MovieChat Forums > Come Blow Your Horn (1963) Discussion > Terrible Miscast

Terrible Miscast

posted 13 years ago by PretoriaDZ
8 replies | jump to latest

Lee J. Cobb was only 4 years older than Sinatra and they very much looked like contemporaries so it just doesn't play when Sinatra calls him "Dad."

Besides Cobb being an excellent actor, I think he may have been cast because Sinatra wanted to help him out from having been given a hard time because of his HUAC testimony. After reading Cobb's defense (of why he did it) I agree with him. Principles are good to have and some are worth dying for, but when it starts to damage your family and the people you are protecting by not testifying against people who were not too noble themselves.... The HUAC committee was vicious but the people I saw still angry against Kazan 50 years later when he got an award looked vicious to me too! Cobb and Kazan were great artists and if the artistic community can forgive or overlook that weenie Polanski raping a child, because he is "such a great artist" then they should be able to forgive or overlook Cobb and Kazan for caving in front of the lynching committee.

[–] TheJoshman 12 years ago

AGREED! Well stated too...

[–] CCsito 10 years ago

I just this movie on TV for the first time and my first response was "Lee J. Cobb is Frank's father?".

[–] vpilutis 9 years ago

Well Sean Connery wasn't much older then Harrison Ford or Dustin Hoffman in the two films they were in.

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[–] Kanamit99 9 years ago

Its on TCM right now and I 100% agree with the OP. You don't need to look up the birthdays to see how ridiculous the age difference is. Frank Sinatra clearly looks like he is in his 50's and Lee J. Cobb looks like he is in his mid 60's. It would only work if Lee J. Cobb had a son when he was 10 years old.

As to the previous person's comparison to Sean Conney and Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman; the latter two always look younger than their actual ages. Hoffman played the Graduate when he was 30 year old when the charactor was supposed to be 20 year old.

[–] poetcomic1 9 years ago

Hollywood and NY commies were nasty lying scum who back-stabbed, lied and spread vicious gossip about anyone who didn't toe the party line. They took over the famous Group Theater among others and bullied and destroyed those who got in their way. They were toadies to evil lunatic and mass murderer Josef Stalin. No apologies for Kazan and others.

[–] hockeyhrs 9 years ago

The parents were played very Jewish, yet the last name "Baker" plus both Frank Sinatra & Tony Bill are clearly Goyim also adds to the confusion surrounding this disjointed family.

[–] just1Hitch 8 years ago

That the last name is "Baker" means nothing as many Jews changed their names. I don't know what you mean when you say "both Frank Sinatra & Tony Bill are clearly Goyim". Because they are not stereotypically "Jewish"? That would be true of many Jews of their generation.

 Excuse me for talking while you're interrupting.

[–] mls4182 8 years ago

Tony Bill resembles Sinatra Jr a bit.