WWTBAM Bored

This movie is actually creepily disturbing. Miriam Hopkins is a great actress.

We watched it last night.

The close-ups of Frederic March's face are creepy and unsettling - you can see Jekyll's gears working.

mellytu74 wrote:We watched it last night.

The close-ups of Frederic March's face are creepy and unsettling - you can see Jekyll's gears working.

Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

tlynn78 wrote:

mellytu74 wrote:We watched it last night.

The close-ups of Frederic March's face are creepy and unsettling - you can see Jekyll's gears working.

Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

because the "acting" was so realistic and not over the top at all...

triviawayne wrote:

tlynn78 wrote:

mellytu74 wrote:We watched it last night.

The close-ups of Frederic March's face are creepy and unsettling - you can see Jekyll's gears working.

Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

because the "acting" was so realistic and not over the top at all...

Actually Hopkins was good. We're watching the Spencer Tracy version, 1941, and it's way campier and boring.

Beebs52 wrote:

triviawayne wrote:

tlynn78 wrote:
Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

because the "acting" was so realistic and not over the top at all...

Actually Hopkins was good. We're watching the Spencer Tracy version, 1941, and it's way campier and boring.

One of the things I like about the Tracy version was Ingrid Bergman in the Hopkins role. I agree with you, Beebs, that Hopkins was superb.

I watched this for the first time a couple of months ago, and I was struck by its portrayal of a woman in an abusive relationship that she can't find her way out of. Sadly, still topical.

tlynn78 wrote:

mellytu74 wrote:We watched it last night.

The close-ups of Frederic March's face are creepy and unsettling - you can see Jekyll's gears working.

Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

Actors today still act, and actors in the thirties were still themselves in a series of different roles. In fact, that was the entire basis of the old star system. March was part of a select group of stars who were also character actors - along with Paul Muni, Charles Laughton, Bette Davis and a number of others. But others stars such as Gary Cooper, James Cagney, John Wayne, and Clark Gable never disappeared into their roles quite like that and didn't need to.

franktangredi wrote:

tlynn78 wrote:

mellytu74 wrote:We watched it last night.

The close-ups of Frederic March's face are creepy and unsettling - you can see Jekyll's gears working.

Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

Actors today still act, and actors in the thirties were still themselves in a series of different roles. In fact, that was the entire basis of the old star system. March was part of a select group of stars who were also character actors - along with Paul Muni, Charles Laughton, Bette Davis and a number of others. But others stars such as Gary Cooper, James Cagney, John Wayne, and Clark Gable never disappeared into their roles quite like that and didn't need to.

I'm thinking specifically of the likes of Julia Roberts for instance. Don't get me wrong, I like watching her, and most of her work, but she are the same person in every role I've seen. Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford, same. ymmv.

franktangredi wrote:I watched this for the first time a couple of months ago, and I was struck by its portrayal of a woman in an abusive relationship that she can't find her way out of. Sadly, still topical.

That's what impressed me, too.

tlynn78 wrote:

franktangredi wrote:

tlynn78 wrote:
Back when actors acted, instead of being themselves in a series of different roles.

Actors today still act, and actors in the thirties were still themselves in a series of different roles. In fact, that was the entire basis of the old star system. March was part of a select group of stars who were also character actors - along with Paul Muni, Charles Laughton, Bette Davis and a number of others. But others stars such as Gary Cooper, James Cagney, John Wayne, and Clark Gable never disappeared into their roles quite like that and didn't need to.

I'm thinking specifically of the likes of Julia Roberts for instance. Don't get me wrong, I like watching her, and most of her work, but she are the same person in every role I've seen. Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford, same. ymmv.

My only point was that this isn't a change. There have always been those types of stars.