Dear Mick:What does it say about our culture that it has become necessary for men in leading roles to strip down and show us their ripped bodies at some point in the movie? Contrast virtually all the prominent male screen idols from the past: Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Lee Marvin, James Cagney … while remaining fully clothed, the mere presence of these male stars onscreen was all we ever needed to fulfill our every expectation and desire.
Scott Parkay, El Sobrante
Dear Scott:It says nothing about our culture except that guys are in better shape now. Most of those earlier stars knew that if they took off their shirts, the illusion would be blown.
James Cagney and Clark Gable looked soft and boyish. James Stewart looked like he was starving to death. If he had ever taken off his shirt, John Wayne would have looked like he never missed a meal. And Humphrey Bogart — with that huge head and little shoulders? If he went bare-chested, no one would be thinking of sex; they’d be thinking he was prepping for a chest X-ray. Men in those days didn’t work out, except Mitchum, who clearlywasweight-training, which was why hedidtake off his shirt in movies.
Anyway, I’m not sure if I even agree with the premise of your question. Tom Cruise, Chris Pratt and Brad Pitt strip down occasionally (Cruise less so, in recent years, as befits a man of his age and station). But Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, LeonardoDiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis … I don’t remember any of them showing a lot of skin. The bare-chested thing is mostly the domain of action stars, not just modern ones like Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, but those from back in the day as well — Jean-ClaudeVan Damme, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger — and going even further into the past with guys like Charlton Heston and Johnny Weissmuller.
当我还是个兰迪年轻的叶片,我以前魏ghts a lot, and if I were in movies then and put all that time into my appearance, I’d take every opportunity to take my shirt off. I’d be flexing while writing this column.
你好米克拉萨尔:In your short piece on Buster Keaton’s “Steamboat Bill, Jr.,” you rightfully reference Keaton’s most famous stunt (when the building collapses on him). Do you think that this type of jaw-dropping feat often overshadows some of Keaton’s more subtle humor?
Ken Kirste, Sunnyvale
Hi Ken Kirste:Yes, but I don’t believe Keaton’s feature films really hold up all the way through, with the notable exceptions of “Sherlock, Jr.” and “Seven Chances.” The rest are worth seeing, because they have long sections that are wonderful — such as the first half hour of “Spite Marriage” (1929) — but unlike Charles Chaplin’s movies, Keaton’s features just pleasantly hover in place in between the inspired bits.
Dear Mick:One of the most notable Oscar speeches of all is Sally Field’s “You like me. You really like me” acceptance speech. Do you think it has had any effect on how people perceive her, or on her career?
David Sironen, San Francisco
Dear David:I suppose it did for a while. But it seems unfair, because that was the most humble and honest reaction to an Oscar that I’ve ever seen. Other people’s honest reactions have been less humble: for example, James Cameron’s “I’m the king of the world” speech in 1998.
Plus, Field has been misquoted for 38 years. She said, “You like me. Right now, you like me.” She was just saying out loud what a normal person would feel in that situation. But you can see from the audience that she was in immediate trouble. If you watch the YouTube clip, John Malkovich is smiling, but he has an expression on his face that’s more like, “Uh-oh.”
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