Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`The common wisdom is today’s actors do not match up to stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. When making comparisons, modern headliners offer favorable similarities. Here’s my Top 10:

~ Tom Hanks / James Stewart – This is one comparison that is frequently mentioned. With age, Hanks has developed an edge, much like Stewart did in his later career. Who couldn’t see Hanks befriending an invisible rabbit? Stable marriages enhance their popularity

~ Daniel Day-Lewis / Paul Muni –  Muni meticulously prepared for roles as he became invisible on screen. He also stepped away from his career at various times. Day-Lewis is a respected actor, and adopted this method-approach that Muni perfected.

~ Ralph Fiennes / Laurence Olivier – Comfortable in starring parts, as well as character roles in support of the storyline. Fiennes has the style, grace, and talent of his predecessor. One more thing… The pair could excel in villainy with aplomb.

~ Kevin Costner / Henry Fonda – They were realistic on the prairie and within the confines of the Oval Office. Comedic and dramatic opportunities are no issue for Costner, nor for Fonda. The fabric of America suits these screen icons. Either wears plain-spoken heroism well.

~ Gene Hackman / Spencer Tracy – You accept each of their characters, and this makes them the best in the business. Clark Gable once called Spencer:  An actor’s actor; Hackman could be described as such. Both were two-time Oscar-winners, and should have won gobs more statuettes.

~ Al Pacino / James Cagney –  Ferocity best describes the approach of these two giants of cinema. They portrayed criminals you want to root for. There exists this fatalism in their eyes that transcends the body of their work, making them kindred spirits.

~ Michael Keaton / Jack Lemmon – They are at their best equally handling comedy and drama with total ease. Tragic turns have wonderfully funny moments. Each scene gives the audience a full spectrum of emotions with deceptive range.

~ Jeff Bridges / Clint Eastwood – Bridges can deliver a performance without uttering a word.  John Wayne’s bravado was too chatty; Gary Cooper had too much of an aw-shucks attitude. Eastwood’s silence sets a scene with such command; so, the comparison is more appropriate.

~ Robert De Niro / Edward G. Robinson – It’s natural to compare De Niro to Humphrey Bogart.  However, De Niro is a fine comedian, and his approach better resembles Robinson. Additionally, the two have been pretty remarkable gangsters, as well.

~ George Clooney / Cary Grant –  Both are incredibly good looking; however, it belies their undeniable talent. They were willing to play against-type. Plus, Clooney and Grant’s on-screen personas markedly differ from their real-life personalities.

“`Your thoughts?

Until next time>                               “never forget”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 10th, 2018 at 5:52 pm and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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