Hey, Hollywood: Make these TV-movie deals

“It Takes a Thief” directed by Christopher Nolan
Universal is reportedly set to make a feature film out of this series that starred Robert Wagner as master burglar Alexander Mundy and only ran for two and a half seasons beginning in 1968. Will Smith is said to be attached to play Mundy, which isn’t a bad idea. But Nolan would be perfect to helm this international romantic spy thriller. He did a masterful job of creating mood and visual power in “Memento,” “Insomnia” and last year’s “Batman Begins.” He’s a Brit who won’t bring the same old hackneyed Hollywood conventions to an adaptation of a series that has endless possibilities because of its genre and because it’s old enough that no one is locked into ideas at this point. Bad sign: Universal has already had eight writers attached to this, usually the kiss of death. All the more reason to bring in Nolan, who is also an excellent screenwriter.

“Combat!” directed by Paul Greengrass
He isn’t a household name as a director, but Greengrass’ last three films were superb examples of his skill. After working for years in documentaries, Greengrass broke through with the indie “Bloody Sunday,” then followed it with a commendable effort on a studio sequel, “The Bourne Supremacy.” Then he lensed the extraordinary and unforgettable  “United 93.” The World War II series “Combat!” ran for five seasons, beginning in 1962, and was notable for its black-and-white, newsreel-like feel. It would be tempting to cast this one with any number of Hollywood leading men in the role of Sgt. Chip Saunders, made famous by the late Vic Morrow — Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, Edward Norton, Sean Penn come to mind — but knowing Greengrass, he’ll take the same approach as in “United 93” and cast it with unknowns, which would be perfect.

“Hawaii Five-O” directed by Steven Soderbergh

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Unfortunately, Soderbergh lately has been mired in Hollywood muck with the “Ocean’s Eleven” franchise, although “The Good German” may soon restore some of his artistic cachet. But he’s one of the smartest and most innovative directors in the business. “Hawaii Five-O” ran for 12 seasons, beginning in 1968. It was a fairly standard police procedural (albeit without the heavy forensics we see today) made special largely by the locale. In the hands of a hack, a film adaptation could be embarrassingly poor. But with Soderbergh at the controls, “Hawaii Five-0” could be dark, quirky, ominous, witty, intriguing and powerful, all against a lush and breathtaking backdrop. Crime dramas in pristine settings require a special touch, but done well can reap extra rewards. What would you say to Russell Crowe playing the Jack Lord role as Det. Steve McGarrett? Book him, Danno.

“Barney Miller” directed by the Coen Brothers
This show, which ran for eight seasons starting in 1975, was a study in heartwarming cynicism. Barney and his motley crew of detectives sat around all day making wisecracks and ribbing each other, with an occasional visit from an odd outsider who caused one or two of them to bolt into action. Joel and Ethan Coen specialize in offbeat takes on humanity, from “Barton Fink” to “The Big Lebowski” to “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Another director might make a straight adaptation of this, complete with sitcom humor and stock characters. But you can count on the Coens to liven up Barney’s world with some imaginative predicaments that would more truthfully reflect the “You’ll never believe this” quality of law enforcement in the big city. The major question is which role would John Goodman play? Barney? Fish? Wojo? Nick Yemana?

“Bonanza” directed by Steven Spielberg
He’s directed all sorts of movies over the years, including several period pieces and even a lone comedy (“1941”). But he hasn’t done a Western. And that seems odd, since one of his heroes is John Ford, the patriarch of the American Western. Generally speaking, the genre is played out. The last Western to hit gold was “Unforgiven” in 1992. There have been others since then of course, but they all seem like regurgitations of Ford films. In the capable mitts of Spielberg, “Bonanza” could be a big-screen event that reinvents the Western. “Bonanza” the TV series was a steady hit, starting in 1959 and lasting 14 seasons, and made Ben Cartwright and his three sons from three different mothers all feel like family. The Ponderosa ranch, spread over 1,000 square miles of Nevada, is enticement enough to lure bad guys and create conflict. Robert Duvall would make a fine Ben.

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