His performance here, notably his final scene in the picture, is just about as good as you'll ever see, anywhere.
I agree, and it is a great scene. The pathos when he tells Hackman, "It's m' pump ..."
shareYes! That scene where he's sitting by the campfire with Gene Hackman, after swimming across the creek, and he tells Hackman about his life and then silently dies of heart failure. Hackman then looks at him, and after he realizes he's dead, said "Mister, I don't even know your name!" That scene always gets me. It was an outstanding performance by Ben Johnson.
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shareI absolutely agree it is a wonderful performance, but I am not at all familiar
with those nominated that year. I would say his speech is so important to
understanding why Clay, Hackman's character, would consider in a new light
the win of the race. Robert Duval recently said every actor wants to be
in a western, but I am sure very few could play a part as well as Johnson,
Duval, Eastwood, or Tommy Lee Jones.
I think Ben Johnson stands alone, above all others for that type of character. If that movie was done today I am not sure how they could cast that part. Ben was a real cowboy who could act. Check him out in Shane. He is just magnificent. RIP Ben Johnson
shareSee him in "Last Picture Show"...a bigger part with Bridges and all star cast.
shareI love Ben Johnson, but the man never learned to act. He was just Ben Johnson, a good ol' boy. I have never seen him give a performance I didn't like, but his acting is no better than Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.
Before you know it, you'll be saying that John Wayne was an actor.
For that hammy little speech dripping with sentiment? Come on...
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
The gleam in his eye as he spoke that piece "dripping with sentiment" and the delivery of the speech at the campfire were as heartfelt as any lines ever delivered by an actor from either coast. Of course the "flyover country accent" kills it for the more erudite among us.... We understand that you never will get it, being from the "civilized" portion of the land and all. Of course the part where he talks to his horse on crossing over the river were as real as real could be too.
Of course it hurt his career that he never portrayed a drug addicted pervert or America-hater, either.
Johnson would have been a joke cast as Hamlet or Macbeth, but he credibly played a handful of villains, and consider this: he played Tector Gorch, a violent redneck, in THE WILD BUNCH, and a Gabby Hayes style comic relief foreman in CHISUM...and did just fine both times. Incidentally, I'm a Californian by upbringing and I like Johnson just fine.
shareBen was great in every film he did. Playing villains with as much relish as heroes. As Bob says he didn't have much acting experience but I believe Mr Ford taught him all he needed to know. Ben is a legend. I would like to add guys his great performances also in One Eyed Jacks and Dillinger.
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