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Subject: Older Actors

Author:
Conrad
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Date Posted: 16:25:18 05/25/08 Sun

Harrison Ford has returned to the role of Indiana Jones for the just-released movie "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." This is the first of Ford's films that acknowledges his age, in that the Jones character is shown in his later years. And he's teamed with youthful rising star Shia LaBeouf, fresh from his success in "Transformers," indicating to me that the studio wanted a young face in the movie to draw the younger generation.

In some of the stills from the movie, Ford's age is very evident. That makes me wonder how he's going to handle his career now. For three decades Harrison Ford has been the top action star in films, though he's occasionally done romantic comedies ("Working Girl," "Sabrina," etc.) and even one villainous role ("What Lies Beneath") to avoid getting typecast. But there aren't many stars who can stay in the limelight forever. John Wayne, whose career matches Ford's in many respects, was one of the very few stars who remained in top demand right up to his passing.

There are several routes taken by major stars in their later years. One has simply been retirement (Cary Grant). Others have chosen to do major roles that are age appropriate for them. (Lauren Bacall) Some chose to finish their careers by going into television. (Robert Mitchum)

The worst route, which has swallowed up many actors, has been to end up in Grade B movies. In the old days that meant low budget westerns, horror or science fiction films. Joseph Cotton and Cameron Mitchell are two of the most pitiful examples of how Hollywood could discard well known performers into B movies once they started to show their age. Today, when there's no theatrical market for B movies, such films are restricted to made-for-video productions, and I've seen some once popular stars end up in those. (Including one Academy Award winner.)

What appears to be the best route for aging stars is become a character actor. Indeed, Michael Caine's career has flourished since he switched to supporting character roles, such as Alfred the butler in "Batman Begins." It could be argued that his career has been even been more successful than when he was a leading man.

Which route Harrison Ford takes will be interesting to observe, but whatever he does there can be no doubt he's had one of the most successful careers in Hollywood history.

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[> Subject: I Never Sang for My Father- 1970

Author:
Judith
[Edit]
Date Posted: 14:36:10 06/18/08 Wed

Conrad, this brings to mind a great film that Dad and I watched, on Father's Day. Actually, it probably wasn't the best choice for that occasion, especially for those who've had a difficult relationship with their dads...but to quote someone on Amazon, the acting, the synergy (that's my word!) between Melvyn Douglas and Gene Hackman, was astonishing!
I had known Melvyn from his films as a rather large, handsome, younger man...and whata surprise to see that he was still working in 1970! I guess he was one of those who was able to make the transition from good-looking, leading man, to a thinner, older, character actor. I missed the very beginning, but from what I saw, he was a well-to-do,driven man, who had no compassion or sensitivity towards his son and daughter. Estelle Parsons played the daughter, and apparantly he had kicked her out of the family home, when she was younger...that part I missed.
Gene Hackman, his son, became a teacher...he was a sensitive, loving man...and his father never really accepted that he didn't become a high-powered businessman like he had been. He never told his son he was proud of him, and always made his career choice seem trite. We are seeing Melvyn's character as an old man who has just lost his wife, and he also has a bit of dementia setting in. The kids come home to see what living situation they can figure out, to give dad some help. Estelle (I forget the character names, so I'll use the actor's names) is beyond really caring, because of the extreme loveless way in which he had treated his only daughter. She wants to get dad live-in help, or send him to a home.
Gene, on the other hand, is feeling lost at the death of his mother, and is determined to salvage some small thread of love, between them...he needs to break through to his dad, to see if he can find any little shred of feeling, of a father's love for his son. What ensues, is a dramatic 'dance', with Melvyn, amazing with some one-man dialogues, and then the two of them, playing off of one another, in a dynamic and very believeable, performance. We see how the sins of the father, truly do hurt more than just one generation.
Now, the subject of the older female actor, is even more frought with pressures to look young...but that's for another post!

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[> Subject: Your reminds me of two other films with older actors, in which their age is vital to the film. One was "On Golden Pond" with Henry Fonda and Katerine Hepburn as the older couple, the other was "Ghost Story" with Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Author:
Conrad
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:37:29 06/22/08 Sun

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[> [> Subject: I saw On Golden Pond at a little hometown theatre, which they tore down, now. Loved it! I haven't seen the other, but from the actor line-up, I have to check it out, soon. How about the Sunshine Boys! Dick Smith did the make-up for that one. Of course, Bette Davis was a brave soul, unafraid to work in her older years...so many stars, esp. women, wouldn't ever be seen looking old and wrinkled. Gotta hand it to her!

Author:
Judith
[Edit]
Date Posted: 21:16:59 07/03/08 Thu

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[> Subject: Re: Older Actors

Author:
Kimmie
[Edit]
Date Posted: 02:33:22 08/31/08 Sun

I was disappointed in the Indiana Jones movie, to me, he didn't even seem like the character anymore....I was not pleased....bu I do love him...and he's had an amazing career. I don't think he was supposed to come off geriatric but he did....:(

Older actors:
George Burns in "Oh God" and "Oh God, Book 2" - this was quite the phenomena when it came out. I was quite young.

Ghost Story - I thought of this also, and it was a great flick. Love the 70s films!

Pet Sematary - one of the main characters is older in that film, played by "Herman Munster" to give that....well, mysterious feel.

Harold and Maude - self explanatory.

Seven Deadly Sins - Frank Sinatra plays a retiring cop.

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>Harrison Ford has returned to the role of Indiana >Jones for the just-released movie "Indiana Jones and >the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." This is the first >of Ford's films that acknowledges his age, in that the >Jones character is shown in his later years. And he's >teamed with youthful rising star Shia LaBeouf, fresh >from his success in "Transformers," indicating to me >that the studio wanted a young face in the movie to >draw the younger generation. > >In some of the stills from the movie, Ford's age is >very evident. That makes me wonder how he's going to >handle his career now. For three decades Harrison >Ford has been the top action star in films, though >he's occasionally done romantic comedies ("Working >Girl," "Sabrina," etc.) and even one villainous role >("What Lies Beneath") to avoid getting typecast. But >there aren't many stars who can stay in the limelight >forever. John Wayne, whose career matches Ford's in >many respects, was one of the very few stars who >remained in top demand right up to his passing. > >There are several routes taken by major stars in their >later years. One has simply been retirement (Cary >Grant). Others have chosen to do major roles that are >age appropriate for them. (Lauren Bacall) Some chose >to finish their careers by going into television. >(Robert Mitchum) > >The worst route, which has swallowed up many actors, >has been to end up in Grade B movies. In the old days >that meant low budget westerns, horror or science >fiction films. Joseph Cotton and Cameron Mitchell are >two of the most pitiful examples of how Hollywood >could discard well known performers into B movies once >they started to show their age. Today, when there's >no theatrical market for B movies, such films are >restricted to made-for-video productions, and I've >seen some once popular stars end up in those. >(Including one Academy Award winner.) > >What appears to be the best route for aging stars is >become a character actor. Indeed, Michael Caine's >career has flourished since he switched to supporting >character roles, such as Alfred the butler in "Batman >Begins." It could be argued that his career has been >even been more successful than when he was a leading >man. > >Which route Harrison Ford takes will be interesting to >observe, but whatever he does there can be no doubt >he's had one of the most successful careers in >Hollywood history.
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[> Subject: Your reminds me of two other films with older actors, in which their age is vital to the film. One was "On Golden Pond" with Henry Fonda and Katerine Hepburn as the older couple, the other was "Ghost Story" with Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Author: Conrad [Edit]	Date Posted: 19:37:29 06/22/08 Sun [ Post a Reply to This Message ]