Alan Arkin in Catch-22. Credit & Copyright: Alamy
Actor Alan Arkin, who has died at age 89, has had a distinguished career in versatility and longevity. From his first major role in the 1966 Norman Jewison comedy The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming to swan song in 2022's Minions: The Rise of Gru, he has always been a brilliant character actor.
Though he wasn't an ordinary leading man, he was well used by astute directors, and in the process he created many unforgettable roles.
However, in truth, he was someone who could elevate even the most mundane material with his unusual and often inspirational line readings; when he was given a part worthy of his special genius, he could turn it into something unforgettable. Here are 10 of his best roles, both on TV and in movies.
1. Wait until dark (1967)
Arkin was not usually an actor associated with on-screen villains, but, especially early in his career, his versatility was such that he could take on roles such as that of Harry Roth, a violent and vicious criminal, in the 1967 psychological thriller » Wait». Before dark. Roth is on the hunt for a blind woman, Audrey Hepburn, who he believes is in possession of some of the drugs he wants to get, and Arkin's ability to portray the character's gradual transition from apparent persuasiveness to malevolent menace, to—in the horrifying climax of the Grand Guignol—an almost satanic violence was evidence of how he could tone down his natural liking to a frighteningly convincing effect.
Alan Arkin and Audrey Hepburn in Wait Dark. Authors: Alamy 2. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968)Long before there was any debate about ableism or representation, Arkin was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of John Singer in the film adaptation of Carson McCullers' The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Like a deaf-mute silver carver struggling to adjust to life in the small American town he lives in, Arkin conveys Singer's decency, warmth, and humanity without dialogue and manages to convey the complexities and contradictions of his inner life in the most economical ways, even to the point of heartbreak. and tragic ending. He was nominated for an Oscar, but lost to Cliff Robertson, who played a mentally handicapped man in Charlie; Arkin's performance has improved significantly.
Alan Arkin and Sandra Locke in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Image Credit & Copyright: Alamy 3. Catch-22 (1970)
Many felt that Joseph Heller's legendary anti-war satire Catch-22 was not amenable to film adaptation, so Mike Nichols' misguided but gripping version should be considered a success of sorts. Much of the credit for achieving this goes to Arkin, who plays the lead role of Captain John Yossarian, whose cynical and paranoid attitude towards the military, who, in his opinion, are doing everything possible to ensure his imminent death, is justified. their careless disregard for human life. Arkin manages to make Yossarian a more likeable figure on screen than he is in the book, bringing affinity and humanity to someone who is understandably frustrated by the titular paradox that ensures few can escape the air force.
4. The Return of Captain Invincible (1983)
Long before superhero movies were commonplace, Arkin starred in one of the genre's strangest examples of Captain Invincible, the so-called «Legend in Tights.» He is a once-famous superhero who fell out of favor after World War II, but is given a chance at redemption when he faces off against Christopher Lee's nefarious Mr. Midnight. To make things even weirder, the film features songs written by Rocky Horror's Richard O'Brien. It's really an isolated case — writer Terry Pratchett called it «a series of bad moments glued together with great songs and a fourpence budget» — and it flopped at the box office, but Arkin, as usual, brings charm, incomparable comedy. time and beautiful singing to this most unusual of heroes.
Return of Captain Invincible Credit: Shutterstock 5. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Arkin has always been able to play the townsfolk, but perhaps in all his work there was no more mundane character than Bill Boggs, the nondescript patriarch from Tim Burton's fairy tale «Edward Scissorhands». A bowling fan who is unfazed by the presence of «Ed» in his family's life, Arkin (who said «I was a bit confused» when he first read the script) plays a complex role, playing an unobtrusively decent character whose extreme ordinariness contrasts greatly with more elevated and theatrical world. And of course, he manages to sell some of the film's best comic dialogue, like when he sighs, «Honey, you can't buy everything you need for life with a cookie.»
6. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
The jet-black farce of hitman John Cusack is ironically in danger of being ignored these days, which is unfortunate, not least because of the dynamic between Cusack's killer Martin Blank and Arkin as his reluctant therapist, Dr. Oatman. Although the two only appear in a few onscreen scenes together, every line of dialogue they speak during them is a gut-wrenching comic delight as Blanc's nonchalant attitude towards his murderous profession is met with a combination of disbelief and fear from Oatman. who ends up needing help far more than his client. Arkin, as always, downplays the character's neuroses, cracking jokes: «I'm emotionally connected to you,» «How are you emotionally connected to me?» «I'm afraid of you» — to land harder.
Alan Arkin in Grosse Pointe Blank Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock 7. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
After two previous nominations, Arkin finally won his first Oscar at the age of 72 for his role as a wildly misbehaving and grumpy retiree — we learn he was kicked out of a nursing home for snorting heroin — who accompanies his dysfunctional state. family on a trip to America for his granddaughter Olive's beauty pageant. Although he dies en route due to a drug overdose, his influence is subsequently felt when his granddaughter performs the outrageous burlesque he taught her and subsequently puts on the whole spectacle out of tasteless and exploitative nonsense. Arkin gives a wider and larger performance than usual, unlike his co-stars, but it works beautifully; his Edwin Hoover may well be his single most beloved role.
Little Miss Sunshine 8. Argo (2012)
«Argo, fuck you.» A Best Picture winner from a bygone era when films were considered pure entertainment rather than noteworthy, Ben Affleck's picture is greatly improved by the casting of Arkin as seasoned film producer Lester Siegel, who is hired to take part in an elaborate scam with participation in the creation of a fake film with the aim of taking a group of American diplomats out of Iran. Arkin takes pleasure in portraying the macho, high-spirited producer who states, «If I make a fake movie, it's going to be a fake hit,» but as is often the case with an actor, he ensures that his rugged appearance can't hide his kindness and decency. hiding under its bark. And his oft-repeated catchphrase may be what is most remembered of the film a decade later.
John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Ben Affleck in Argo. Photo: Alamy 9. BoJack Horseman (2015-16)
There are many joyful and wonderful things about the animated sitcom BoJack Horseman, but one of the funniest jokes is the idea that the infamous reclusive writer J. D. Salinger will try to return to the public eye with a game show called Stars and Hollywood Celebrities: What They Do. Know? Do they know something? Let's find out! The genius idea is not that Salinger is mad or desperate, but that he sincerely believes that this is no less important part of his life's work than The Catcher in the Rye. Arkin's off-screen role as Salinger is understated and full of seriousness and intelligence, which of course makes the inconsistency of the deeply silly quiz that is his latest venture all the more fun.
Bojack Horseman with Arkin as J.D. Salinger. Photo: Netflix. for two seasons, and his loss was keenly felt when he returned for the third and final installment. However, when he was on screen, his chemistry with Michael Douglas was both gentle and fun; the two men are clearly trying to steal scenes from each other, but they do it in such a way that their affection and respect can be clearly seen, not the risk of them being chained to the spotlights.
And when Arkin's character Norman begins an affair with his former lover, Jane Seymour's Madeleine, he manages to be both at the same time. gentle and cheerful. The moment when he too dramatically throws open the door to her bedroom, overcoming the fear of intimacy, is one of the defining moments in the distinguished career of this great actor.
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