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Ah yes, of course, I completely overlooked Hale. But now that you mention it, Flynn-Hale as Legolas-Gimli would be a good combo. Flynn has that superhuman athletic ability that would translate well -- you imagine that if he shield-surfed, he would really do it, and it wouldn't be so bad. And of course he was a beautiful man, if you think of elves in that way, but he was a man, not a boy. He could rescue Legolas from that pretty-boy vacuousness that Bloom brought to the role.
Leslie Howard does have a mopiness that generally fits the gloomy side of the Eldar, but he always comes across as impotent too. I think he'd make a good Celeborn.
Mention of Conrad Veidt makes me think, of course, of Casablanca, which makes me think of Paul Henreid as a possible Aragorn, especially if you saw him more as a supporting player than in the central role that he assumes in Jackson's version. He has that sort of uncompromising righteousness down pat. Eh, but he could never stand up to Welles as Boromir. Speaking of which, "diabolical" is the perfect word for that quality that Welles has, not only in Prince of Foxes but in most of the roles he played. He'd make a great Feanor.
I'd say Olivier for Aragorn, but I always thought he was overrated. It's a tough role to cast. I could almost see Clark Gable in the part (think Mutiny on the Bounty), but he's such his own thing. Still, he could do the sly wit as well as the pathos. What about John Wayne?
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