For your information, "Iceman", HIS name is Rudolf Nureyev, and he was/is one of the greatest dancers/artists the world has ever known. What is a "real homosexual actor playing a straight lover"? I imagine you looked at it from the point of view that you already knew Nureyev was homosexual in real life & just couldn't look at his fictional character on this film without having that tidbit at the forefront of your mind. Fine. Sure, he wasn't Rudolf Valentino, Errol Flynn or Matthew McConnaghey here, but he was just fine (and convincing as a cellist). The only "drawback" for me initially was his accent & apparent wooden delivery, but the film & its characters were so eccentric anyway i thought it all jelled quite nicely, like a film poem.
I do agree with you this was a "pretty cool film".
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bstephens21
13 years ago
He was miscast. Keitel was as well. While I can't think of Keitel as a cellist or Nureyev as a terrorist, part of me thinks the film would have worked better the other way around.
Even Toback regrets the way he used Nureyev. He's mentioned that, if he could do it again, he would have made his character openly gay, as he felt that Nureyev was capable (and secretly desired) of being much more emotionally honest in his acting than people were willing to give him credit for.
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rex_ilusivii
13 years ago
@bstephens21
part of me thinks the film would have worked better the other way around.
Keitel as a violinist? Sorry, I don't see it.
no i am db
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bstephens21
13 years ago
He worked alright as an inspiring pianist in Fingers. And he can certainly play a man out for revenge.
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