Do you know? One of Bud Spencer’s more serious films, Charleston, was originally written for Walter Matthaur
Perhaps few people know, but the film Charleston, directed by Marcello Fondato and starring Bud Spencer, was not originally intended for the Italian actor, according to Király Levente in his newly published book, The Unbeatable Couple.
The son of director Paolo Fondato had this to say about the film:
“The script was written for Walter Matthaura, but he didn’t want to do it. My father went to Los Angeles, but at that time Matthau had a mild heart attack and didn’t want to see a movie. That’s how we came up with the idea to shoot it with Bud Spencer. That’s why the script had to be adapted to him. They added a few wrestling scenes, but unfortunately it didn’t work out very well either. In fact, this role was not for him and disappointed his audience. However, the film was very well thought out. This is the only one where Bud dances (he dances in several movies, e.g. Piedone in Africa, Otherwise We’re Angry, Bombayó Boxer – ed.), and I have to say that , he did all that very skillfully. Despite his heavy weight, he moves very easily.”
– Paolo Fondato, son of the director, continued:
“The movie is amazing. It takes place in London in 1977, the strange thing is that it doesn’t rain for two or three months. It seems to be a miracle: the sun makes everything golden, the buildings the park, the gardens… it’s never been like this. The studio is near Notting Hill, where the Caribbean festival is held. London is beautiful and the British are nice.”
Legendary Italian comedian Bud Spencer remembered the film like this:
“Just once, in Charleston, I took on a role with a lot of deep thought. It was about financial crime. In fact, audiences didn’t appreciate it, they were annoyed to see a Bud Spencer through bright.”