Cross Creek: Favorite Movie #23

1983 Biographical Drama
From Universal
Directed by Martin Ritt

Starring
Mary Steenburgen
Peter Coyote
Rip Torn
Alfre Woodard
Dana Hill
Joanna Miles
Ike Eisenmann
Toni Hudson
John Hammond
Malcolm McDowell

Mitchum

I am not kidding when I say I think he was one of the best actors Hollywood ever produced.  Robert Mitchum could act better just standing around than most actors could with pages of sparkling dialogue.  Thanks to his long association with Howard Hughes and RKO, he was king of the film noir pictures, my all-time favorite genre.  He worked with a great many of the best and he worked a great deal, in over 100 theatrical films, which is really quite substantial for a top star.  The Oscar folks are just so busted that they didn't at least nominate Mitchum for about six of his films and it is just plain wrong that the Academy didn't give him an honorary Oscar for his overall contribution to the film industry.  I even wrote to them once to say so.  I have more of his films in my DVD collection than any other big-name actor.

All About Eve: Favorite Movie #24

1950 Drama
From 20th Century Fox
Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz

Starring
Bette Davis
Anne Baxter
George Sanders
Gary Merrill
Celeste Holm
Hugh Marlowe
Thelma Ritter
Gregory Ratoff
Marilyn Monroe
Barbara Bates

Karl Malden

Speaking of second leading men, as I was the other day with  Arthur Kennedy, there is Karl Malden.  A magnificent actor with an impressive body of work, I have seen nearly everything he ever did.  He had a nose for good stories, important directors and the most famous of costars.  He was only top-billed in a couple of films and they weren't successful.  His position in the cast was often third although he happily worked in larger casts and was further down in the billing.

REVIEW: Argo

Directed by Ben Affleck
Drama
2 hours
From Warner Bros.

Starring
Ben Affleck
Bryan Cranston
Alan Arkin
John Goodman
Victor Garber
Tate Donovan

Giant: Favorite Movie #25

1956 Drama
From Warner Bros
Directed by George Stevens

Starring
Elizabeth Taylor
Rock Hudson
James Dean
Carroll Baker
Mercedes McCambridge
Earl Holliman
Dennis Hopper
Chill Wills
Jane Withers
Sal Mineo
Paul Fix
Rod Taylor
Judith Evelyn
Fran Bennett
Elsa Cardenas
Alexander Scourby
Charles Watts
Carolyn Craig
Mickey Simpson

Arthur Kennedy

He was one of the best actors in the business.  In two of my cherished decades, the 1950s and 1960s, he made some damned good films.  If you know movies and movie actors, you are well acquainted with Arthur Kennedy.  If the name doesn't ring a bell, you are likely to remember some of his films.  He wasn't usually the leading actor and the few films in which he was weren't very good.  A couple of exceptions will be noted.  He was, however, the leading male actor in a few more films where an actress was billed above him and some of these films caught on with the public.  No doubt he would have considered himself a character actor.  Most character actors were in stereotypical roles for them, often defined by particular physical or vocal traits.  Kennedy was not that.  It would probably be closer to the mark to refer to him as a second leading man.  Sometimes he got the girl, sometimes he didn't.

Staying for the Credits

How many times have you been watching the credits roll across the screen (assuming you occasionally stay seated to do such things) and have seen terms like best boy or gaffer or key grip and have wondered what those jobs are?  Me too.  Have you ever thought you might look up the definitions and then didn't do it?  Well, fear not, The Movie Man has come to your rescue.  The list, of course, is not all inclusive, but hopefully we will hit some of the highlights.  Not all of the following are credits, per se.  Some are simply a glossary of terms.

The Talented Mr. Ripley: Favorite Movie #26

1999 Drama
From Paramount & Miramax
Directed by Anthony Minghella

Starring
Matt Damon
Gwyneth Paltrow
Jude Law
Cate Blanchett
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Jack Davenport
James Rebhorn
Sergio Rubini
Philip Baker Hall