JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonIn Memory of Richard Widmark
March 28th 2008 00:00
Richard Widmark R.I.P
Richard Widmark 1914 - 2008
Time is tight for Johnny D this week and as a result posts have been neglected. The sad news of screen legend Richard Widmark passing however demands a quick moment of reflection.
Widmark - The aging character actor
Dying this week at the age of 93, he was a captivating presence onscreen. Managing to inject duplicity in many of his parts, he portrayed villains with a cold humanity maintaining a supreme menace. When playing a good guy he was capable of exposing his characters flaws while never embracing sentimentality.
Widmark makes his debut in Kiss of Death
There was nothing simplistic in his characterizations. Lacing even the emptiest script with a complex core, he was at his best when toying with unsympathetic roles. Embracing conflicted, often hard boiled protagonists this brave performer commanded JD’s undivided attention whenever he was onscreen.
Never receiving the industry accolades he deserved, the charismatic actor ranks as one of the most intense and interesting silver screen legends. In honour of his passing here is a list of John Doe’s 14 favourite Richard Widmark films:
Sam Fuller’s Pickup on South Street
Jules Dassin’s Night in the City
Henry Hathaway’s Kiss of Death
Don Siegel’s Madigan
William Keighley The Street With No Name
Elia Kazan’s Panic in the Streets
Henry Hathaway’s Garden of Evil
Edward Dmytryk’s Broken Lance
Vincente Minnellie’s The Cobweb
Lewis Milestone’s The Halls of Montezuma
Edward Dmytryk’s Warlock
John Ford’s Cheyenne Autumn
Stanley Kramer’s The Domino Principle
Stanley Kramer’s Judgement at Nuremberg
Sidney Lumet’s Murder on the Orient Express
Witness a taste of Richard Widmark's breakout performance as the unforgiving scum in Kiss of Death
Richard Widmark in Pickup on South Street
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Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Widmark's teaming up with Sidney Poitier in Bedford Incident and in The Long Ships are guilty pleasures for sure.
I'm a sucker for cold war propaganda films too, gotta love Sidney Lumet's Fail-Safe! (Not that Widmark was in that one)
I wasn't going to post anything this week but this sad news could not go unreported.....
Do you have a favourite Richard Widmark film?
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
Even when he bad you liked him.
Excellent in Judgement at Nuremberg
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Widmark really did have a gift for charismatic villainy didn't he? Managed to make even the most despicable characters human.
Judgement at Nuremberg is one of my favourite films, period. Astounding cast all at the top of their game.
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
As a kid, I was always a sucker for Hell and High Water but now I prefer Cheyenne Autumn. Although I think I always prefer John Ford movies in B&W.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
As a Sam Fuller nut, Hell or High Water is great...can't believe I forgot it..that teaches me to just make a list off the top of my head.
John Ford westerns are always spectacular, So your a fan of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance I assume James.
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Liberty Valance is perfection. Love John Ford's The Quiet Man too.
On the topic of the Duke, Don Siegel's The Shootist is a very moving piece too......
Comment by Kenna
"The Last Wagon" is a good one too.
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Great to see you by, always nice to have another Widmark fan in the numbers.
Great inclusion with "The Last Wagon" though every western Directed by Delmer Daves ranks with me.
Thank for the visit
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Haven't seen Yellow Sky in eons, I just remember Anne Baxter was great in it. I don't mind Gregory Peck either but its easy imagine Widmark stealing scenes from under him.
Cool to know I'm being thought about....thanks