I doubt you're the only one, but I agree with those who see his performance as masterful. Welles may have been difficult to work with, but isn't this often the case with great talent? So, Welles wouldn't take direction from Martin Ritt? Haven't we all heard/seen directors who have stated after completing their films and/or plays that while "X" was impossible to work with, they realized that "X" was right about the character and they were wrong? I think Welles was superb in his part as was Franciosa. Think about the personality of a charcter and, at the same time, ask whether the things that bother you about the portrayal of that character aren't actually an accurate portrayal of that very personality; i.e., you disliked them BECAUSE they were unlikeable? It may be difficult to watch these characters act, but isn't that really simply a reflection of real life? We don't like them in reality ... they wring their hands and fumble and whine and drive us crazy. Why do we expect them to be any different on stage/screen? If the actor portrays the character accurately, it makes sense to dislike the character, but to criticize the actor who brought the character to life makes no sense at all. To dislike the actor and the acting in such a case, is to shoot the messenger for succesfully delivering the message.
reply
share
lucie_52
18 years ago
You make an excellent point. It was difficult for me to separate Franciosa from the role. Perhaps that simply means he did an excellent job of portraying that character. I still want to slap the character silly, however ;)
It's never too late to be who you might have been - George Eliot
reply
share
HillieBoliday
13 years ago
Five years later....you are absolutely right!
I DID NOT like the character, Jodie; but I thought Anthony Franciosa did
a spectacular job making me feel that way!
I was angry at Jodie because he wouldn't stand up to his father.
He was angry at the 16, 17, & 18 year old boys who whistled at
his wife. He should've been of reveling in the fact that he caught
and won her, which should have made him poke his chest out in masculine
pride instead of being insecure!
And how about the comment old Will Varner made about him now knowing
the history connected with the name Quick, because he was constantly
chasing after his wife! Well since old man Varner wanted grandchildren,
it stands to reason WHY Jodie was always chasing after his very beautiful
wife who was totally in love with him! I'm a heterosexul female who is
"strictly dickly", and even I could see all of the sex appeal that
Lee Remick was oozing out all over the place....WHO COULD RESIST HER!!
I just wanted Jodie to use his balls to assert himself as a man
with some strengths, and not just the ones he was
using to try to make some grand babies with his wife for old man Varner!!
Anthony Franciosa was spot on with his portrayal of the character!
"OOO...I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"
reply
share