Of course in typical Hitchcock style we soon find out, even before Johnny does, that Fisher is actually the main villain of the film, the man behind the plot to kidnap a Dutch diplomat Van Meer (Albert Bassermann) who apparently knows some very important information that would help the unnamed Nazis. Although this twist is actually told pretty early on it is certainly an effective one since Marshall makes Fisher seem like such a good man. There was perhaps the potential that once the twist takes place that this whole idea behind Fisher could evaporate, and he could have become a more straight forward villain. What's remarkable about Marshall's work is that he never allows it to be that simple, in fact he never begins to start playing Fisher as a villain. Marshall instead portrays Fisher as a man who still is going about a certain duty, rather than some fiend simply trying to bring evil to the world. When he speaks of the plan Marshall reveals some urgency in his voice that of a man who seem actually passionate about what this scheme will do for his cause, opposed to what the plan consists of. Marshall adds a great deal of nuance to the character in momentary reactions as he never loses that kindness about him, it's not an act for him, particularly in regards to his interactions with his daughter where he never loses that true fatherly affection.
As the plot progresses and it takes more extreme measure to both get the information from Van Meer as well as keeping others from finding the man, Marshall is outstanding in again never making Fisher as a straight villain. His reactions are surprisingly moving, when Fisher sees what his men have started doing, as he portrays a definite regret and shame in the man due to the methods he must take. In this though Marshall realizes Fisher's actions though still with understanding and his performance suggests a man who is doing something difficult though something he believes must be the right thing to do. In the final scenes of the film when Fisher explains his actions to his daughter, Marshall again is superb because he does not make this as some sort of evil monologue. Marshall instead delivers it as an attempt to make his daughter grasp what has motivated him, which Marshall never allows a suggestion of selfishness or wickedness to even be taken into account. Marshall creates the sense of how this pains Fisher's in the explanation as though he is forcing himself to realize that his means do not justify his ends, and he has never been doing the right thing. This leads to the his last scene where Fisher finally gets the chance to do some actual good. Marshall is heartbreaking in a completely silent moment as he shows Fisher finally making the choice to do what is truly right. This is a great performance by Herbert Marshall that only improves upon re-watch as wholly earns not only the twist but also successfully makes the villain's demise a poignant loss rather than a satisfying defeat.
96 comments:
Louis: Had a bad feeling you were gonna give him a 5, prediction's fucked, but I'm still pleased you gave him a 5. I hope you give Carradine a 5 as well.
KNEW he'd be a 5. Even though I love me some Sanders, I thought Marshall definitely gave the best performance of the cast.
Come oooooooooon Carradine!
Out of curiosity, what are you guys's ratings and thoughts for Carradine in Grapes of Wrath? Because even though it's one of my personal favorite supporting performances of all time, it seems like it doesn't get mentioned a lot.
Michael McCarthy: My rating's a 5. A great performance, in what I thought was the most interesting role from the film, as he completely embodies the defrocked preacher.
@Michael: I remember liking him a lot, but my mind always thinks of Jane Darwell's magnificent performance (my third favorite performance of all time) first when it comes to The Grapes of Wrath.
Robert: What's your 2nd favorite. You've probably mentioned it before but I just don't remember.
Originally it was Edward G. Robinson in Double Indemnity, but I think I'll swap him and my original #4, Casey Affleck in Jesse James.
Louis: You really liked him. Damn, my prediction's ruined. Originally, De Niro was to play Sonny Corleone, but then Caan got the part. What do you think of De Niro as his first choice?
Michael: He would be a 5 for me.
Louis: Have you seen anything new recently.
The more I think about it, Foreign Correspondent is actually quite an underrated Hitchcock flick.
Everyone: Your top five Hitchcock movies.
1. Psycho
2. Shadow of a Doubt
3. Rebecca
4. North by Northwest
5. Dial M for Murder
1. Vertigo
2. Psycho
3. Shadow Of A Doubt
4. North By Northwest
5. Strangers On A Train
ruthiehenshallfan99:
1. Psycho
2. Vertigo
3. Rebecca
4. Shadow of a Doubt
5. Rear Window
1. Vertigo
2. Psycho
3. Shadow of a doubt
4. Strangers on a train
5. North by northwest
You guys ready to see The Martian this weekend?
L Rime: I've seen it already. My thoughts are on the previous review. :)
Luke:
Sweet. I read the novel. It was fantastic, so I'm really looking forward to this. Especially Damon's performance. Gotta question, was Mackenzie Davis any good? Her character in the novel(Mindy Park) was one of my favorites. Doubt she's in the movie as much as her character was in the book, but that goes for everyone. I'm just curious if you liked her or not.
L Rime: I liked her just fine, though I quite liked her chemistry with Ejiofor. She's a 3. I haven't read the book, but the character doesn't really hold much significance within the plot.
I'm glad people agree with me on Carradine. I think there's so much about his work that's hard to notice the first time, like how he tries to act all cynical to hide the fact that he's still very devout and it really hurts him that he's not a preacher anymore. Even though Casy tries to act all tough and hard, he ends up being possibly the most sympathetic and moving character in the film even without any huge emotional scenes.
Luke:
Thanks. I figured as much. Sounds like everyone's like-able in the movie though which is good, because all the characters were like-able in the novel.
I also saw that you said it's his best film since Kingdom of Heaven. The director's cut of that movie is magnificent. I don't get to talk to many people who view it as well as I do. Thoughts on it?
L Rime: The Theatrical Cut is Crap and the Director's cut is near flawless. I loved the scale of the production, as well as the Cinematography, Costume Design and Score. Apart from Bloom (It's his best performance, but that's not saying much) It's a really great Ensemble, featuring two fantastic performances from Norton (4.5/5) and Massoud (5). Green (4.5) and Siddig (4.5) were great and Thewlis, Gleeson & Irons (All 4s) were very good as well.
Luke:
Holy hell, I pretty much agree. The director's cut is an absolute masterpiece. I've been advocating for that film for years. Norton is an absolute 5, no question. I don't even think all that highly of Norton to begin with(unpopular opinion, I know), but he really went to a different place with that character. Really impressive work.
I have a soft spot for Bloom in that film to be honest. He played him as quiet, but intelligent. He's never larger than life which I appreciate in a movie that resides in the Epic genre. Other movies in the same genre really try to do everything as huge as possible, even the characters.
That movie is grounded in more ways than one.
L Rime: I liked Bloom as well as I probably could've hoped for. I'd give him a 3, but a couple more re-watches could help him.
Luke:
I'd probably give him at least a 3.5, maybe even a 4 just for that blink and you'll miss it change in demeanor near the end(he subtly became a warmer presence late in the film). It's not brilliant work by any means but it's certainly a more calculated performance than people are willing to give him credit for.
L Rime: I'll give it another watch sometime during the coming week. I'm hoping that Bloom grows on me. :)
Luke:
Yea, get around to Open Range too. Really really curious about your thoughts on that one. :D
L Rime: What are your ratings for the rest of the cast.
Luke:
Eva Green - 4.5/5
Irons - 4.5
Thewlis - 5
Gleeson - 4
Massoud - 5
Neeson - 4
Siddig - 4/4.5
Csokas - 3.5/4
L Rime: Actually, I'll put Thewlis up to a 4.5 and Neeson to a 4. :)
I'm pleased you loved Massoud as much as I. :)
Your Thoughts on Norton, Green, Irons, Thewlis, Gleeson, Massoud, Neeson and Siddig.
Louis: Can you please consider reviewing the whole Kingdom Of Heaven Male Supporting Cast, not just Norton, Massoud and Siddig. :)
L Rime: I'd give Michael Sheen a 3.5, bordering on a 4.
Luke:
Norton - Where to start with this performance. This is completely different than anything Norton has ever done. He has a mask on at all times and yet, you can damn near feel every statement he says through it. To describe it with one word, I'd call it ethereal. His scenes with Bloom are great, but it's his scenes with Green and the once scene he has with Massoud that really shine. Showing vulnerability with Green but never with Massoud, he portrays both sides of his character, the leader and the brother, with little trouble. This is just highly quality work from Norton that I did not expect from him. Ever.
Green - I just want to point out something important here. Green has the greatest screen presence of any actress of the last 10 years. She absolutely commands the screen in everything she does like few actors can, male or female. KoH is no exception. She sells every single scene she's in. Her interactions with her son are definitely of highlight, even though the son isn't all that reactionary. She sells those scenes by herself. Her scenes with Bloom are also highlights for me and they have pretty good chemistry. I think a lesser actress wouldn't be able to sell her attraction to Balian, but her playfulness really does bounce off well with Bloom's intense stoicism.
Irons - I have to be honest, Irons impressed me the least on first watch, but his performance is the kind that really gains appreciation with time. The more I watch KoH, the more I pick up on how nuanced his performance is. It's never flashy but it's also, like most of the performances, very grounded. It's also very seamless, his outward personality never extreme no matter who he's interacting with, but you can still tell the difference between who he respects and who he doesn't.
Thewlis - He had the trickiest part. There's something off about him at all times, but he still keeps the character grounded. His character is a bit ambiguous, but it's never heavy handed because Thewlis doesn't go overboard with his line readings. Which by the way, he has some of the best lines in the movie, delivered to perfection.
Gleeson - He gives a suitably disgusting performance, but it's also eccentric. However, restraint is this cast's greatest strength, including Gleeson's. This could have been a complete over the top performance, chewing the scenery and everything. But he doesn't go that far and keeps his character in the realm of believe-ability. It's not a complex character, but Gleeson is such a great actor that he elevates it.
Massoud - This is a performance that is on every bit of the level of Norton's and it's exactly why this movie works to the extent that it does. The leaders have to be played by actors on their A game and Massoud absolutely delivers. He sells every bit of respect Massoud has for his enemies while also creating no doubt that he believes he's doing the right thing for his people. But it never strays to be overconfident or cocky. He's elegant but never acts above his opponents. Just a masterful performance that succeeds because it's balanced to perfection.
Neeson - The mentor/father. Godfrey is in Neeson's wheel house but this is a much better performance than what he gave in Batman Begins. What's great about this performance is that Neeson is never too commanding. He portrays Godfrey as experienced, but never makes him so outlandishly bad ass. Once again, he has restraint. But it's degradation of his character after getting hit by an arrow that he sells with authority. The scene where Godfrey knights Balian is one of the best in the movie. The only thing that's iffy about his performance is the beginning. Not sure if he sells the regret his character supposedly feels well enough or not.
L Rime: Green certainly has an amazing screen presence, though it's a shame, she's not being used well enough, yet she's still delivering really good work in films like Sin City II and especially, 300: Rise Of An Empire. (I'm close to giving her my supporting win for 2014)
Luke:
I'd give her best supporting in 2014 for The Salvation alone. Not a single word said by her in that movie, but it just proves my point. Screen presence is off the charts.
Also, even though it's a tv show, I've been watching her in Penny Dreadful for the past two years. She's fantastic in that as well and probably deserves an Emmy. But like the Oscars, the Emmys aren't all that favorable toward genre stuff.
L Rime: Your rating for Mikkelsen.
Luke:
I'd give Mikkelsen a 4
Anonymous:
Judging by his test footage he was taking the completely wrong approach for the part as you just did not get that surefire temper needed for Sonny, which Caan brought. De Niro seemed to be playing it a little too calm and cool.
Luke: Cop Car. I might see the Martian this weekend and Sicario during next week.
Louis: Rating & Thoughts on Bacon and your thoughts on the film.
Luke:
Bacon - 3.5(Almost felt a bit like Bacon was doing his best Ben Mendelsohn impression with just the particular way he carried himself in that he's straight though with an underlying eccentricity about he whole thing. Bacon is fairly entertaining though in the way he combines clearly corrupt hard man personality with that of an excessively to the point good old Sheriff type. It's a good performance and I think he could have only been better if the film had let him get into the character more than the film allows)
The film itself again factors into one that I did not mind watching it all though I don't think its anything especially remarkable. It keeps the story quite simple of just the two boys who decide to have fun with the titular car, while the questionable Sheriff attempts to find them. I liked that it made the boys feel actually pretty honest stupid kids without overplaying it nor making them too obnoxious. It's a enjoyable enough ride, a short one, of a film though it never really does get into finer details in terms of character or plot, and I won't say its an example where the strength of simplicity allows for a lack of complexity.
Louis: What do you think would have happened to Steve McQueen's career hadn't he died in 1980?
Watched Kingdom of Heaven which I have to say, I did really like despite this sort of epic not usually being my cup of tea. I watched the three hour director's cut and really enjoy it the whole way through, although I did think it took a while to really get going.
Bloom: 3.5 (I liked him here actually, he reminded me a bit of a lesser Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur, awkward line readings here and there but mostly he was a compelling enough lead to the story)
Green: 4 (I liked her whole presence here as she was suitably sexy but also realistically grounded in the realities of the film too)
Neeson: 3.5 (His section of the film I felt was the weakest as it did not really go anywhere in my opinion, it's not bad though and neither is Neeson, who gives a strong enough rendition of his mentor routine)
Irons: 4 (I liked him here too as he made quite a lot out of not a great deal, it's a very quiet performance more often in the background than not but Irons just adds so much to the film by his often silent reactions)
Thewlis: 4/4.5 (liked him a great deal here too, he was probably the most consistently entertaining cast member as L Rime said he had some splendid lines to deliver, and delivers them with the exact right sort of tone)
Norton: 4 (didn't quite love him as much as Luke and L Rime seemed to but he was very good in just through his voice, exuding the right sort of command and eloquence to Baldwin, almost godlike in his manner)
Siddig: 4 (very strong short performance as I thought he perfectly showed this mini arc to the man which the film didn't even really dwell upon)
Massoud: 4.5 (the MVP of the cast, he made Saladin not a one-note villain but instead a very complex man, and I must say I absolutely loved his last scene, as well as many of his other scenes)
Gleeson: 4 (a whole lot of fun to watch too as he was suitably uncouth and despiseful without going OTT in conflict with the film's tone)
Csokas: 2.5 (the weak link, he was suitably slimy but I feel someone else might've brought a lot more to the role)
Calvin: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have a feeling that Massoud's gonna make a huge impact on Louis.
I've been somewhat resistant in giving Norton a 5, as he's limited behind a mask for almost all of his screen time.
Calvin:
Just count Norton's performance as a voice acting performance. Lol. Just kidding. I get why some would think the mask limited him, but I think he overcame it pretty easily.
I thought Csokas was pretty good, but that's probably because I've seen other villainous performances from him before and he tends to go pretty overboard, which he doesn't do here. But I think I agree with you, another actor might have done better. I'd still give him a 3.5.
The comparison you made of Hesten and Bloom though... that didn't even occur to me at first but yea, I think that's an astute observation. It's been a long time since I've seen Ben-Hur but I can definitely see Bloom being a Charlton-lite in KoH.
Luke, Calvin and L Rime: I'll give my ratings for the cast of Kingdom of Heaven.
Bloom: 2,5
Green: 4,5
Thewlis: 4,5
Irons: 4,5
Norton: 4,5
Neeson: 3,5
Siddig: 4
Gleeson: 4
Massoud: 5
Anonymous: Your thoughts on Massoud. :)
Luke: Easily the best part of the film. Saladin could have been very one-dimensional, but Massoud makes him a three-dimensional one. A truly great performance. His final scene is just amazing to watch.
Anonymous: I absolutely love every single scene he appears in, such as the brief scene he has with Norton, the execution, the negotiation scene with Bloom and the moment where he picks up a fallen cross.
Luke:
Where do you think Kingdom of Heaven fits into Ridley Scott's career? Where would you rank it among his films?
L Rime: I'll give my top 5.
1. Alien
2. Kingdom Of Heaven
3. Blade Runner
4. The Duellists
5. The Martian
Hon. Gladiator and Thelma & Louise
Luke:
It's in the same spot for me too. I haven't seen The Martian yet, but here's my top five right now.
1. Blade Runner
2. Kingdom Of Heaven
3. Alien
4. Thelma & Louise
5. Prometheus
Ridley has a hit or miss career for sure though.
L Rime: My least favourite of his is Exodus.
L Rime and Luke:
1. Blade Runner
2. Alien
3. Thelma & Louise
4. Black Hawk Down
5. The Duelists
Still haven't seen The Martian yet.
Luke:
I assume Ridley Scott is a favorite director of yours, but who's your absolute favorite? Unless it is Scott, which for some reason I find hard to believe.
L Rime: I'm 100% sure Scott isn't his favorite director.
L Rime: At the moment, it's Kubrick. Scott's a favourite of mine, even though he's been so inconsistent throughout his career and had given up on him after Exodus.
Luke:
I find Kubrick a bit... off putting? He's tough to get into. At least for myself. I've seen a few of his films, but a long time ago. One of these days I'm gonna plan a weekend or two around really delving into his career. I imagine he's got some films in there I'll really appreciate.
I think my favorite director as of right now is Richard Linklater. Although, Michael Mann has always hovered up there with him. Another one of my favorites who I find pretty underrated in general is Brad Anderson.
L Rime: I never found Kubrick off putting, apart from Fear and Desire.
Luke: Another pet-peeve I have is that would have won in any other year bullshit. I also get kind of annoyed when people call their favorite actors by their first name. It's like they know them personally or something.
L Rime: I like Linklater and Mann. Haven't seen much of Anderson apart from The Machinist, but I am keen to see Transsiberian.
Anonymous: Mazursky was quite odd in Fear and Desire & for a Directorial Debut, it's average.
Barbra Streisand - Clint Eastwood
Luke: Wait, what do you mean with Barbra Streisand-Clint Eastwood?
Anonymous: Million Dollar Baby - Best Picture
'I'm so happy to give you this again Clint'.
Anonymous: And Sean Connery, when he presented Catherine Zeta-Jones with her Oscar.
Luke: I mean seriously, it can be quite a little annoying for me, but not much. I mean, there's a user named Maddyclassicfilms on IMDB who calls any actor by their first name.
Anonymous: I actually misread your comment. I can't say it really bothers me as I don't pay much attention to it.
Anonymous: And it's rare for me to look up message boards on IMDB.
Jeremy Irons and Brendan Gleeson are starring in Assassin's Creed. :) :) :)
Please let this be the end of the video game movie curse. :)
My Scott Top 5:
1. Alien
2. Gladiator
3. Blade Runner
4. The Duellists
5. Kingdom of Heaven
Hitchcock Top 5 (in response to earlier question)
1. Vertigo
2. Rear Window
3. Saboteur
4. Shadow of a Doubt
5. North by Northwest
Luke: We'll see if it ends or not. But you wanted me to have some hope for the movie, right? Let's see if Gleeson and Irons can be good like they usually are.
Anonymous: Yes, though I have no problem, if you still feel somewhat pessimistic about it. :)
Luke: It could have been worse. Uwe Boll could have been directing it, but thank God he isn't.
Anonymous: I've mostly stayed away from Boll, apart from In The Name Of The King, which was rubbish in every possible way. :)
Luke: I've got to say that the review I'm looking forward to the most is Mason for Lolita. He's my 2# for that year for Best Actor.
Anonymous:
1928: Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs and Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill Jr..
1939: Charles Laughton in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Henry Fonda in Young Mr. Lincoln and Ralph Richardson in The Four Feathers.
1962: James Mason in Lolita, Tom Courtenay in The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner, James Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Robert Ryan in Billy Budd, Peter Sellers in Lolita, Robert Duvall in To Kill A Mockingbird and the Lawrence Of Arabia supporting cast.
1995: Morgan Freeman in Seven, Ian McKellen in Richard III, Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise, Kevin Spacey in Seven, Richard Harris in Cry, The Beloved Country (Hope that he finally gets a 5) and Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart.
Luke: What rating do you predict for Stewart? A 5 or a 4,5? What about Wayne?
Anonymous: I'll go with a 5 for Stewart and a 4.5 for Wayne.
Luke: I think Fonda will get a 4,5 for Young Mr. Lincoln. Just my opinion.
Anonymous: I predict the same.
Luke: What about Mitchum in Cape Fear?
Anonymous: 4.5, though a 5 is possible.
Luke: I'm still not convinced that Duvall is going to get a 4,5 for Mockingbird, to be honest with you.
Anonymous: That's fine with me. :)
I think he will because Louis held off answering me way back, when I asked about him, compelling me to go request him.
Calvin: I predict a 4.5 also.
Luke & Calvin: Well, to each his own. :) He has so little screentime that I just can't see him get a 4,5, but more of a 4.
Luke: Wait! Karloff in Son of Frankenstein can likely be reviewed for 1939 Alternate Lead.
Anonymous: Maybe, but since he reviewed his 2 previous portrayals, he'll want to spread the wealth around and I do not think he's doing more than 5 for that year.
Luke: I think Louis will give him a 4,5.
Anonymous: Same.
Luke: I'll predict that Louis will give a 4,5 for Richardson in The Four Feathers. By the way, if you and Calvin predict that Duvall is going to get a 4,5 for Mockingbird, then what do you predict for Peters and Alford? I predict both 4's.
Anonymous: 4 for Alford and a 4 or 4.5 for Peters.
Luke: What rating would you also predict for Megna (Dill), Anderson (Ewell) and Wilcox (Mayella)?
Anonymous: A 3 for Megna and 3.5s for Anderson and Wilcox.
Methinks:
Stewart: 5
Wayne: 4.5
Duvall: 4.5
Alford: 4
Peters: 4/4.5
Megna: 3
Anderson: 4
Wilcox: 4
Richardson: 4.5/5
So, anyone who liked the synth-pop soundtrack to Drive, you guys need to listen to the new CHVRCHES album. In particular, a bonus track called Get Away that was inspired by Drive.
Anonymous:
The course I think would have been massively different as I believe his illness contributed his final films not being particularly notable, as perhaps without his illness he would have done Apocalypse Now. If he had stayed healthy I think he may have broken out into more dramatic parts, as he proved quite capable of with Papillon, and probably would have continued along that path.
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