8 A-List Actresses Who Hit Sour Notes in Movie Musicals

Though these casting decisions probably seemed like great ideas during Hollywood pitch meetings, some A-List actresses should never have tried their hands (and voices) at certain movie musical roles. Here's a list of 8 talented actresses from Hollywood's First Century and the roles they should have passed over:

Meryl Streep as Donna Sheridan in "Mamma Mia!": Using the music of the Swedish pop group ABBA as a foundation, "Mamma Mia!" tells the story of Sophie, a young girl living on a Greek island with her mother, Donna. With her wedding day rapidly approaching, Sophie sends letters to three men that could potentially be her father.

As the stressed-out Donna Sheridan, Meryl Streep definitely is funny in the movie version of "Mamma Mia!", but her singing voice falls flat in almost every song. Near the end of "Mamma Mia!", however, Streep redeems herself with a bittersweet rendition of "Slipping Through My Fingers" opposite Amanda Seyfried.

Christine Baranski as Tanya in "Mamma Mia!": For the most part, "Mamma Mia!" requires a solid, ensemble cast in order to work, but someone forgot to tell that to Christine Baranski. As Tanya, one of Donna's best friends in the adaptation of "Mamma Mia!", Christine Baranski keeps trying to hog the spotlight. Only during the closing credits, the time when the main cast performs a couple of ABBA songs, does Baranski finally redeem herself, but it is too little, too late.

Bernadette Peters as Eileen in "Pennies from Heaven": One of Steve Martin's early cinematic disasters, "Pennies from Heaven" was an ambitious project that tried to recapture the magic of those great 1940's musicals. Playing a potential love interest for Martin's frustrated character, Bernadette Peters gave it her best shot, but her vocal talents are sorely wasted in this 1981 musical.

Kristy McNichol as Mable in "The Pirate Movie": In 1982, a time when Kristy McNichol was attempting to make the transition from teen star to movie actress, she starred in "The Pirate Movie," a film based on "The Pirates of Penzance." Unfortunately, pairing McNichol up with Christopher Atkins, a fading teen heartthrob, failed to generate much interest at the box office.

Shirley Temple as Mytyl in "The Blue Bird": One of the most bankable stars of the 1930's, Shirley Temple took the starring role in "The Blue Bird," a film designed to compete with "The Wizard of Oz." Temple plays Mytyl, a girl who goes on a journey of self-discovery through many fantastic places. Though "The Wizard of Oz" has become a classic, "The Blue Bird" only pops up occasionally on television and effectively marked the beginning of the end for Shirley Temple.

Uma Thurman as Ulla in "The Producers": Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane were unable to recreate the magic of their Broadway performances in "The Producers." The big-screen adaptation was fairly dull, lifeless, and Uma Thurman unfortunately came along for the ride. As the sex kitten Ulla, Thurman has some pretty good scenes in "The Producers," but they are wasted in this very poor production.

Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street": Tim Burton cut his own throat by casting Helena Bonham Carter, his real-life lady love, in the key role of Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd." Angela Lansbury, who originated the role on Broadway, is a hard act for anyone to follow, but Bonham Carter's mumbled delivery of songs like "A Little Priest" was the worst crime committed onscreen.

Susan Sarandon as Janet in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show": An odd little musical comedy that grew into a cult phenomenon, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" has been seen by millions of people at midnight showings. At the time she played the role of virginal Janet, Susan Sarandon was just emerging as a pretty and talented Hollywood actress. Sarandon later made her mark in such films as "Bull Durham" and "Dead Man Walking," but "Rocky Horror" may be her most enduring (and potentially embarrassing) legacy.