You get what you settle for.
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Lots of praise for Ms. Taylor the past few days. This is a very good article on why she was special: http://www.salon.com/entertainment/movies/feature/2011/03/23/camille_paglia_on_elizabeth_taylor.
Yes, I loved and appreciated her. I have a soft spot for her. There are many good things to say about her, and all of those good things were simply her, not put on just for public approval.
However!
I am now going to bring down the wrath of the world. I am going to speak ill of the dead. I'm sorry, but all this praise of her acting skills annoys me. I, personally, don't think she could act worth beans.
Maybe it's just what I expect of acting.
In everything I'd ever seen her in, I was always conscious that it was her up there, not the character she played. It seemed obvious to me that she was quoting a script. That she was "performing".
Contrast the way she comes across on screen to, say, Dustin Hoffman (in his serious roles, like in "Midnight Cowboy", not stuff like the Fockers.) You forget that's Dustin on the screen. You aren't aware there's a script. Now contrast Dustin Hoffman to Robin Williams. Robin Williams is always Robin Williams, no matter who he's playing. He "performs" the character.
Ms. Taylor's acting was in the same class as that of Mr. Williams. A performance, of a script, to direction.
The article linked above mentions "Sophia Loren, who has the same combination of qualities" as Ms. Taylor. Well, Sophia could ACT!
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1 comment:
I agree that there are actors that always play themselves in a role, and there are actors who become the character. I think Johnny Depp is one of the later, while, say, Liam Neeson, is one of the former. Just my opinion.
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