How many other stars had a usenet fan group devoted to their nose? None, as far as I can tell. posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:25 PM on July 1, 2009 [3 favorites]
I've often confused Malden, somehow, with Gene Hackman. Although their personas were pretty different, there's something similar about them, for me... I think maybe it's because they're both men who never really looked young, exactly. Somehow they both always seemed middle-aged, even in their youth. posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:24 PM on July 1, 2009
Streetcar is without a doubt the best black & white movie I've ever seen. Maybe the best, period. It's awesome that he got an Oscar for that role -- he deserved it. Damn, I love me some Tennessee Williams.
And of course, I watched the Streets of San Francisco when I was a kid, in San Francisco. How could I not?
97, huh? Sounds like he had a good ride. posted by Devils Rancher at 5:33 PM on July 1, 2009
Why are so many celebrities dying recently? posted by starpoint at 6:05 PM on July 1, 2009
I loved when he knocked Brando the hell off his stool for blaspheme in On The Waterfront. And he was just a messed up person in One-Eyed Jacks. Man, They had some really, really good actors coming up then. RIP Mr. Malden. posted by Flex1970 at 6:21 PM on July 1, 2009
Why are so many celebrities dying recently?
Age, disease, over medication. The usual.
Oh, Karl - you leave a body of work that is so enviable and a character actor's face that was so memorable. You will be missed.
To my eyes, the performances of most of the 1950s-60s Method actors have dated pretty poorly. Brando's supposedly "naturalistic" performances in On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire now appear highly mannered (which is not to say they're not good); and Montgomery Clift, much as I like his work, always seems to be playing versions of his same tortured self - quite the opposite of the Method method, as it were.
But Malden's work, to me, has always stood out. He seems to me now to have been the very best of the first wave of Method actors, who really did revolutionize screen (and stage) acting. He was an immensely subtle actor who really could tap into the strangenesses of his characters, thus humanizing them quite beautifully. He's always been one of my favorite actors, and the screen will not see another such as him in a mighty long time. posted by Dr. Wu at 8:23 PM on July 1, 2009
what dr. wu said. it makes sense, though: malden was an adult who'd had to make a living when he came to acting. there's probably not much substitute for real life experience.
this is sad, but to me it's not "."-sad: @ 97 with that body of work. and solid performances into his late 80s, forget dots, the man's memory deserves a toast and a film festival, not a dot. posted by lodurr at 5:37 AM on July 2, 2009
I always wished he'd play Marty. He would have been a great Marty. posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:46 AM on July 2, 2009
He was inescapable in movies and later in TV, with the "Streets of San Francisco" role and all of the "Don't leave home without it" ads for American Express. I really can't believe he was 97 either. I thought for sure he was, like, 78.
Speaking of Montgomery Clift, Malden had a fantastic smaller part in Alfred Hitchcock's "I Confess" (Clift starred). posted by blucevalo at 8:14 AM on July 2, 2009
Here's another vote for his performance in A Streetcar Named Desire. What an incredible performance in a role that was, incredibly complex and nuanced. TBoth tough and vulnerable. Innocent and kind. Flawed, but hopeful. That film would've been a lot less than it was if not for his performance.
Damn, I forgot about "The Cincinnati kid," he was awesome in that too.
And probably another half dozen of my other favorite movies that I'm just flaking on right now. posted by Capt Jingo at 9:26 AM on July 2, 2009
Oh, I'm so sorry to see this, tho at 97 he probably had accomplished what he wanted. Not only was he perfectly hangdog (and eventually angry) as Mitch in Streetcar, he played that sorta repugnant character in Baby Doll; he was a president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Mike Stone of the San Francisco PD.
Vanity Fair printed a picture of him in his living room a couple years ago. I don't think he was wearing a hat, but he looked comfortable and rumpled nonetheless. A far cry from Mitch.
He must have had something to do with Communist trials in the 50s. Everyone else did. posted by goofyfoot at 4:00 AM on July 3, 2009
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