Part 1 can be found here. Part 2 here.
In Part 2, we explored (mostly) the second tier films of otherwise fantastic directors. In Part 3, we will focus our attention on famous actors of the past, and how they helped make the movies they were in better, or in some cases, legendary.
| The Thin Man (1934) |
| Rating: |
| What is it about?: A private detective and his wife help the police solve a disappearance/murder mystery . |
| Who’s the Actor(s)?: I’ve personally had lots of bad luck with dialogue laden movies from the past, usually failing to understand the rhythms of speech and transport myself into the time period. That’s why it’s saying something that The Thin Man is one of the best written movies of Hollywood’s yesteryear. This movie completely subverts expectations: you think it’s gonna be this twisty story that scary and tense, but once Myrna Loy and William Powell enter the story, they so dominate the screen with their adorable banter that the movie basically forgets its a mystery and not a rom com. While the movie’s mixture of genres doesn’t quite work, Loy and Powell TOTALLY do, which is why they did multiple sequels and had many a romcom character named after them. This movie also has a really cute dog, cementing its wokeness. |
| A Man for All Seasons (1966) |
| Rating: |
| What is it about?: Thomas More, the Catholic Priest who challenged Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine so he could marry Anne Boelyn. |
| Who’s the Actor?: Even though Paul Scofield is perfectly solid as Thomas More, the revelation is Robert Shaw, playing a young Henry VIII. A Man for All Seasons is a slog to watch at times, going through British religious and parliamentary procedure for a majority of its running time. However, the minute Shaw saunters onto the screen you are riveted by his enthusiasm and clear rich guy loose cannon nature. Along with the Bond movie From Russia With Love, Shaw cemented his star status, leading to some legendary performances in the 70’s, including a hunter on a boat called The Orca. |
| Cool Hand Luke (1967) |
| Rating: |
| What is it about?: Luke Jackson, an aimless man sent to prison on a Southern Chain Gang where he rises to confront the cruel injustices done to the inmates. |
| Who’s the Actor?: George Kennedy won an Oscar for this movie, and yet, Paul Newman is the reason this movie is remembered. Showing off that million watt smile when necessary, Newman plays Luke as a blank slate for a while. Then, as he rises up the prison hierarchy, we see how his desire to rebel can shift from asset to liability, completely informing his will to live. Luke’s arc is long ranging and covers a host of emotions that Newman nails every time. Of all the legendary performances by Newman (Butch Cassidy, The Hustler, Doc from Cars), Cool Hand Luke is on the short list of his career best). |
| White Heat (1949) |
| Rating: |
| What is it about?: A gangster, and the FBI team assigned to take him and his gang out. |
| Who’s the Actor?: Before Sam Jackson and John Travolta, Before Marty Scorcese, James Cagney WAS the gangster movie. The man had the perfect face, cunning, yet, a little unhinged, to play members of various gangs trying to one up law enforcement. White Heat was nearing the end of his time doing these films, but Cagney is never better, playing off that effortless charm in public while in private showing an uneasy attraction to his own mother, making, endearing him a little to everyone, but also creeping everyone out at the same time. By the time the FBI closes in, we want the bad guy to get away, that’s how good he is in this film, delivering one of Hollywood’s iconic lines as his swan song… |