There are many movie stars who come and go over the years. But the ones that are listed and described below are the ones that have made a significant impact on me and my movie watching in my life.
James Stewart- In his heyday, Jimmy Stewart was one of the top leading men. He wasn’t considered conventionally handsome but seen as gawky and ungainly. But boy could he act!!! My favourite films of Stewart are the many he made with Hitchcock who often used him as the archetypal wrong man. Rear Window is a must see for Stewart fans. And who can forget that famous voice he possessed and the countless imitators who have tried to copy it?
Bette Davis- Another performer not sen as conventionally attractive, Davis worked with what she had and left an indelible mark on the screen. She was best cast as the bitchy or scheming woman who delights in the misery of others but also as women who suffer in some way. Those famous eyes used to convey many emotions on-screen and her voice to blast out acidic put downs and withering insults. For me,when Davis was on the screen everything else stopped and I was immediately drawn to her. Her best performance in my opinion is as the aging actress Margo Channing in All about Eve.
Maggie Smith- A grand dame of acting, Maggie Smith is proof that age doesn’t diminish good opportunities in movies. She imbues her characters with many memorable traits and is highly skilled at portraying waspish grandmothers and stern duchesses. Whatever movie or TV show I watch her in I enjoy, especially when she gets the chance to deliver hysterically bitchy lines and punishing glares.
Al Pacino- What more can be said about Pacino? He is an influential and extremely talented individual who has been acting for over four decades. Whether playing hero or villain or sometimes the tragic hero, he is amazing in his acting delivery. If he is ever forgotten, people will always remember him in The Godfather. And it’s shocking that the studio didn’t even want to cast him. The Godfather without Pacino is just unimaginable.
Natalie Portman- For me, Natalie Portman is one of the leading actresses of her generation. Emerging as a precocious talent at the age of 12 as the Lolita-esque Mathilda in Leon, she made a seemingly easy rise to adult stardom. I like Portman because she is never afraid to take risks; she shaved her hair for V for Vendetta and trained intensley for months for her Oscar-winning role as an unstable ballerina in Black Swan. A talented and intelligent actress who I hope will continue her amazing career.
Part 2 will follow very soon.
fogsmoviereviews said:
I can see you’re a classics guy, huh? That’s cool. Stewart was awesome. A great leading man… he has some timeless, timeless films on his resume, too.
I just wish Pacino would start getting some parts going for himself again, you know? He’s been in some crappy movies lately… 😦
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vinnieh said:
I agree, Pacino needs more decent roles.
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TBM said:
I do love Stewart…what an amazing actor. Looking forward to the next list.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for checking it out.
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Colin said:
Stewart was immense in his post-war years. His work with Hitchcock, especially Rear Window and Vertigo, is justly praised, but his western roles with Anthony Mann surpass everything else. Somehow, Mann got him to dig deep within and reveal a tortured soul. Those movies are powerful, intense and very real.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment
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Logan Burd said:
Definitely a wide range here, I love Portman almost as I adore Jimmy Stewart. He was just so human, a natural. I’ve reviewed a few of his movies (a couple with Hitchcock and a couple with Capra) and a few of her’s, as well. Great start to the list!
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, I agree Stewart was just so adept at playing the ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances.
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Logan Burd said:
Perfect words to capture his essence in a nutshell
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theunofficialattempt said:
we have a similar taste. Since I saw All about Eve there is no other actress for me but Bette Davis, Have you seen What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Full bitchiness.
I love that Natalie Portman, with a few recent exceptions, always plays smart roles. Reminds me of Naomi Watts, an other great actress.
Shame Al Pacino hasn’t starred in anything good recently.
But I can’t stand James Stewart, anytime I see his face I wanna slap it so hard. He is a great actor, I just can’t stand him
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Radu Ştefan RS said:
I see some of the classics over here and I congratulate you for these choices.There’s also Al Pacino and Natalie Porman, some of my favorites. I don’t want to spoil anyting, but Natalie Portman will be included in my all female favorite actors list… 🙂
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The Burning Blogger Of Bedlam said:
I love Jimmy Stewart, but he doesn’t really ‘act’ – he sort of just plays Jimmy Stewart in every film 🙂 With Natalie Portman, I think her best ever performance is STILL in ‘Leon’. What do you think?
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for your comment. leon and Black Swan are my two favourite performances from Natalie Portman.
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