Why was Shelley Duvall cast in "The Shining?" In the book the character was an attractive blonde...

Question

Did Kubrick ever actually say why he went with such a radical departure?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

I thought they did a good job in casting. The Second Shining was closer to the book in every way including the animal shaped hedges instead of the maze. The wife in the second Shining was an attractive blond.

Answer 2

The original movie doesnt follow S. Kings book much at all.
Anyway, Duvall did an excellent job in the movie. Does it matter that she wasnt an attractive blonde?

Answer 3

Kubrick changed so much in the movie that it's pretty much a different beast. I think the movie suffers from the many departures and I would rather read the book than sit through that peice of garbage.

Answer 4

she was in a lot of movies at that time, probably made the movie at the height of her career

Answer 5

Why he picked such a whining female, I'll never know...heck, who can blame Jack Nicholson's character from wanting to kill such an untalented actress that is more irratating than talented...she was better in Popeye, because Olive Oil is irratating as a rule. Even Stephen King didn't like the Kubrick version and made his own in 1997.

Source(s):

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0118460/

Answer 6

Why was she cast in anything? Maybe they thought she was the best actress to play the role?