Flopper
Diamond Member
To me it is obvious that Dustin Hoffman is a fine actor and apparently many agree. He has 20 best actor award nominations and wins which include, two Academy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards (including the Cecil B. DeMille Award), four BAFTAs, three Drama Desk Awards, and two Emmy Awards.Hoffman was/is good, but we agree that he tried too hard. Reminds me of another acting story. According to hearsay, Olivier asked him why he went running so long every time before a take for a scene in "Marathon Man" (it took a great deal of shooting time while everyone else sat around waiting). Hoffman replied that it was to prepare and get really into the character of someone running for his life. Olivier looked at him, somewhat perplexed, and said, "Why don't you just act it?"I always thought Hoffman was overrated. Especially in the 70s and 80s. It seemed he tried too hard and his acting was forced. Rain Man was like Forrest Gump.....A character any 12 year old could imitateStewart and Wayne were comforts to viewers. That is part of the popularity package. I never thought of Hoffman as that good. Unique characters maybe. But forgettable ones also. For they certainly play John Wayne movies more then Hoffman movies a lot more on cable TV.Both had great appeal to movie goers due to their screen persona as did Jimmy Stewart, James Dean, and Brando. This doesn't have much do with acting ability but rather the ability to present a consistent persona that most movie goers like. As much as I like Stewart, I don't consider him a great actor. In all his movies, he plays Jimmy Stewart. Instead of Stewart becoming his charter, the character becomes Stewart. Much the same thing can be said about John Wayne. He made over 75 movies and played John Wayne in almost everyone of them.I think the movie was overrated as a Great Western
Most characters were pretty cartoonish
Gary Cooper just played Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper was not the greatest of actors ditto John Wayne.
To me a great actor is a performer who can take on a wide variety of roles and create unique character in each of role. For example, Dustin Hoffman, in Rain Main, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Tootsie, Little Big Man and Kramer vs Kramer. He brings his charters to life with their own unique personalities. So when you watch these movie you see Dorothy Michaels, "Ratso" Rizzo, Benjamin Braddock, or Raymond not Dustin Hoffman, an actor know for his irascible behavior on the set, indecisive, a perfectionist that is never satisfied with anything, and a supporter of radical causes.
Unfortunately, he has a reputation of being one of the hardest actors to work with in Hollywood. Many of his co-stars and directors refuse to work with him. His insistence on re-shooting scenes, last minute script changes, showing up late for shots, criticizing fellow actors, and contract disputes has resulted in only a few leading roles in major productions over the last 15 years.
I found the 1992 production of "Hero" which he starred very entertaining. It's seldom seen, probably because it was not a financial success. It is about a pickpocket and petty criminal who anonymously rescues survivors of an airplane crash.
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