Madonna. Director?

I've decided to give Evan Bayh a break today, even though he continues to flap his gums about American's throwing the bums out.  Since the Dems are in control, does that really sound like support for your party, all you Mary Sunshines out there?  Nope.

So, I'm going to get as far away from it as possible by talking about Madonna wanting to direct a movie about King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson (Picture it, London 1934: Edward and Wallis fall in love, she's been twice divorced, he abdicates the throne for her, and may have been Nazi sympathizers).  Ever since the news broke a couple of day ago, I've been reading the stories and comments, and for the most part, people are fairly appalled that Madonna would deign to do anything outside of the box they have put her.  People still have a healthy dose of derision for the Material Girl, and as I fan, I've never really understood why.  Yes, she was controversial for controversial sake, but it is not like she killed your grandma or was Governor of Alaska.

I may be in the minority, but I really do think Madonna could pull it off.  She's proven time and time again that she is a shrewd businesswoman with vision, and while she has never been that great of an actress, she has worked with some of the best directors in the business: Woody Allen, Alan Parker,  Penny Marshal, and even Guy Richie; not to mention the visionary directors of some of her best greatest videos: Jonas Ackerlund (Ray of Light, American Life), Jean Baptiste Mondino (Don't Tell Me, Human Nature), Brett Ratnor (Beautiful Stranger), Mark Romanek (Rain), David Fincher (Vogue, Express Yourself) Herb Ritts (Cherish), and Chris Cunningham (Frozen) -- Fincher and Ratnor should stick out there as ones that went on to much bigger things.  Even her greatest detractors can accept the fact that Madonna is not an idiot, and you can bet she was watching and taking notes from all of these great directors.

I think a lot of the ridicule in the film community comes from the fact that the story of King Edward and Wallis Simpson is one of those great stories that have not been told yet, which really just goes to show how on it Madonna really is.  While she could have tried to get a hold of an established franchise or do something mainstream, she chose a story that is unique, and I think a lot of people are just jealous of her testicular fortitude to do so, which is pretty par for the course during her career.  The fact that the actress she has approached to play Simpson is Vera Farmiga instead of the go to goddesses of Cate Blanchett or Madonna's Gal Pal, Gweneth Paltrow, shows already that Madonna, Director already has a vision in place.

Do I think Madonna will pull off a surprise Oscar Nomination out of this?  Well, I think we are fools to count her out, though I think it is highly unlikely.  However, if this time last year you had told me that Tom Ford, fashion designer, would have written and directed one of the most critically acclaimed moves of 2009, The Single Man, I probably would have laughed in your face.  So, to all the naysayers, I say you need to step back from your hatred for Madonna as a person, and then judge the movie on it's own merit.  She might just surprise you.  It's not like she hasn't been doing that for the past 30 years or anything...