I had dinner with a friend of mine last night, and he pitched what, to me, is a surefire hit:

Pick any four actors.  Let's say....

Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, and Clint Eastwood.

And then film them performing in four episodes -- with no script changes -- of TV's "The Golden Girls."

Not in drag, of course.  Just....straight out.  Could be a pretty funny movie.

For that matter, when you start casting these things, it might be funny to do it with the four living ex-presidents.  Well, the four almost ex-presidents.  We'll have to wait until after Inauguration Day, 2009 to roll film.

But we know who would be the Rue McClanahan role.  Right?

And in keeping with the show, we'll have George W. play the Bea Arthur role, and George H. W. play the other one, the old one.

And that leaves the slighty batty one.  Nailed.

Or how about:

Meryl Streep.  Sally Field.  Gene Hackman.

in...

"Three's Company."

Remember: no script changes, no adjustments.  See how it works.

Hollywood could do a lot worse.  A lot.