Actors you don't "get"

OneEyedDiva said:
Tom Cruise. Don't think he's good looking and don't think he's that great of an actor. @MarkinPhx
@Naturally I can't stand Kiefer Sutherland, so won't watch anything he's in. Have always liked his father though.
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I was a sucker for the show 24 so I did like him in that...lol. His father was great !
 

MarkinPhx said:
I was a sucker for the show 24 so I did like him in that...lol. His father was great !
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I never watched 24. Dennis Haysbert was in that too. Don't like him either. I think he played the part of the cheating husband too well in Waiting To Exhale! :LOL: I thought his actions (or lack thereof) were kind of cute in a commercial he did fairly recently though. I first saw Donald Sutherland in Klute (1971) with Jane Fonda and really liked him in that. I watched him in the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers a couple of times.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I never watched 24. Dennis Haysbert was in that too. Don't like him either. I think he played the part of the cheating husband too well in Waiting To Exhale! :LOL: I thought his actions (or lack thereof) were kind of cute in a commercial he did fairly recently though. I first saw Donald Sutherland in Klute (1971) with Jane Fonda and really liked him in that. I watched him in the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers a couple of times.
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I always considered Donald Sutherland as my favorite "tin foil hat wearing" actor. He played that role so well. I like Dennis Haysbert and thought he was great on 24. That show was fun to watch at the time but it was a product of that time and hasn't aged well at all.
 

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I have to say, I liked Goldie Hawn in "Overboard".

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jujube said:
Ok, I know I'm going to be branded as Unamerican and a lynch mob with flaming brands is at this minute massing for a march on my house but I never "got" John Wayne.

There, I said it. I'll take my consequences. (Barricading the doors and laying in supplies)
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This American agrees 100%. You're always aware that he's always aware of the camera; it's obvious.

IMO, you can't be *on camera* and *in character* at the same time....you can't be Rooster Cogburn or Sheriff John T. Chance or John Elder while you're totally being John Wayne, the actor. Which is not acting.
 
As a child and a young man I liked James Stewart. But later I read that Hitchcock said in an interview by François Truffaut: "But James Stewart would never play a murderer". An actor who only wants to play the good roles is no actor for me.
 
MarkinPhx said:
Another one I thought of is Brad Pitt. I thought he was great in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" That pizza scene with Ray Walston still cracks me up whenever I see it. But as he got older i always thought he was one dimensional and avoided most movies that he was in. Maybe I should go back and give him another chance.
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I liked him in Moneyball.
 
I like Bill Nighy. Have no idea why he appeals to me.

I don't care for Julia Roberts at all, but liked her in Mona Lisa Smile.
 
George1959 said:
As a child and a young man I liked James Stewart. But later I read that Hitchcock said in an interview by François Truffaut: "But James Stewart would never play a murderer". An actor who only wants to play the good roles is no actor for me.
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Jimmy Stewart played villainous characters a few times. Winchester '73... and Vertigo, to name a just a couple...
 
George1959 said:
As a child and a young man I liked James Stewart. But later I read that Hitchcock said in an interview by François Truffaut: "But James Stewart would never play a murderer". An actor who only wants to play the good roles is no actor for me.
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James Stewart was the murderer in 1936's "After The Thin Man".

But he was more popular with audiences as a good guy.

Someone mentioned Vertigo. But he played a good guy in that as well.

Rope by Alfred Hitchcock was a very good movie thanks to James Stewart. He played a college professor in that who begins to suspect 2 former students of his may have committed murder.

Then there's Rear Window. Stewart made so many good movies it's ridiculous to downplay how important an actor he was.
 
OldFeller said:
James Stewart was the murderer in 1936's "After The Thin Man".

But he was more popular with audiences as a good guy.

Someone mentioned Vertigo. But he played a good guy in that as well.

Rope by Alfred Hitchcock was a very good movie thanks to James Stewart. He played a college professor in that who begins to suspect 2 former students of his may have committed murder.

Then there's Rear Window. Stewart made so many good movies it's ridiculous to downplay how important an actor he was.
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In vertigo didn't he play a tortured character ?
 
George1959 said:
As a child and a young man I liked James Stewart. But later I read that Hitchcock said in an interview by François Truffaut: "But James Stewart would never play a murderer". An actor who only wants to play the good roles is no actor for me.
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:) If one has impressionable young fans maybe it makes sense not to play a murderer. James Stewart also refused to participate in war movies. He had been a general in real life. Maybe, for him, being an American ranked above being an actor, maybe he was just against war as many WWII vets were.
Anyway, I'm a big fan of his work.
 
gruntlabor said:
:) If one has impressionable young fans maybe it makes sense not to play a murderer. James Stewart also refused to participate in war movies. He had been a general in real life. Maybe, for him, being an American ranked above being an actor, maybe he was just against war as many WWII vets were.
Anyway, I'm a big fan of his work.
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actually he was in 3 war movies. Malaya.. the Mountain road.. and Winning your wings....

James Stewart was probably one of Hollywoods' nicest actors.. and for sure he starred in the all time favourite Christmas show.. It's a wonderful life...
 
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So many of our movie "idols" portrayed the same "character" in every movie and you were never surprised. In example, John Wayne, Tom Selleck, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise are always the same guy in every movie. Have to say I enjoyed most of their films, especially before I realized that the screen persona is not really them. Hey, its acting!

Speaking of which, we watched "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris" twice in the last two months. There are no known (to me) actors, the plot is filled with twists and turns, and its highly an "unmanly" film. Yet, it held my attention for the entire two hours - twice. I guess a big part of that is all the actors are just so real - like people you know.
 
OldFeller said:
James Stewart was the murderer in 1936's "After The Thin Man".

But he was more popular with audiences as a good guy.

Someone mentioned Vertigo. But he played a good guy in that as well.

Rope by Alfred Hitchcock was a very good movie thanks to James Stewart. He played a college professor in that who begins to suspect 2 former students of his may have committed murder.

Then there's Rear Window. Stewart made so many good movies it's ridiculous to downplay how important an actor he was.
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Thank you very much for your comment. You do know more than Alfred Hichcock! In fact, Stewart played a murderer there, he even murdered several persons. I've looked it up. On the other hand, I don't find it ridiulous to downplay Stewart, it's only a matter if you like him or not. I like him in "Broken Arrow", but his acting in Hitchcock's "Rope" as the clever college profcessor was just ridiculous for me. I prefer actors as Christian Bale. He had no problems to play a serial killer in "American Psycho", even if it led to problems. Wikipedia on Christian Bale: "In the four years that followed American Psycho, Bale's career experienced critical and commercial failure."
 
MarkinPhx said:
I guess some people considered Jim Carrey as an actor ???? If so , then good for you but I never could stand him. Never liked his physical schtick and when he did try to go all serious, I thought he was awful. I also feel the same for Adam Sandler. I am glad that many were entertained by these two comedian/actors but I just never saw the appeal.
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I always felt the same about Carrey until the film, "The Majestic".

While Carrey & Sandler's usual fare aren't my cuppa, I recognize that their movies are very entertaining for adolescents, particularly boys. That's why they're so popular. I don't know much about Carrey but people who've had occasion to spend time with Sandler (one of my sons included) ALL report is that he's a really, really down-to-earth, incredibly nice guy.
 

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