatic delivery to a newspaper; the time required to duplicate material is offered as a partial defense.
Hiding evidence above removable ceiling panels is criticized as too obvious.
Frank Donahue’s claimed eight-million nightly audience is challenged against Philadelphia’s population and competing stations, despite a broader regional audience defense.
Manny’s continued presence and the lack of police follow-up on his history of scam photographs are questioned.
The rapid shift from daylight to darkness is criticized, with East Coast sunset offered in defense.
Jack’s rapid recovery from a serious crash and release after driving through a parade are considered implausible.