Back in 1980, Robert De Niro packed on 60 pounds to play the older, retired Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. Two things were said, and said often, that irritated the hell out of me as an actor: One, by his detractors, that it was a gimmick. Two, by his supporters, that it was so incredible(!), which is to say that, somehow, packing on pounds made his acting better. How many times have I heard from someone mentioning Raging Bull, "Oh my God! Did you know he gained 60 pounds to play that role?!" Yes, I did know that. Want to know why he was so good? Because he's Robert De Niro! A hundred other actors could've packed on the pounds and sucked.
The same thing is now happening with Christian Bale. He lost an amazing amount of weight for The Machinist back in 2004 and has done it again for The Fighter from last year. Neither of these make his performances excellent, it's his acting talents and skills that do that. The weight loss does, however, show a stunning command of will and discipline within his craft and he's right to be annoyed at anyone claiming it's a gimmick. To wit, you try and lose 70 pounds when you're not even overweight to begin with until you're within millimeters of being able to see your organs by holding a flashlight against your back!
Let's lay it on the line: Priscilla Presley could've lost 70 pounds to play the title character in Sophie's Choice but I can't imagine her performance existing in anywhere near the same hemisphere as Meryl Streep's. In fact, in an indirect way, Streep is kind of associated with this phenomenon. Surely I'm not the only one who's read or heard comments complaining about her constant use of accents, as if that was either pretentious or a gimmick. Gee, sorry she's not lazier as an actor for you.
And on the gimmick side are the folks who seem to take offense at an actor devoted to or maybe even a little obsessed with his craft. What the hell is so wrong with that? I happen to think someone devoted to an art form is a good thing.
So, to check the scorecard one final time, 1) the weight loss/gain isn't a gimmick, it's discipline and devotion to the craft of acting and 2) the performance is measured by the talent and skill of the performer.
Thank you for allowing me this little acting rant. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go raid the fridge.
20 comments:
tdraicer: Well I've acted in community theater, and I've gained weight since I reached middle-age, but the two are unfortunately not related.
If I want to give myself a spirit-chipping few minutes I'll read the comments section on the IMDb about, oh, any movie, where the peanut gallery weighs in on the acting ability of the players in any particular picture. Remarkably, these people who can't maintain a coherent thought from pillar to post and can't even spell to save their lives are all qualified to adjudicate film acting. It all kind of makes you want to withdraw into private life but ultimately it just pushes me to do good work, to be clear and thoughtful and not to fall back on old arguments like "it's a gimmick."
But, come on, Greg, Nicole Kidman totally won an Oscar for The Hours because she wore a prosthetic nose! Everyone knows that! ;-)
As Leonard Cohen once told me...
"Everybody nose... everybody nose..."
You know, tdraicer, I've gained weight, and lots of it, after quitting smoking two years ago. I still haven't taken it off but that's because I plan on playing someone who quit smoking two years ago and can't take off the weight. I'm pretty well prepared at this point.
It all kind of makes you want to withdraw into private life but ultimately it just pushes me to do good work, to be clear and thoughtful and not to fall back on old arguments like "it's a gimmick."
I can go crazy reading people's comments on acting. I especially love the old warhorse, "He's just playing himself," as if, if I gave one of these folks a script and said they could be themselves but still had to, you know, say the lines written for the character in the script, they'd be any good. Every actor uses who they are, their cadences, their way of looking at the world to flesh out a performance.
Anyway, people have a great love of the arts but only if they can be exceptionally critical of and superior to them at every turn.
Marilyn, that's what I've always said about Jose Ferrer's Oscar too.
Hear, hear Greg!
Though I'd have to say that this admirable will and devotion to their craft is easier when they know the outrageous plaudits they'll get for combining Acting with The Biggest Loser(!)
I never thought of it but Bale could kick ass on The Biggest Loser! I mean, if I was on that show and found out he was one of the competitors, I'd bow out right then and there.
Well, that was a good move to give up the smoking, but don't let that allow any sizable weight gain!
Divine also gained for PINK FLAMINGOS, but that was just a case of being fat and getting fatter.
I agree with the thrust of your piece completely!
To diverg for a second here Greg. Tonight my wife and two of my sons will be heading over to the Film Forum to see a glorious print of THE AFRICAN QUEEN at the Film Forum.
http://www.filmforum.org/films/africanqueen.html
Why do I bring this up now you may wonder?
My very first comment almost two years ago at CINEMA STYLES was to voice some relative indifference for this adored classic. I got a bit of hell for it here and deservedly so. I want to give it the kind of showcasing it richly deserves and see if this viewing in these hallowed halls will inspire a partial or complete reassessment.
Well, that was a good move to give up the smoking, but don't let that allow any sizable weight gain!
Too late. I packed on almost 40 pounds when I quit. Some folks socially smoke, others smoke regularly and have difficulty quitting and some, like me, are flat-out addicts who crave intensely for months after quitting and need to eat everything in sight until it passes. Fortunately, after about three to four months, the intense cravings finally passed. But it was utter hell getting there.
And what was the post that comment was on? Did I write something about The African Queen? I can't remember that now.
Sounds like my father, who quit when he was 61 and was eating everything not nailed down. But he's doing well at 80, though he's a diabetic. But as long as everything is going well now with that, you are in good shape.
Greg: You didn't write a full post on THE AFRICAN QUEEN, but it came up in one of your discussion threads. I can't seem to remember which one though, I'm sorry to say. But you did say you were an adoring fan of it.
Sorry about that "anonymous" there. I messed up.
Adoring? But... I'm not an adoring fan of anything. I like Bogart and Hepburn in it a lot but I can't remember ever being a great fan of the movie. Oh well. I'd like to see it at the Forum though, that sounds like a good time.
You are far too passionate an admirer of the arts not to be adoring in some instances my friend.
But you have very good reason to be perplexed. I screwed up here royally. After further investiigation I found that I mixed up "Greg" with "Craig" (Kennedy) and CINEMA STYLES with LIVING IN CINEMA. It was at the latter place where I was taken to task for my overall (mediocre) assessment of THE AFRICAN QUEEN. Last night's viewing has further contributed to my red face.
My apologies, Greg. I am losing it. And sorry for this lamentable hijack as well.
I just stopped by Wonders in the Dark and didn't see a write-up on your experience. I certainly hope one is coming soon.
And, you know, there are plenty of movies I've done 180 degree turns on so no need to be red-faced. It happens to me regularly, in fact as I rewatch movies and discover that either they're not as good as I remember or so much better than I remember. The curse of cinephilia is that you see so many movies in your youth before having a solid foundation in life and the arts.
Sometimes the skill is unnoticed, even by those who should know better. In I am Love, the British Tilda Swinton, speaks Italian with a Russian accent, as befitting her character.
Swinton is an amazing talent, I think. I haven't seen I am Love but don't doubt for a second she is superb in it.
Thanks for checking over there Greg. As per usual routine my week's episodes are covered on the Monday Morning Diary. (which again will be the case) The experience was quite a positive one, I must say.
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