Peter O toole,an underrated actor! - My Favorite Year (1982) Discussion

[–] Blu765 17 years ago

He's been nominated seven times for the Acadamy Award for Best Actor(Including for My Favorite Year). Although he never "won" an Oscar, In 2003 the Academy did honored him with a special award for his life's work...

I don't think you can really call that underrated.

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[–] reginald66 17 years ago

look at the body of work he has done, if not underrated...call him overlooked.

and btw I Loved This Movie!

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[–] denbeez 17 years ago

Peter O'Toole is not underrated. The word "underrated" implies that he has toiled in relative obscurity for years, never having the chance to play good parts in high-profile films. O'Toole has, in fact, enjoyed ENORMOUS success and acclaim for over 40 years...acclaim which he RICHLY DESERVES. He was one of the biggest, most in-demand movie stars in the world for a good portion of that time.

I think it's more a matter of O'Toole accepting fewer roles as time has passed. Though he has nothing to prove, younger generations have sadly forgotten him (or never heard of him), and don't have the attention span to appreciate his greatest work: "Lawrence Of Arabia," "Becket," "The Lion In Winter," or even the hilarious "My Favorite Year." He certainly could have played Gandalf in the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy, but I doubt he was terribly interested.

Let's face it...They don't produce lots and lots of films with good parts for men of his age, and though Forrest Whitaker is one of my favorite actors, and so brilliant in "The Last King Of Scotland," it would have been so nice if Peter O'Toole's name had been called last month.

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[–] julielark 17 years ago

How true! Whitaker has another 30 years to get an Oscar, but O’Toole—I fear for his mortality. He should have received the Oscar. But I think Hollywood’s treatment of him—up until four years ago—is due in part to his (justified) refusal to play the Hollywood game. He spent 40 years ignoring the Hollywood system, often doing extremely difficult plays in London with comparatively little recognition when he could’ve taken the easy way out and done a film.
Yes, he could have been Gandalf—and would have easily eclipsed McKellen, had he stirred himself.
While I respect those who say Olivier, Richardson or even Guinness was the greatest actor of the 20th century, my vote goes to O’Toole. I would listen to him read names from a ’phone book. The voice of Almighty God sounds like O’Toole.
His impact on my life is immeasurable. He made me want to be an actor.
Alan Swann for ever!

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[–] qtandem 17 years ago

In MFY he proved he was, moreover a great comedian.

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[–] agnabeya 17 years ago

He's marvellous - I recently bought the BBC production of Casanova.

It's stunning for several reasons - but Peter O'Toole is the star!

My Favourite Year is one of my favourite films of all time - funny, and yet so moving.

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[–] poordogabone-1 16 years ago

I'd liked to have seen him get the Oscar for The Ruling Class—an amazing performance in an amazing movie.

"I'd like to be a pessimist, but that is a luxury I cannot afford."
Mother Hubbard

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[–] Hancock_the_Superb 16 years ago

Peter's deserved multiple Oscars - he's even had many great performances that weren't nominated (his supporting turn in The Last Emperor was excellent, for example).

At the very least, he should have picked up a statue for Lawrence of Arabia and/or The Ruling Class. Or at least one of the eight f-ing performances he was nominated for!!!

It doesn't give me a lot of consolation that so many other talented actors and directors didn't win either. The fact that he's been nominated eight times and not won once is an excrutiating injustice. I don't know if his performance in Venus was necessarily better than Forrest Whittaker's, but it would've been nice for him to win. Even if he gets a sympathy win for a less-than-great role, I think Peter deserves an effing Best Actor Oscar - and then some!

Stone, you can watch me or you can join me. One of them is more fun.

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[–] denbeez 16 years ago

Any way you look at it, acting trophies are a completely arbitrary phenomenon. Who can identify, for example, the "Best Actor" in any given year unless all five nominees are compared playing the same role, with the same script, same director, and same editor, in the same production? (This, of course, cannot happen. There can't be five productions of, for example, "My Favorite Year," or any other film taking place at one time.) There are too many variables to judge which of only 5 is "best."

Hundreds of terrific actors give scores of outstanding performances in dozens of good films each and every year and the Academy nominates only 20, in only 4 categories. The smartest actors (like O'Toole) don't take any of these awards too seriously. Everyone enjoys glory, but for true artists, awards are a "means to an end" in that they'll get paid more for future roles, and can then, hopefully, be more selective in the roles they accept.

Nobody enters such a competitive, often heartbreaking profession, where the odds of simply earning a basic living are stacked against against you (much less great fame and fortune) in order to win trophies. There are INFINITELY easier ways to make money and be respected by your peers than an acting career.

Artists do what they do because they LOVE what they do, and can't fathom an existence doing anything else.

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[–] dgz78 16 years ago

denbeez

You are so right about acting awards, especially the AAs. Hitchcock, Cary Grant, O'Toole, Stanwyck, Ed Robinson, all have won fewer Oscars than Goldie Hawn.

Peter O'Toole is hardly underrated. Man of La Mancha is not a great movie but when O'Toole is Cervantes you can just see the pain of his life come through his eyes. Take O'Toole's roles and see if you can picture Brando in them.

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[–] Irishdrummer007 15 years ago

I agree. I had never seen Peter give a Bad performance and he to this day is a great guy to talk to and very funny.

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[–] vpilutis 12 years ago

Peter did a great job in this film.
Another who would have been pretty good as well is Sean Connery.

See some stars here
http://www.vbphoto.biz/

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[–] fanaticita 8 years ago

I have always really liked Peter O'Toole, but this film was not my favorite film! His acting was fine, don't get me wrong. I just thought the story was kinda weird. . ..

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