Lee Marvin (L), John Wayne (C) & James Stewart When we watch the John Ford 1962 western The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, there is a certain irony in the casting. Jimmy Stewart was a genuine World War Two USAAF hero, yet he plays a bookish weakling opposed to […]
20 JOAQUIN PHOENIX as Commodus in GLADIATOR (2000) I have often wondered if Joaquin Phoenix resents Russell Crowe for stealing his thunder in Gladiator. Crowe was so good in the title role that Joaquin tended to be forever in his shadow which must have been frustrating because Phoenix really gave […]
RYAN, Robert (1909 – 73) I recently had the pleasure of watching a terrific western named The Proud Ones (1956). It has gone completely unheralded, yet it is clearly a couple of cuts above the average western fare. I watched it for one simple reason, because Robert Ryan was its […]
Movie musicals have been around for decades. The studios quickly became aware of their potential as cash cows the moment silent movies became talkies. Most pundits would probably agree that the genre […]
There have been very few genuinely funny westerns made. James Garner’s Support Your Local Sheriff (1969) was, in my opinion, the very best ever, but two Lee Marvin films were not far behind it. One was Paint Your Wagon, released in the same year and hilarious, but it probably fits […]
#10 THE FLIM-FLAM MAN […]
1961 West Side Story – Best Picture Maximilian Schell – Best Actor for Judgment at Nuremberg George Chakiris – Best Supporting Actor for West Side Story Except for Fanny, I have seen each of the nominees – West Side Story, Judgment at Nuremberg, […]
Ever since Billboard has been used to assess the popularity of single recordings there have been a few actors who have unexpectedly surprised us by recording songs that went all the way to the top of the charts. There were two in 1957, one in 1958, one in 1962, […]
Caine in Korea (standing second from left) Here are a few more stories about actors who participated in one or more of the conflicts of the 20th century. I will add a second segment in a couple of day’s time. Sir Michael Caine was called up for national […]
Since Academy Awards have been introduced there have been, by my count, 32 Best Actor or Best Actress Oscars won by players portraying someone with a medical condition or an affliction. No wonder actors go after these roles with a vengeance. They know that a strong performance will almost […]
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