Friday 24 July 2020

Alternate Best Actor 1966: Rock Hudson & John Randolph in Seconds

Rock Hudson nor did John Randolph receive Oscar nominations for portraying Arthur Hamilton, though later known as Antiochus "Tony" Wilson, in Seconds.

Seconds is an excellent film about a man getting offered a strange opportunity to be "reborn" and given a new chance at a life.

The film begins with a man receiving a random address by a stranger in public who quickly departs. The man being a middle-aged banker played by John Randolph. We follow this man from this initial interaction and already from that Randolph's performance suggests a man of near constant anxiety. This as his whole physical being is both tight and fidgeting. There is an lack of wellness that permeates from Randolph's performance so effectively creates the state of the man. His expression alone, even when nothing is going on yet, has this terrible baseless paranoia as he sits alone as man who is entirely discontent with his own being. An intelligent touch is when he arrives initially back home to his wife, he loses that anxiety, at least overtly, as he speaks to his wife. This with a smile towards her. There is a somewhat detached quality within it as he speaks every little interaction with a care, but not a passion within the discussion. This against as we see him thinking about at home for a phone call, that is from his old friend named Charlie with a strange offer. Randolph captures this powerful combination between a gripping fear and a fascination within the call. This suggesting the hook the offer Charlie is offering for him, is painfully within him. Again though there is a brief tender moment with his wife that really is essential I feel. This as there is the potential for more, but Randolph still grants this distance in Arthur as he refuses to directly connect. This again as though he is lost.

We then follow Randolph as Arthur decides to take up Charlie's offer by following a labyrinthine route to get to the organization that will provide him a service. Randolph's performance granting this sort of of journey an essential reality. This in portraying again both a sense of fear within the prospect but also being quietly intrigued. This until he arrive at the organization where the first thing that happens to him is he is drugged and placed in a purposeful scenario by the organization to blackmail him into proceeding forward with their procedure. After he's regained his composure Randolph is terrific in his attempt in portraying initially the man in any way acting as in control himself. This in speaking with just a minor front to control himself, while his eyes allude towards the still sense of confusion within the man's sudden predicament. His performance though is one that slowly wavers against the man's suggestion to a nearly petrified state, until they show him footage of their staged video to blackmail him with a proposed sexual assault. Randolph is incredible by showing the horror upon seeing his sudden state, until a final conversation from the head of the organization the old man (Will Geer), who tempts him with the prospect of "rebirthing" via changing himself physically while disposing of his old life with a crafted new one for him. As the old man prompts him about what it is that Arthur has, Randolph is heartbreaking as his expression is that hollowness sense of  man's life and that anxiety exuding from his every pore. His attempts at explanation to defend himself delivered with either a weak resolve or an entirely heartbreaking emotional exhaustion. Randolph essentially speaks every word of a man condemning his own state, without a single hint of love or tenderness in examining himself. Randolph showing someone who has given himself wholly to pessimism,in turn wholly giving himself to the treatment of being reborn. 

Of course then Arthur undergoes an operation where Randolph exists the film as the man becomes Rock Hudson through the changes done by the organization. Although seemingly ideal for the part of the idealized version of a man to become through an operation, this actually is a rather alien part for Hudson. Hudson who was far better known for his straight forward leading men turns, or his lightweight romcom turns. This is neither of those, and this is pretty evident from his very first scene where we see Arthur seeing his new face, while still being prepared. Hudson immediately shatters one's usual image of him from this scene alone as we see a man completely ill at ease with himself in this moment. This as Hudson's eyes suggest a deep fear upon looking at his new face, and his whole manner is as a man who is completely in discomfort with himself. Hudson though in this sense also continues where Randolph left off with his performance, but now also showing a man with that same anxiety within his own physicality. Hudson's performance showing a man who is unable essentially to be himself in the moment since he's not himself. Hudson in this moment grants a strict, and rather powerful reality to the technically sci-fi concept, by showing a very honest reflection of a man suddenly being placed within a new physical state. This as he is not simply this "new man" rather he shows the "old man" now sort of forced within this new body, and basically terrified by the image of this change directly before him.

Hudson excels in these early scenes by doing something that is entirely the opposite of what he became known for, which is instead of comfort and confidence with have discomfort and lack of confidence. This as he even goes about speaking to someone Hudson matches Randolph's manner initially as the man where he retiring and distant to the men he speaking to. His expression still baring the idea of a man really simply lost in his existence, which the re-birthing organization wishes to provide to him. Although it apparently might've not helped with the film's financial success, I will say it is a masterstroke of casting in bringing Rock Hudson. This in part in terms of being in part sort of the idealized "Reborn" version of the man, but it also makes it all the more striking to see this typically more Adonis like figure to seem so ill at ease within himself. Hudson portrays Arthur as a man still in that state of anxiety, and now perhaps even more unable to simply be comfortable in his own skin, given that skin barely resembles himself anymore. Even as he gets his life set up for him as a bohemian style artist, Hudson portrays the struggle in his manner which is just having a hard time being himself. Hudson though finds just the right degree of sort comfort in his new self and his new manner. He doesn't break from his shell until Arthur comes across a woman Nora (Salome Marcus). This as he finally sees a connection, however I love that Hudson doesn't fall upon his typical romantic comedy charm. He rather plays it in a sincere sense of discovery and seemingly a potential  connection finally as he seems to find it through their former mutual disconnection in their personal lives.

This relationship though burgeons quickly past that more intimate state as she basically brings him to a pagan styled orgy. Hudson's terrific though in portraying a natural elderly distaste for the even initial until he is literally thrown into it. In the moment though Hudson is fantastic in showing Arthur just giving into a jubilation purely based on the basic lust filled moment. This doesn't last long as we see Arthur in the throws based on that lust and his material possessions the company has provided to him. This coming to head at a party where Arthur has too much to drink and begins to think about his double life. Hudson, who apparently was actually drunk in the scene, is brilliant in wholly carrying it even within that drunkenness. This as he finds this state of sort of a perfect kind of mental breakdown in the moment. This in that jubilation is there but he offers it as this hyper intensity in his expressions as a man who cannot really accept it. This as he speaks with the sense of a mess of emotions of a man still attached to his past while also seemingly sensing the holes in the future that has been crafted for him. This of course is just it as after the night Arthur begins to see the nefarious nature of the company that is watching over him and the hollowness of it as even Nora was simply a paid employee there to provide for his needs. Hudson's reaction in learning this is heartbreaking in the simplicity of it. This in just finding the quiet anxiety once again in the man, though now a little bit different. This in that Hudson begins to play the part with not more confidence, but a better sense of  himself. This not in portraying Arthur becoming this new man, but rather finally a man who is able to reflect upon himself.

This we see as Arthur visits his "widowed" wife to essentially ask her about himself. Hudson is again exceptional by so quietly playing the scene of the man just listening to his wife. This in his eyes sensing both the real affection again that matches Randolph, though now more pointed even if purposefully muted. There is more though as she speaks Hudson finally creates a sense of connection in hearing the words with understanding rather than anxiety. Arthur is sent back to the organization, with the claimed proposition of getting another chance at rebirth. In this time Arthur finally finds his friend Charlie (Murray Hamilton), who too his waiting for "Seconds". Hudson is great though in this scene in the earnest wisdom he brings as he speaks Arthur's final truth of seeing his mistakes both of the past and the present. There's a real poignancy as Hudson delivery grants the sadness of the man seeing the failure but also in that some hope in a man finally seeing what caused his past failures. This earning the moments where Arthur refuses to sponsor more people to the organization as Charlie had done for him. This unfortunately though leading to all the swifter jump for Arthur being set for his chance at "seconds", sadly any personal gains are lost as that means he will be used as a corpse to orchestrate a future "rebirth". This does though lead to an outstanding scene for Hudson, that not only is incredible in terms of his own work, but quite daring for the time. This as Hudson portrays Arthur's realization that he's about to be killed from slow dread to manic intensity of a man writhing in pain and terror. Hudson brings such a visceral edge to the scene as you feel every moment of the man lashing out yet failing to escape his horrible fate. Hudson is wholly convincing in the scene making the ending of the film absolutely unforgettable. He doesn't make it pretty in the least, rather is wholly convincing in showing a man doing anything he can to stave off death in a futile effort. Now John Randolph gives a terrific performance that establishes this man's journey, and Hudson going against his expected type, doesn't waste it in giving an incredible show of range and ability, that frankly I didn't know he had in him. This in creating such a powerful and heartbreaking portrait of a man discovering how he lost purpose and discovery a way though tragically too late.
(For Randolph, also in a very strange grey area when it comes to category placement.)
(For Hudson)

64 comments:

Robert MacFarlane said...

Any chance for Hudson getting upgraded for Giant?

Louis Morgan said...

Slightly.

Calvin Law said...

I would give Hudson a 4 for Giant quite easily, and glad to see you give him a 5 here.

Calvin Law said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt Mustin said...

This movie sounds very Twilight Zone-y, and I don't mean that in a bad way.

Calvin Law said...

Also, love that Korean cast in the previous post.

Louis: your thoughts on the cinematography of The Cranes Are Flying? I just watched that and honestly it's amazing just how beautiful Soviet war films of that era seemed to be so consistently beautiful.

Luke Higham said...

Have to admit, this is one of those reviews that I get such great pleasure from when a performance changes the perception of a performer you never thought much of.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: I loved Hudson's performance here. Also, as for Randolph, I'd argue he's more lead in a Dean Charles-Chapman in 1917 way, where he exits the film early on, but the influence of the character remains till the end.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Any films by Jacques Audiard you've seen, and any you've yet to see?

Also, your thoughts on Tarkovsky if you've seen some more of his most popular works recently.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: He's seen The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Rust And Bone and The Sisters Brothers. You'll find thoughts on them from their respective years.

On Tarkovsky, he's only seen Andrei Rublev, Mirror and Nostalghia so far and I personally would rather wait on getting overall thoughts on him whenever he finishes his last viewing which will most likely be Ivan's Childhood.

Mitchell Murray said...

Louis: Is there any chance Mary Elizabeth Winstead could go up to a 5 for "10 Cloverfield Lane"?

I just feel that's an exceptional performance, and the only point of contention I could think of would be that "Oh come on" line - which is honestly more because of the editing than her delivery.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: There are rumours that Tenet and potentially others could get released in Europe and Asia months before any possible USA release. To what effect do you think it'll have on any of your future plans.

Bryan L. said...

Mitchell: He said in Brian Cox's review for Coriolanus that she could on a rewatch, but I don't know if he has since then.

Luke Higham said...

Bryan and Mitchell: I think he has rewatched it because she didn't make his Actress top ten that year.

Mitchell Murray said...

Luke: Well for what its worth, she would most definitely be in my 2016 best actress ballot.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the screenplay and direction of Seconds?

Calvin Law said...

I liked Winstead but she wouldn’t even be in my top 10 for 2016 Actress. Even Stone doesn’t crack my top 5, very strong year.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thoughts on the editing & production design for this film as well?

Mitchell Murray said...

Calvin: It was a strong year for best actress, indeed. Personally, this would've been my ballot:

1) Stone
2) Adams
3) Huppert
4) Winstead
5) Portman

Calvin Law said...

Mine is:

1. Adams
2. Huppert
3. Negga
4. Kim
5. Portman
6. Stone
7. Steinfeld
8. Bening
9. Henson
10. Beckinsale

Robert MacFarlane said...

Mine were:

1. Portman
2. Bening
3. Adams
4. Stone
5. Steinfeld
6. Huppert
7. Winstead
8. Cotillard
9. Beckinsale
10. Negga

Bryan L. said...
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Bryan L. said...

My turn

1. Portman
2. Adams
3. Stone
4. Huppert
5. Steinfeld
6. Winstead
7. Cotillard
8. Fanning
9. Negga
10. Bening

BRAZINTERMA said...

My ranking:

1º Amy Adams - Arrival
2º Isabelle Huppert - Elle
3º Sonia Braga - Aquarius
4º Min-hee Kim - The Hanmaiden
5º Anya Taylor Joy - The Witch
6º Sandra Hüller - Toni Erdmann
7º Natalie Portman - Jackie
8º Ruth Negga - Loving
9º Annette Bening - 20th Century Women
10º Emma Stone - La La Land

PS: I hope 2016 is the next review of the 2010s

Calvin Law said...

Brazinterma: Glad to see someone else with Kim in the top 5, and that reminds me I still need to see Aquarius.

Calvin Law said...

RIP John Saxon. Last of the ‘Enter the Dragon’ trio to depart.

Aidan Pittman said...

Finally got around to Hamilton, which I wasn't crazy over like many others were, but I certainly appreciated it and loved many of the songs.

Miranda - 3.5
Odom Jr. - 4
Soo - 4
Diggs - 4.5
Jackson - 4
Goldsberry - 4
Ramos - 3.5
Groff - 5

Also watched Cinema Paradiso the other night which was so gosh-darned wonderful and sad. And Morricone's score is perfect, the opening title track is easily one of my favorites ever.

Leonardi - 4.5
Noiret - 5
Perrin - 4
Cascio - 4

RatedRStar said...

RIP John Saxon.

Aidan Pittman said...

R.I.P. John Saxon

Matt Mustin said...

RIP John Saxon and Olivia de Haviland.

Aidan Pittman said...

R.I.P. Olivia de Haviland

RatedRStar said...

RIP to the legendary Olivia De Havilland

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Rest in peace, Olivia de Havilland.

Calvin Law said...

Rest in Peace, Olivia de Havilland. Legend.

BRAZINTERMA said...

RIP Miss Olivia De Havilland
And thanks for all your great performances

Luke Higham said...

RIP Olivia De Havilland
End Of An Era :(

Robert MacFarlane said...

RIP Regis, John Saxon, and Olivia De Havilland.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Oh goddamn it, Millionaire was my favorite game show to watch with Regis and Terry Crews as hosts.

Rest in peace Regis Philbin.

Tim said...

R.I.P. Olivia De Havilland and John Saxon

Bryan L. said...

RIP Regis Philbin, John Saxon and Olivia De Havilland

Mitchell Murray said...

Rest in peace Regis Philbin, John Saxon and Olivia De Havilland.

Tim said...

aw goddammit, R.I.P. Regis Philbin





Tim said...

your thoughts on Shae Whigham as an actor?

Louis Morgan said...

Before getting to any thoughts.

RIP Regis Philbin (Fantastic Seinfeld cameo "Didn't I tell you this guy was bonkos")

RIP John Saxon (Incidentally just finished the Appaloosa investigation)

RIP Olivia De Havilland (An absolute legend, what more can be said)

Matt Mustin said...

Regis also had a very funny Simpsons cameo ("This soup is outta control!")

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: If Saxon is a 4 or higher, would you be willing to do a write up of his work in The Appaloosa.

Aidan Pittman said...

R.I.P. Regis Philbin

Maciej said...

RIP Olivia De Havilland, Regis Philbin and John Saxon

RatedRStar said...

Detective Louis: I am gonna take a wild guess and say that Marlon Brando was bad in it or half asleep.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Do we have a set 2002 Supporting Lineup ready? Because I was going to ask if Gleeson and/or Reilly could get reviewed for Gangs of New York.

Calvin Law said...

If I’m honest I think there’s plenty of unseen performances by Louis that would deserve reviews more than those two. But if he chooses so I won’t object.

Louis Morgan said...

General question for everyone who has now seen Seconds. Thoughts/theories on the airport guy????

Luke:

I should note I never disliked Hudson, liked him in both Giant and Pillow Talk for example, this was a major step up for him though.

Matt:

It is, in a great way.

Calvin:

The Cranes are Flying is gorgeously shot. This with the sheer scope of so many shots that are so impeccably composed. This though with the dynamic framing of shots that have this very emotional quality within the perspectives chosen that are off-beat, yet never feel off. They rather feel as though they are emphasizing the emotion in focusing within so strongly on the characters in that intimate way. This is only all the greater in the lighting, that is stylized but not in noir way, rather this is with the unique almost glowing quality that again only reinforces the emotional qualities of the shots.

Mitchell:

No, I've re-watched her again since then, and she's a firm 4.5 for me, not that my thoughts towards her work degraded in any way.

Luke:

I mean Tenet will be a 2020 release for me then...and we'll see when I see it however.

Tahmeed:

The screenplay by Lewis John Carlino is an intelligently written bit of work in a few ways. In that it works on multiple levels and in unexpected ways within that. This in we have the science fiction concept that it treats seriously. This in terms of showing the process of it, but also the nature of the organization. It conveys this in an intriguing way, but also a way that creates both horror and character. For example, Mr. Ruby's blackmailing going hand in hand with commenting on the food offered to Arthur, is just brilliantly written scene. This in treating the organization with a certain naturalistic quality they make it more terrifying in a way. This is on top of the personal story. Again something that is extremely well done in honestly examining this man, then using the concept only to explore him more so with a real sense of humanity. Again though going further in having those extra moments, like his last conversation with Charlie. It's striking work and balances itself well, by having the layers within the work, while also never making the concepts outweigh the emotion, nor losing the plot or characters within that either.

Louis Morgan said...

It is an absolute shame that this was John Frankenheimer's last black and white film, as that simply seemed his medium, as his color work just isn't nearly as remarkable in any sense. Take his other work from 66 in Grand Prix which you'd never guess was made by the same guy, other than the technical merits in the sound design I guess. Frankenheimer's work here though is incredible though. This in his work does what great directing can do, which is making basic scenes great. Take just the opening scenes of finding the organization, he makes it absolutely captivating through his camerawork, the sound, production design, and direction of the actors, in creating such an atmospheric and alluring quality within the journey. Frankenheimer knows exactly when to tip his hand here, in giving his more disorienting choices to amplify an emotion, or most notably the horror of certain sequences. His direction of the final movement to the operating room, every touch of it, is just brilliant in creating such a visceral power to match Hudson's work, that is both tragic in the final memory, against the brutality of the drill sound. Frankenheimer knows though when to allow the actors to really handle it so to speak, though framing them so effectively of course, like how he places Will Geer in every scene he's in, but knows just as well when to push an idea further with his work.

Bryan:

The production design is fantastic work in just being so carefully blunt. This in creating normal yet striking designs in the work. This particularly the offices for the organization that are simple yet quietly off-putting.

The editing here would've been a far better Oscar choice than Grand Prix that is insanely gimmicky. Anyway, Seconds though work again I think emphasizes the efforts of the film. This in that it picks itself up in the moments of tapping into the subconscious almost to create the sense of the journey, against just the deliberate yet precise editing of the conversation scenes. Never shows off, just creates so effectively the cohesive yet modestly stylistic cut.

Tahmeed:

Unfortunately not quite a 4, though he is MVP.

RatedRStar:

Well the slight twist of my investigation is that Brando is occasionally slightly awake to the point that he's sorta okay. Like most of his work post-Waterfront pre-Godfather, he's overshadowed by at least one co-star of course (Saxon here).

Bryan L. said...

*Rewatches scene with the airport guy*

I feel like he might be a guy that the company hires to try to get "Tony" (and other people that go ahead with the procedure) into the type of lifestyle that they will now be apart of. In other words, to get them in the mood.

"Slow down! Where's the fire? Can't wait to get back to them pretty little models, huh?"

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: The way I read that scene was that that guy knew the original Tony Wilson, before he died and his corpse got used for Arthur's rebirth (I don't think the Company could just make an entirely new body, even though they are clearly capable of a lot).

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

My only issue with that theory, though that could be it, is showing Arthur someone who is clearly false (since he obviously never met the guy before) would only encourage him to doubt the sincerity of the people he met who were secretly later hired by the company.

Tahmeed:

I like that theory as it would explain where they got the original art. Also why the whole area seemed to be basically almost a commune of the reborn and why everyone was basically "stored" in the indoor facility after failing to adjust. Adding to perhaps why they were so concerned about Arthur leaving even beyond possibly exposing his wife, since others might notice the "dead man".

Calvin Law said...

I like all the theories here but I'll stick with Tahmeed's. I kind of felt the same way about the air stewardess who stares at him. Although that might have just been attraction?

Bryan L. said...

Actually, yeah, Tahmeeds' take is probably the more accurate one. The company definitely wouldn't want to include too many "variables" into the mix, as successfully integrating Arthur into his new life would've been hard enough on its own.

I do want to say that the inclusion of the airport guy by itself was a nice, small touch, as it did give me something new to "chew" on, so to speak.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

By the way, where does everyone think Hudson will place in the Lead overall for Seconds? Based on this review, all I can guess is that he can be anywhere from #4 to #6.

Calvin Law said...

I’m predicting #5.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Same.

Luke Higham said...

And Louis, I meant no disrespect to Hudson, because prior to the review he didn't have a 4 or higher with any of his previous performances.

Tim said...

your thoughts on Shae Whigham as an actor?

Louis Morgan said...

Tim:

Well I haven't seen Boardwalk Empire which I hear is his best work. From what I've seen he's a decent enough character actor. For me, his work usually is decent enough in usually finding the value of better material he works with or also sometimes getting pulled down by lesser material, though not always. He's a fine character actor, however I haven't really seen him in any major roles that offer a challenge. The most substantial role I've probably seen him in is Cop Car, where he made the most out of a bigger part, but again most of his work has been pretty limited.