Dear Mr. Brad Pitt,
I
am the director for the new film version of Tartuffe. After careful consideration of each role, as
well as your choice of roles in movies like 12
Years a Slave, I feel that you would be a great fit for the role of
Cleante. As a current resident of
France, I am sure you are familiar with Moliere’s work.
Cleante
is a man of great reason, who believes in the good of mankind, of Christianity
and of those would wish to do the good work of the church. He does not suffer fools or charlatans well. One thing that you have been known for
recently is your charitable work and you have been a champion for the people
and the rebuilding of New Orleans, even when most have moved on from the
disaster. You have been a voice of
reason and good to bring attention to your causes. Cleante tells to Orgon to
“Look for simple goodness-it does exist.” just as you do (Moliere 59). From your personal character, I can just hear
your saying line such as “”Judging others live is so unfair. Heaven seems to
say ‘live and let live,’ and our task, I believe, is to forgive.” (Moliere 49)
This
role, in a way, also harkens back to one your performed in the 90’s; the
character of Louie from Anne Rice’s Interview
with a Vampire. Louie was the
tortured moral center of the film. He
questions how vampires can be allowed to exist within society when they view
humans as prey. Louie points out the
hypocrisy of his and other vampires’ existence; he feels like a fraud. Cleante points out these same qualities in Tartuffe. He first attempts to appeal to Orgon first,
stating “You have been corrupted by your friends, you know of whom I speak.
Your thought depends on people who are blind and want to spread it Like some
horrid flu…I see thing clearly. And what I see is loud lip service, merely…”
(Moliere 23) When he cannot convince his
brother-in-law, he then confronts Tartuffe himself, declaring, “Yes, everyone
is talking and each word diminishes your glory, rest assured. “ (Moliere 48) You would once again be able to play the part
of conscience, yet without all the torment.
Last,
but not least, your real life role as a father and fiancé would make you a
great fit for this role. This is
Cleante’s family this imposter has infiltrated, and he takes his nefarious
actions against the people he loves very seriously. When Orgon disinherits his son for trying to
get his father to see the truth about Tartuffe, it is Cleante who comes to his
defense. He confronts the false holy man
with his complicity in what has happened, stressing “…But you decided to just
sit back and watch him be exiled from his own father’s house. Were he a child,
then, really, would you dare to treat him so?” (Moliere 48) His love of family
is something any parent can relate to.
As
you can see, much thought has been put into offering you this role. Please let us know of your decision as soon
as possible.
Sincerely,
The Director
