Sterling Hayden - The Long Goodbye (1973) Discussion

[–] RedManley 12 years ago

I would agree with you, although I don't think technically he was acting. Love this man.

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[–] St-Mihiel 12 years ago

He was supposed to be Quint....but don't forget he spoke up loud at HUAC, not so cool

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[–] RedManley 12 years ago

And regretted the rest of his life. Really messed him up.

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[–] SnoozeAlarm 12 years ago

>>> he spoke up loud at HUAC, not so cool

Disagree.

Spoilers!Spoilers!Spoilers!Spoilers!Spoilers!Spoilers!Spoilers!

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[–] krasnegar 7 years ago

Perhaps the poster meant it wasn't at all helpful for his subsequent career - like not helping him to get Oscar nominations.

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[–] SnoozeAlarm 11 years ago

>>> although I don't think technically he was acting

Don't know why you say this.

It should be against the law to use "LOL" unless you really did LOL!

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[–] RedManley 10 years ago

Because his performance was basically made up on the spot, rambling the way Sterling Hayden rambled.

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[–] Toshi51 9 years ago

I always thought his dialogue was improvised on the scene. Maybe he was just that good at reading his lines?

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[–] RedManley 9 years ago

If you have ever seen his interviews with Tom Snyder, or read his book, you can totally just see his real self coming through in his Roger Wade character. Even down to having a bottle of Aquavit prepared in the ice block. I love his performance in this film.

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[–] MarthaMyDear2 9 years ago

Okay, now I'm going to have to looks for these interviews AND his book! Just love Sterling Hayden! :)

Martha Clark
Austin, Texas

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[–] Toshi51 8 years ago

The man never made a bad movie.

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[–] fipper_1 8 years ago

I agree. I became a fan ever since I saw him in The Killing. Been trying to track down and see his whole filmography and so far, not one disappointment. Someone should do a retrospective on him. He really deserve a lot more recognition.

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[–] Toshi51 8 years ago

Did you watch "Suddenly"? That is one of my favorites.

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[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

No sh-t.

"What you and I is gonna do, is have an old-fashioned man-to-man drinking party!" Whattan awesome scene on the beach, the two fellas engaged in serious raising of the wrist... if only Altman had lingered longer, showcased the holy path in its entirety... gorgeousness and gorgeousity...

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

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[–] dlynch843 8 years ago

The weird thing is Altman originally wanted his friend Dan Blocker, who played 'Hoss' on Bonanza, to play Roger Wade. I can't see that.
Hayden's portrayal had that spark of genius.

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[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

And Blocker died before he could play Wade.

Interesting: Sterling Hayden never seemed to hit the top tier of stardom that Burt Lancaster or William Holden got(his contemporaries.) But he ended up a part of some of the greatest movies ever made:

Johnny Guitar
The Asphalt Jungle
The Killing(in a role and a caper plot much LIKE The Asphalt Jungle)
Dr. Strangelove(immortal as the psychotic general Jack D. Ripper.)
The Godfather(memorably shot while eating a veal meal.)

...and yes, he was offered Quint in Jaws, after Lee Marvin turned the role down(!) He had problems working in America due to back taxes(he lived in France.) So Robert Shaw got the role -- he'd just been in The Sting for the same producers.

The Long Goodbye is rather the "cult Sterling Hayden performance," and he gives one like it in the little-known "Hard Contract" of 1969, opposite James Coburn. With Gould and Coburn, Hayden played an old guy having a little fun needling a young guy.

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[–] TheArgentinian (6419) 8 months ago

i thought his character added nothing.

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