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You may know her from...
In a recent post I wrote about some of my favorite roles for Anthony Perkins, Sterling Hayden, and Walter Matthau, three actors whose most well-known roles defined their on-screen personas. Now, since I am an equal opportunity blogger, I've chosen some lesser-known, but memorable, performances by three actresses. 
Julie Andrews is known to any movie fan as a lovely songbird/nanny/governess/nun, or for the younger generation, a secretly-wished-for grandmother. However, in the musical biography Star! (1968), she plays legendary stage actress Gertrude Lawrence, not a woman to whom you would entrust your children. Her acrobatic musical routine "Jenny," done in a jewel-encrusted jumpsuit (those can't be mere sequins!) on a circus-themed set, is a true highlight. This film is one of the last big-budget studio musical extravaganzas. Unfortunately, it was not a hit at the time of its release and is often cited as one of the expensive failures which bankrupted the Twentieth Century Fox studio. Nevertheless, Julie Andrews will blow you away with her tour de force performance! At nearly three hours, Star! isn't shown on television very often, but it is available on DVD and worth renting (or owning).
In recent years, Shirley MacLaine has specialized in acerbic grandmother roles (Rumor Has It, In Her Shoes). But as a young actress, MacLaine played women who were plucky, yet vulnerable, and often someone who had suffered her share of hard knocks (The Apartment, Some Came Running, Sweet Charity). Her role in the caper comedy Gambit (1966) wasn't really a departure from this type of character, but I'm mentioning it here because I think it's a film that's been largely forgotten. I discovered this film, which also stars Michael Caine, late one night on TCM. I love a good heist film, and this one has a great twist right at the beginning. According to IMDB.com, this film might get remade by the Coen Brothers; hopefully the remake will spur a DVD release of the original.
Sometimes fate is cruel and the role for which you remember an actress isn't exactly her best work. Therefore, I suspect the reason I've never warmed toward Faye Dunaway is that my first memory of her is as the wicked Selena in Supergirl (1984). She was a frightening sorceress who lured men to her lair inside a haunted house in order to have them do her bidding - it was all too scandalous for my young self! So, it is hard for me to be objective no matter what role Dunaway plays. The Thomas Crown Affair? Scary - possibly due to her bizarre late-60s hair and nails. Bonnie and Clyde? She got what she deserved. Network? No surprise, actually sort of evil. Despite a reputation as one of the worst entries in the Superman franchise, Supergirl does have some fans (if the IMDB.com message boards are to be believed) and a double disc DVD was released a few years ago.
Julie Andrews is known to any movie fan as a lovely songbird/nanny/governess/nun, or for the younger generation, a secretly-wished-for grandmother. However, in the musical biography Star! (1968), she plays legendary stage actress Gertrude Lawrence, not a woman to whom you would entrust your children. Her acrobatic musical routine "Jenny," done in a jewel-encrusted jumpsuit (those can't be mere sequins!) on a circus-themed set, is a true highlight. This film is one of the last big-budget studio musical extravaganzas. Unfortunately, it was not a hit at the time of its release and is often cited as one of the expensive failures which bankrupted the Twentieth Century Fox studio. Nevertheless, Julie Andrews will blow you away with her tour de force performance! At nearly three hours, Star! isn't shown on television very often, but it is available on DVD and worth renting (or owning).
In recent years, Shirley MacLaine has specialized in acerbic grandmother roles (Rumor Has It, In Her Shoes). But as a young actress, MacLaine played women who were plucky, yet vulnerable, and often someone who had suffered her share of hard knocks (The Apartment, Some Came Running, Sweet Charity). Her role in the caper comedy Gambit (1966) wasn't really a departure from this type of character, but I'm mentioning it here because I think it's a film that's been largely forgotten. I discovered this film, which also stars Michael Caine, late one night on TCM. I love a good heist film, and this one has a great twist right at the beginning. According to IMDB.com, this film might get remade by the Coen Brothers; hopefully the remake will spur a DVD release of the original.
Sometimes fate is cruel and the role for which you remember an actress isn't exactly her best work. Therefore, I suspect the reason I've never warmed toward Faye Dunaway is that my first memory of her is as the wicked Selena in Supergirl (1984). She was a frightening sorceress who lured men to her lair inside a haunted house in order to have them do her bidding - it was all too scandalous for my young self! So, it is hard for me to be objective no matter what role Dunaway plays. The Thomas Crown Affair? Scary - possibly due to her bizarre late-60s hair and nails. Bonnie and Clyde? She got what she deserved. Network? No surprise, actually sort of evil. Despite a reputation as one of the worst entries in the Superman franchise, Supergirl does have some fans (if the IMDB.com message boards are to be believed) and a double disc DVD was released a few years ago.
1 comment:
Exceptional blog!
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