Key Films / 1936
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Dodsworth (William Wyler) / Wyler had a tendency to overthink his set-ups,
to work out every technical particular of a shot or sequence without
considering...
8 minutes ago
The Monday Morning Question: Underrated Actors
Monday, November 3, 2008
Good morning, chickadees. Sorry for missing last week's question, I was overwhelmed with real life responsibilities.
This week's question: What actors do you feel are underrated or underappreciated?
As you can see, my answer is Henry Daniell. No, it's not Errol, because he's a Mr Suave Dude who gets all the love in the world.
Originally I had planned on giving a bit of background and/or biographical info on Daniell, but there's very little out there about him. The IMDb bio is inaccurate (it lists him as dying in 1964 when he passed away on Halloween of 1963) and the Wikipedia article has no sources.
That's my point: Daniell is sadly underappreciated. He was a solid actor with a lengthy stage career, who was featured in a dozen must-see classics like "The Philadelphia Story", "The Body Snatcher", "Lust For Life", and "My Fair Lady". He was instantly recognizable, had a distinguished voice and played the suave villain with plenty of flair. Yet we know absolutely nothing about him, there are no fan pages for him online, no festivals, and you don't go into a film forum or read a list of the top actors and find someone saying they're a big Henry Daniell fan.
I am a big Henry Daniell fan, though -- I tend to believe character and supporting actors are far more intriguing and talented than leads who rely on star power or personality -- and even I don't mention him often enough. So here it is, my online declaration of love for Henry Daniell.
What underrated or underappreciated actor do you want to send a little love to?
Posted by Stacia at 3:59 AM 26 comments
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26 comments:
George K. Arthur. After seeing several of his films in fairly quick succession I realized he had a greater range than I'd expected- easily moving from playing assorted boobs to an exasperated comic butler in "Kiki" to the wry and suave "Madame Lucy" in "Irene", and to the comic but touching sidekick of Norma Shearer in "Lady of the Night".
I'm not afraid to say I like Henry Daniell. I also love his work in The Body Snatcher, as well as The Great Dictator, Witness to the Prosecution, Holiday and the Sherlock Holmes films Voice of Terror and Woman in Green.
I'm sure I could come up with a long list of underrated actors, but since I've been up for about a half-hour or so my thought processes have not been lubricated to the point where I can do some major skulling. But the one name that usually heads my list is Joel McCrea, whom I dearly love in Dead End, Foreign Correspondent, Sullivan's Travels (sorry, Stacia), The Palm Beach Story, Colorado Territory, Stars in My Crown, Stranger on Horseback and, of course, Ride the High Country...among many others.
Jack Carson! Jack Carson! Jack Carson! Equally adept at the sweet dope and the conniving sleaze. Great in everything! Jack Carson!
Jack Carson is a good choice.
I have a cinematic crush on Bonita Granville, an extremely appealing and talented actress who, quite early in her career, created an indelible portrait of a maliciousness child in THESE THREE (1936). But she was also a vivacious, riotously charming Nancy Drew in three films. By the 1940s she had evolved into a lovely young lady in films often not deserving of her skills (interesting sidenote: she was on the short list of possible Dorothys for THE WIZARD OF OZ). At least her life had a happy ending of sorts, even if she never became the star she deserved to be. She married a wealthy tycoon and became a TV producer, her claim to fame being the LASSIE TV series of the '50s. The real tragedy though is that she died of cancer at age 65. Anyway, I've always thought she was a luminous and wonderful presence on screen, and though she still has a certain recognition among film buffs, she's pretty much forgotten or shortchanged in film history books.
I don't know that he's necessarily considered "underrated", but one actor I personally never felt got his full due was Fredric March. He had a subtle, understated screen presence in his work, and made a number of films in the 30s that I rank very highly. I actually prefer his Norman Maine in Wellman's "A Star is Born" to James Mason in the Cukor remake.
Eric, I'm ashamed to say I have only seen Arthur in a couple of films. Is the 1929 "Last of Mrs Cheyney" available anywhere?
I love Jack Carson! Absolutely adore Jack Carson. I got into a fight with a co-worker once who said they hated Carson because he was fat. I said that was a stupid reason, besides, he wasn't always fat. He's really good in "The Hard Way", even though his character is treated as an afterthought.
I also love Joel McCrea, even though I cannot spell his last name to save my life. My problem with "Sullivan's Travels" was not his performance, which is solid and spot-on, but with the convoluted message. And Veronica Lake CANNOT ACT. Ugh, she's horrible.
King, I used to hate Bonita Granville for a lot of dumb reasons. Mom was a fan of the Nancy Drew movies as a little girl, so I had this rebellious hate-thing with Granville. (The same thing happened with Claudette Colbert, who mom loved as a girl. It's complicated.) Granville is also such a little shit in "Now Voyager" that I couldn't stand her. Then I saw a few Nancy Drew movies on TCM last summer and realized how great they were. They are so much fun! Did she really only do 4 of them?
I love Fredric March. On Amy Jeanne's blog It'll Take the Snap Out of Your Garters a couple months ago I listed him as one of my favorites. He is simply beautiful, really, I can't take my eyes off him. As for ASIB, it's hard to decide who is better, because I have the same lust I MEAN ADMIRATION for March as I do for Mason. They both give strong, moving performances without sinking into the maudlin.
Yes, only four Nancy Drew films, Stacia. There should have been four more! But Granville did have some interesting moments elsewhere, including an Eddie Cantor semi-musical, FORTY LITTLE MOTHERS (1940), where she's again a bit of a hellion making Cantor's life miserable. There's also the very good BELOVED BRAT (1938), and a recent TCM discovery, SYNCOPATION (1942),in which she's delightful as always.
I think Jack Carson is just swell in a minor musical called APRIL SHOWERS (1948), which has one of the most affecting father-son relationships I've seen. You really feel for them as Carson brutally spars with villianous Robert Alda, as Carson's kid is crying and cheering him on simultaneously.
As for Fredric March, the only role he did that had any real impact for me is in INHERIT THE WIND (1960). I never tire of seeing that film.
Daniell had a marvelous voice - no one sounded like him, and I always like seeing him; he's the English equivalent of George Coulouris, or sinister George Macready - both underrated, as well.
Say, I'm a big fan of Bonita, too - she may have been one of those perfect Studio products, but I liked her all the same. Frederic March and Joel McCrea underrated? I'm not sure about that - they had long and well recognized careers, but maybe they don't register well today.
My choice for underrated actor is Steve Cochran, a really fine actor hidden behind the Studio-mandated heavy role, except for a few shots at coloring outside the lines, like "Come Next Spring", with Ann Sheridan, and of course Antonioni's "Il Grido", with Valli, is always pointed out, but he was also in a wonderful little gem with the also underrated Ruth Roman, "Tomorrow is Another Day", a surprisingly beautiful little film. Strangely, all these off-the-reservation films dealt with rejection, anomie, and abandonment, which may have been perfect for his dark looks. He will always be one of my faves.
The tragic arc of Susan Peters always intrigued me, and I liked her work, but she may be too far off the radar to be even underrated.
Oopsie! I forgot Coulouris was English, he was such a chameleon!
Adolph Menjou. Just want to throw him into the mix, since I agree with the other picks that have already been mentioned, especially Daniell and Carson. I recently watched Aldolph in Open All Night (1924), Prestige (1932) and The Sniper (1952). Early in his career he was a leading man, but not due to his looks, but his roguish manner. Later supporting roles had him still as the sauve character that knew the ways of the world. The Sniper, his last lead role, has him as a police lieutenant on the trail of a killer - and he is sans mustache. Just an all around actor.
Edward Everett Horton! One of my favorite character actors. Whenever I see him, Charles Ruggles, or Franklin Pangborn in a movie, it always raises the quality up a notch.
Regarding unappreciated leading stars, I find Myrna Loy severely underrated as an actress. Sure, people may be familiar with the Thin Man movies, but she could sink her teeth into any role, whether it was playing those "Asian" vamps or the "perfect wife."
operator 99.....I was going to mention Edward Everett Horton also! So I'll name another favorite of mine....James Gleason. He is also in one of my favorite films...Here Comes mr. Jordan.
Also would like to mention Beulah Bondi and Margeret Dumont.
Have to agree about Henry -- theatrical, certainly, but one of those actors who always made a scene worth watching.
But good Lord, Robert Alda...talk about one of the WORST actors to ever violate the silver screen. I've never understood the appeal; maybe he was hot stuff on the musical comedy stage, but even by the 70s, when his son wangled him a guest spot on M*A*S*H, he had barely achieved journeyman chops.
Another one is Norman Alden.
I'm guessing by the answers here that you are looking for actors from the golden era, but I'll give two answers one from then and one from now.
I'll say I think Dana Andrews is completely underrated. Sure he was a STAR in his day, but it seems like he never reached the iconic status of a lot of his counterparts. He was so handsome and talented and I find that a shame. The Best Years of Our Lives is just extraordinary.
But one of my all time favorite actresses is from the 70s and her name is Claudia Jennings. She was a Playboy Playmate who made a handful of drive-in movies in the 70s until her timely death in 70 at the age of 29. She was as beautiful as she was talented.
Two words: Ernest Borgnine
Another two words: Jack Elam
Giovanni Ribisi. I know if he's in a movie, he's going to do a good job. I like him in The Gift, with Cate Blanchett, Gone in 60 Seconds with Nic Cage, Flight of the Phoenix, and several other big name movies. I just like his acting.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000610/
I must have had a brain block last week since I overlooked two of my all-time underrated comediennes: Marjorie White and Marion Davies. The former may be less known as the latter, but to any true film fan they'll know White's effervescent aura from early talkies. Davies was also a terrifically funny actress, as seen in SHOW PEOPLE (1928). Anyway, these actresses need further attention in film history books!
Holy cow, you all have mentioned several actors I had to look up. I've apparently seen Giovanni Ribisi in a few things, I will need to pay more attention to him.
I didn't know who Norman Alden was until I saw his "Victor/Victoria" credit as "Man in Hotel with Shoes". Now I know exactly who he is! I never realized he was also the cameraman in "Ed Wood".
Claudia Jennings of "Gator Bait" fame! She was beautiful. She had that quintessential 70s look. She and Marjorie White sadly have something in common -- they both died far too young, in auto accidents.
Bobby Darin! For sure. He didn't make that many films but he put his all into the ones he did. I bet Pressure Point would surprise a lot of Darin critics.
Norman Alden was in "Andy", a little-seen bittersweet gem where he plays a retarded man who gets loose in NYC for a day, and remember, he was Lou the counterman who couldn't give Marty McFly a Tab in "Back to the Future".
Claudia Jennings was one of the hottest babes ever on film - we went to her movies for her alone. Now she's preserved in amber, beautiful forever.
Whoops! I meant her death in 1979. I'm glad you know and like her Stacia!
I'm going to look up Marjorie White now.
Bobby Darin, definitely. "Pressure Point" was a great movie.
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