Worst performance ever by an actress

"What people are like on the inside of entertainment - stage, big screen, or little..." is immaterial to the quality of her performance. (And your speculation as to what I do or do not know couldn't be more off the mark.) I've known actors who were wonderful, generous and otherwise fine human beings who couldn't pull off a convincing performance to save their lives, just as I've known actors who were the height of rudeness, selfishness and greed who were so wonderful in some of their roles that one could deeply resent their brilliant talent having been bestowed upon such a sack of scum. (I've also known brilliants actors who were terrific people, and so forth.)

A critique of a performance is not a comment on the performer's personal character or worth as a human being.

I don't know whether your mention of this indicates a personal knowledge of the actress, or simply a level of empathy (perhaps an unhealthy level) for an actress who would be the subject of such a scathing comment. I assure you, if I were to see similar comments about one of my own performances listed on IMDB, I'd be embarrassed, and perhaps hurt - though some of my own performances doubtless deserve just such a ripping. My being hurt would make the comments no less accurate. And in this context, I don't believe anyone is obligated to temper their comments or opinions out of concern that the subject might one day actually read those words.

Judging a performance is largely a subjective pursuit. After all, there are knowledgeable, intelligent folks who can take opposing views as to the value of virtually every film/play and individual performance ever produced.

On the other hand, there are some standards which are, if intangible and very difficult to articulate, almost universal. For example, "Howard the Duck," Plan 9 From Outer Space" and "Ishtar" all certainly have their advocates. But by and large, there is a broad consensus that these are terrible films.

By the same token, I feel very confident believing that, if large numbers were to sit and view Martha Gehman's performance in F/X, the overwhelming majority would agree that her performance is bad to the point of embarrassment. Her line readings in F/X are unnatural and wooden. Her voice in F/X is flat, especially unconvincing at times of supposed stress, excitement or anger. (This latter prompted my speculation that virtually all of her lines were looped.) As Rollie ditches her and speeds away in his van, she's left in the street to call after him, supposedly frustrated, worried and angry. But given the tone of her words, one can't help but imagine a bored actress sitting in an editing bay, reading the words from a script in front of her while trying to synch her words with the action on a screen on the other side of the glass.

Indeed, that general affect - of being somehow completely distant from the activity on screen, disinterested while also ringing false and fake - is the hallmark of this particular performance from beginning to end.

Again, I conceed it's only my opinion and speculation, but I think most people would agree with these points, and supply many similar specifics of their own.

Finally, I confess I'm mystified at your suggestion that the comments are motivated by "jealousy." There was a time that, "you're just jealous..." was a quasi epithet hurled by 13 year old girls in the midst of an argument. But over the last decade or two, I've seen it become exceptionally common in a variety of debates, especially in politics. That is, criticize a performance, a vote, or an opinion, and so many today seem to be so quick to answer with some variant of "You're just jealous!" I think it's a juvenile response that indicates, at best, a juvenile affection for the subject of the disputed criticism - a rebuttal that shows the respondent doesn't have facts or a convincing argument available for their defense.

At the time of my original post, I was only able to locate three reviews contemporary to the release of F/X, and two of them gave specific attention to the bizarrely awful performance of Marth Gehman. The third, perhaps in an act of mercy, didn't mention it either way.

Marth Gehman may be a delightful person and a wonderful friend. She may have stellar performances in other productions. But in F/X, she absolutely sucks.

Yes..that's her alright and i agree... bad acting

Shawn is cool, remember that :->

Unsurprisingly, her IMDB biography has this long list of remarkable attributes:

{quote} Has blonde hair.

Daughter of Estelle Parsons and Richard Gehman.

Has a twin sister. {unquote}

I thought she added a (albeit unintentional) comic element to the film. She was bad, really bad, but I think there have been worse performances.

...it's alright, Ma, if I can't please him

"I think she must have been somebody's sister or something, or maybe even slept with the producer."

Did anyone notice that one of the producers was Dodi Al Fayed?

Makes me wonder.

[deleted]