MovieChat Forums > The Bigamist (1953) Discussion > Did Edmond OBrien have sex appeal?

Did Edmond OBrien have sex appeal?

posted 14 years ago by oldblackandwhite
27 replies | jump to latest

I saw this fine movie for the first time tonight. Edmond OBrien has always been my favorite actor. I have seen practically all of his other movies, at least his starring vehicles, but somehow missed this one all these years. I can remember seeing the theatrical trailer for it in a movie house when I was a kid -- 9 years old in 1953.

OBrien was in A movies only in supporting roles and was usually cast in tough guy parts in his starring B movie roles, but early on in his carrer, before he got so jowelly, he was pushed as a leading man. He was certainly a leading man in this one -- with 2 leading ladies! I have a question for the LADIES and females of other self-descriptions, especially those 40 and above:

Does Eddie OBrien have any sex appeal?

Please let he hear something. Even from others as hard and oppionated as my wife, who says, no, but he was a good actor.

He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good... St. Matthew 5:45

[–] MissBender24 14 years ago

From another hard and opinionated over-40 wife - I haven't seen a lot of movies with Edmond in them, but I'm watching the Bigamist now, and absolutely love the movie, but does he have sex appeal? ---- sorry NO! In fact when I first saw this movie I was baffled by his casting, he's pretty bloated here, and not too physically appealing IMHO. He did act well in it, though.

[–] oldblackandwhite 14 years ago

Thanks for your hard and opinionated imput, be agle7. I didn't really think he had any s/a, but as a man can't know for sure. He certainly had an appeal though, otherwise he wouldn't have had so many starring vehicles. For guys, his appeal is not being a pretty boy but an everyman the average guy can identify with. There may yet be women out there who think he's somehow cute. I often see very pretty women with guys who don't look as good as E.O. did in 1953.

Now that you have seen him in The Bigamist, you should check out DOA, his best lead role and one of the best all time movies in my opinion, White Heat, and Between Midnight to Dawn.

He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good... St. Matthew 5:45

[–] NoirDamedotcom 13 years ago

I'm going to have to post a dissenting vote. I wouldn't quite call it "sex" appeal, but O'Brien definitely has something. There's a vulnerability about him that makes you feel sorry for him, even as he's behaving like a terrible heel. You can understand why he has two women who fall in love with him. I think you can more easily see it in "DOA".

www.NoirDame.com/blog

[–] oldblackandwhite 13 years ago

Thanks, NoirDame. Check him out in Two of a Kind, paired with Liz Scott, another of his numbers I had not previously seen, but watched since op.

He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good... St. Matthew 5:45

[–] tiwannae 13 years ago

What about "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" with Charles Laughton (1939)? It was the earliest film of his I have watched.

He played Gringoire, and I thought he was very attractive--I had never seen him on screen SO young and handsome before. He got the girl (Maureen O'Hara) in the end....

"We can't all do good, but at least do no harm."

[–] oldblackandwhite 13 years ago

Thanks, twannae.

For your imput and for reminding me of that fine movie, which I need to put on my DVD "want" list. It has been a long time since I have seen Hunchback, but I can remember the first time I ever watched it (maybe 1960's), Eddie looked so young it took a couple of closeups before I recognized him.

He got the girl in a few other movies.

He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good... St. Matthew 5:45

[–] marbleann 13 years ago

I am looking at the Bigamist now. I have seen him in plenty of movies. I think he has a certain sex appeal because he looks like what most men look like, average. He is more realistic to me then the so called pretty boys. He could be your best friend, your father, older brother, your husband. And because of that yes I do believe he had a certain amount sex appeal. The kind of sex appeal that attracts us to our boyfriend and husbands, that you can't put your finger on. He is a very appealing actor to me. But do not get me wrong I think Errol Flynn, ,who my grandparents were neighbors of, Rock Hudson, Tyrone Powell and Cary Grant were so good looking that their great acting was underrated. And I was big fans of all of them too. No problem with that happening to Ed.

[–] oldblackandwhite 13 years ago

Thanks, marbleann. It would be hard for any of us guys to compete with that bunch of leading men you like!

He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good... St. Matthew 5:45

[–] marbleann 13 years ago

Yes but they are unrealistic images, it is the Edmund O'Brien types we marry.

[–] jerann 12 years ago

I have often wondered why I think he's appealing...there's just something about him I like. I wouldn't say it's sex appeal, but he has a way about him that peaks my interest. Guess, Cary Grant would be the sexy one, but you could never feel he's all yours, but O'Brien would be, maybe:)

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lolarites 12 years ago

It's so funny you should post this, because I was just watching it on TCM and I was thinking the exact same thing. There is nothing wrong with his acting except he is rather wooden and inexpressive, but he is devoid of any kind of sex appeal. I suppose that says something about his acting because he had quite a successful career even without the matinee idolatry.

[–] msLilypad 10 years ago

Saw the 1939 'Hunchback' for the first time on TCM today (it's Edmund O'Brien day!) and was surprised to discover that the good looking hunk that marries Esmerelda was EO!!! All I had seen him in before was after he had 'matured'. He was in his early 20's in Hunchback. (Maureen O'Hara was about 18) The cool thing about it being EO day was that we saw him at different stages of his career/life. In 'Obliging Young Lady' (1941) he was still good looking (& sexy) but was starting to lose his lean figure (it happens to most of us). In 'The Bigamist' (1953) I think I can see why a lonely girl might fall for him, he might not have been Brad Pitt, but he was a nice guy...which is what got him in trouble. (Just my 2 cents)

[–] carolmr527 10 years ago

I think he had sex appeal, especially in the movie D.O.A.