Do you rather Lance with dark hair?

[Guest Doll]

Other than Lance, Gene Hackman is my favorite actor and has a great deal of charm and charisma, depending on his character. He really has great range. He can go from comedy (Birdcage, Royal Tenenbaums) to a villainous bad guy (The quick and the dead) to good guy (Behind Enemy Lines) to playing the president (Absolute Power) and just about everything in between. He has really played some complicated characters.

i really like those movies too, except i haven't seen tenenbaums. wasn't one of his movies the french connection?

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

i really like those movies too, except i haven't seen tenenbaums. wasn't one of his movies the french connection?

Yes, that's another great one, and one of his earlier movies, although he did a lot of stuff before that in the 60s that I have never seen and can't vouch for.

[Guest lonegungrrly1121]

Geriatro-phile, I love that. What about Gene Hackman? Does he fit the bill. He has always been a favorite actor of mine, and has he ever been in a bad film?

I don't think I've ever seen a film that he's been in! bad, I know... but if there is some Geriatro- totty I'll deffo give it a watch!

[Guest SouthernCelt]

Other than Lance, Gene Hackman is my favorite actor and has a great deal of charm and charisma, depending on his character. He really has great range. He can go from comedy (Birdcage, Royal Tenenbaums) to a villainous bad guy (The quick and the dead) to good guy (Behind Enemy Lines) to playing the president (Absolute Power) and just about everything in between. He has really played some complicated characters.

He's one of my favorites too. I'd sum it up by saying I've never seen him play a role badly but he has been in some movies that I didn't think were very good otherwise.

I think his versatility is what makes him stand out. He can range from a nice, kindly but strong character to a villain totally devoid of human decency. My favorite role of his as villain was in "Unforgiven".

I first saw him in the semi-historical movie "Bonnie and Clyde" playing Clyde Barrow's brother and partner in crime. His line after being shot in the head still sounds haunting even today: "Clyde!...The dog stole my shoes, Clyde!" He was dying and apparently childhood memories were flashing through his mind, perhaps being the only mental processes still left to function because of the head wound.

BTW, Joe, that movie was the one that really kicked off the popularity of bluegrass music on movie soundtracks whenever the story had a rural Americana setting. It also engendered a lot of similar productions that tried to dramatize the careers of other famous Depression era criminals such as Baby Face Nelson, Machine Gun Kelly, Ma Barker and, of course the main figures involved with Al Capone.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

He's one of my favorites too. I'd sum it up by saying I've never seen him play a role badly but he has been in some movies that I didn't think were very good otherwise.

I think his versatility is what makes him stand out. He can range from a nice, kindly but strong character to a villain totally devoid of human decency. My favorite role of his as villain was in "Unforgiven".

I first saw him in the semi-historical movie "Bonnie and Clyde" playing Clyde Barrow's brother and partner in crime. His line after being shot in the head still sounds haunting even today: "Clyde!...The dog stole my shoes, Clyde!" He was dying and apparently childhood memories were flashing through his mind, perhaps being the only mental processes still left to function because of the head wound.

BTW, Joe, that movie was the one that really kicked off the popularity of bluegrass music on movie soundtracks whenever the story had a rural Americana setting. It also engendered a lot of similar productions that tried to dramatize the careers of other famous Depression era criminals such as Baby Face Nelson, Machine Gun Kelly, Ma Barker and, of course the main figures involved with Al Capone.

I agree, Unforgiven, besides being one of the best Westerns ever made, was one of Gene's very best roles IMHO. He plays a great bad guy, and a great good guy, although you really have to go back a while to find a true "good guy" character. What I really like, and what I think he does a great job at are "gray area" characters, where he is either kind of a good guy with some flaws (Crimson Tide), or kind of a bad guy who you really can't dislike too much and have some empathy for (The Firm). I could probably think of some other examples of gifted actors who have pulled it off, but it's rare to see someone who can be legitimately funny in a comedy like Birdcage, and then be such an effective villain as he is in Unforgiven and Quick and the Dead.

My personal favorite is his role in Crimson Tide, which is probably also in my top 20 favorite films. Another film that is great, but doesn't get the credit it deserves is "Under Suspicion". I found that one at Blockbuster by accident and rented it. Otherwise I would probably not even be aware of its existence. I thought it was probably one of his top 10 best movies.

It's hard to believe that he seemed like an old guy to me when I saw him in French Connection when I was about 9 years old. Now, 35 years after that film, he is still going strong. It's hard to believe he's 77 years old now.

[Guest Doll]

I agree, Unforgiven, besides being one of the best Westerns ever made, was one of Gene's very best roles IMHO. He plays a great bad guy, and a great good guy, although you really have to go back a while to find a true "good guy" character. What I really like, and what I think he does a great job at are "gray area" characters, where he is either kind of a good guy with some flaws (Crimson Tide), or kind of a bad guy who you really can't dislike too much and have some empathy for (The Firm). I could probably think of some other examples of gifted actors who have pulled it off, but it's rare to see someone who can be legitimately funny in a comedy like Birdcage, and then be such an effective villain as he is in Unforgiven and Quick and the Dead.

My personal favorite is his role in Crimson Tide, which is probably also in my top 20 favorite films. Another film that is great, but doesn't get the credit it deserves is "Under Suspicion". I found that one at Blockbuster by accident and rented it. Otherwise I would probably not even be aware of its existence. I thought it was probably one of his top 10 best movies.

It's hard to believe that he seemed like an old guy to me when I saw him in French Connection when I was about 9 years old. Now, 35 years after that film, he is still going strong. It's hard to believe he's 77 years old now.

i love unforgiven, too. i didn't realize he was 77. w/d you give me a summary of under suspicion & some of the costars - the title doesn't ring a bell.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

i love unforgiven, too. i didn't realize he was 77. w/d you give me a summary of under suspicion & some of the costars - the title doesn't ring a bell.

I need to watch it again, it's been a while. It stars Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, who is also great, and the gist of it is that Freeman's character is trying to catch the killer of a little girl. I forget exactly how, but Hackman's character becomes the main suspect. Of course, there is a lot more to it than that, but I don't want to spoil it, especially the ending. If you rent it, I highly doubt that you will be disapointed.

[Guest Doll]

I need to watch it again, it's been a while. It stars Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, who is also great, and the gist of it is that Freeman's character is trying to catch the killer of a little girl. I forget exactly how, but Hackman's character becomes the main suspect. Of course, there is a lot more to it than that, but I don't want to spoil it, especially the ending. If you rent it, I highly doubt that you will be disapointed.

cool! now i want to see it.

[richard]

I BELIEVE LANCE SHOULD LOOK JUST LIKE HE DID M1 DONT CARE FOR SALT

[Guest Doll]

I BELIEVE LANCE SHOULD LOOK JUST LIKE HE DID M1 DONT CARE FOR SALT

Hey Richard, thanks for your input.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Doll