Cary Grant was briefly considered to star as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), but his flop in a serious role in Crisis (1950) concerned the producer, Sam Spiegel.Did the movie really flop and what were the critics saying about Grant's performance? share
I read one review long ago that said something to the effect that Grant rode a unicycle better than he could play a doctor. Unfair? Perhaps, but he definitely wasn't right for "Bridge".
Obtained from the liver of the inflatable mongoose.
Yes, really a flop.
Garson Kanin, in his terrific book "Hollywood," says the movie was not just a financial flop, but an historic flop -- a prime example of how even the hottest actor in the wrong part will be ignored. Garson wrote that Grant in "Crisis" was compared with Clark Gable in "Parnell" (other hot actor in a titanic flop).
I watched "Crisis" last night courtesy of Turner Classic Movies. What a fascinating and well-acted film it is. The acting is terrific (the acting duel between Cary Grant and Jose Ferrer is a fascinating one to watch) and it's very well-written. The casting of Mr. Grant as a neurosurgeon is an interesting one (he did his homework from absorbing the mindset of a surgeon to handling the very confusing-looking props utilized in the era very well). Don't understand why it was considered a flop upon release; in today's world it's a very interesting film.
shareIf Grant's not right for the part then who should have been cast? William Holden (32) or Glenn Ford (34) seem a bit young to be established neurosurgeons. Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, or Bogart don't seem right either. Spencer Tracy seems more like a doctor, though he doesn't strike me as a surgeon. I'd cast Robert Taylor, who I think could project the sort of intensity you'd expect in a brain surgeon.
shareI really liked Cary Grant in this role. Probably what failed was rewarding the expectations of an audience that loved him in roles where he was charming, witty, and focused on winning over a romantic interest.
This is the first time I've seen the film. I found it on amazon instant video.
I agree:
The acting is terrific (the acting duel between Cary Grant and Jose Ferrer is a fascinating one to watch) and it's very well-written.