MovieChat Forums > Gangster No. 1 (2000) Discussion > Paul Bettany's Performance

Paul Bettany's Performance

posted 20 years ago by taimur74
30 replies | jump to latest

All I can sum about this performance is WOW !!!! His portrayal of the seething , psychotic and intense young gangster is in my opinion one of the most chilling portrayals of evil ever on the big screen . I would rather have sewing classes with Buffalo Bill or lunch with Hannibal Lector than have to be interrogated by Gangster. I epsecially liked the way he reacts to Karen , I could never figure out if he hated her or maybe liked her in some way but couldnt figure out how to respond as voilence is the only way he reacts to a situation. Anyways my favourite scene is after killing Lennie Taylor he's slumped exhausted in the chair and just cursing him in a robot like manner . Thats scene is chilling beyond words.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] funnylooking 20 years ago

his performance was facking excellent......I never knew.

[–] j_clockwork 20 years ago

UNBELIEVABLE performance. he should play gansters more often. he deserved at least an oscar nod for this i believe. greatt film

"look at my fuc*ing eyes"

[–] psykeman420 20 years ago

great performance AND looks exactly like Malcom McDowell may have looked younger

[–] boulter_bob 20 years ago

Breathtaking performance! What a shame Bettany loses out to no-talent's like Orlando Bloom because he's the pretty boy of the moment!!

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] Psinex6 20 years ago

While Bettany was very impressive, David Thewlis was astounding as Freddie Mays. Lots of good performances all around.

[–] anna__key 20 years ago

I have to agree with you psinex David Thewlis' and the whole casts performances were amazing.

Although i do think that Paul Bettany's was the best of the film. Many actors would have played it the typical gangster way, but he added a deeper menace to the character which is one of the best i've ever seen.

Fantastic

[–] pdarbythedude 17 years ago

yeh i agree he looks a bit like mcdowell in clockwork orange.

[–] DavidB74 19 years ago

Just have to say I agree, Paul Bettany's performance was amazing.

I think, for me, the most chilling scene was when he was interrogating Eddie. (I think it was Eddie, It's been a while since I saw it, it's the "My favourite axe" bit.) Chilling to watch such potential violence and see Eddie just crumble in fear. Also a perfect precursor to the slaughter that follows, when that threat conveyed in his eyes is finally realised to the full.

[–] wait_dream 19 years ago

< Also a perfect precursor to the slaughter that follows, when that threat conveyed in his eyes is finally realised to the full. >

Definitely. He says nothing to Eddie after that (the next day perhaps), but gives him a sandwich and lights his cigarette for him. Eddie knows that the gruesome carcas they found was created by Gangster.

[–] turkeycreek 18 years ago

What a menacing performance as the young gangster. He perfectly displayed a character completely devoid of compassion for any of his victims - a true sociopath.

I loved that strange stretching of the jaw that Bettany did in the car before he killed Roland. I haven't seen the movie for a few months and can't remember if he did it elsewhere but I found it chilling. Does anyone have a link to a photo of it?

[–] Zipper69 18 years ago

I'm surprised that nobody has picked up the strong resemblance in physical appearance, mannerisms and clothes to the young Michael Cain in Italian Job and Get Carter.

This is especially noticable as he is dressing before the mirror and lowers his eyes to fasten his cufflinks.

Bettany also has the fair hair, pale skin and blond lashes of Mr Micklewhite (maybe he should make long term plans to play Sir Michael in the eventual biopic ?

[–] Tarquin_Q_Zanzibar 9 years ago

"I loved that strange stretching of the jaw that Bettany did in the car before he killed Roland. I haven't seen the movie for a few months and can't remember if he did it elsewhere"

He certainly did it on more than one occasion, as I remember him doing it again as he came out of the lift on his way up to Lenny Taylor's apartment to kill him. I can't recall if there were any other moments when Bettany did this - perhaps it was only ever just when the beast was about to be uncaged - but McDowell did something quite similar on the roof after finals his meeting with Terry Mays.

"You've got lovely eyes Dee-Dee, never noticed them before, are they real?"

[–] darth_sidious 16 years ago

The guy who plays Eddie is amazing when Bettany interrogates him. That is one of the best acting scenes on film I've ever seen.

[–] Devans00 18 years ago

I first noticed Paul Bettany as the monk in Da Vinci code. The suprising thing to me was his coloring. He has some.

When he was preparing to kill Roland, that's one of the scenes when he scared me the most. You can tell he was plotting and calculating with that big ugly hatchet. And the scenes with Eddie Miller. You just knew he was going to squash that little sniveling bug. But Eddie had the last laugh and outlived him.

Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.

[–] sumtymsicomback 18 years ago

Paul Bettany usually seems like such a cool guy. He scared the crap out of me in this movie. Ray Liotta is the guy that creeps me out if he's just standing there, but Bettany really creeped me out. When he was sitting in the car watching Freddie & Karen being attacked, you really just plain out hated him. Thats the first time an actor was so good that I hated him. I mean Jauquin Phoenix in Gladiator, you love to hate him, you don't really feel it during the movie, but when you look back at it you think 'what a jerk', not .... well I don't even have words for how much I hated Bettany's character.

He just wanted to be Freddie & have everything he had, but never had it.

[–] TheOddBird 18 years ago

Yeah, he was really friggin scary, but it was top notch acting. 'Specially the part where that pudgy guy was crying/drooling. Sorry, to lazy to look up the dudes name.

[–] wait_dream 18 years ago

Yeah, forgive me if I already said this, but Bettany just nailed the detached sadism. He wasn't just one of those over the top, maniacle creeps who laughs at how evil he is and rejoices in his villainy. He also wasn't a purely cold-blooded killer who was apathetic. He was somehow both. He was extremely violent, and he enjoyed hurting others. But he was also completely cool, as in calm and collected. Most of the time. Beneath that he was just raging freak.

[–] ian_uk 18 years ago

Paul Bettany was just fantastic in this. His skull like silent scream in the car and ability to intimidate just by body language was amazing.

One of the best performances I've ever seen.

[–] bookwarmus 18 years ago

Exactly.

And what bothers me is, he still hasn't got a nomination for any 'big' award. An Oscar nomination is long overdue for him, after the 'Gangster' or 'Master and commander' performances.

Sometimes I think the movie world is afraid of Paul. He is too damned talented and courageous in his choice of roles and too good looking, also.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Woodyanders 16 years ago

I agree. Paul Bettany was superb in this film. I love the whole sequence when he was questioning the sniveling Eddie Miller.

"We're all part Shatner/And part James Dean/Part Warren Oates/And Steve McQueen"

[–] minnadoon 16 years ago

having never seen Paul in anything until this movie, I was VERY impressed with his (and pretty much all the other) performances, and will look up his work.

However, being a fan of Malcolm M. since the early days, he bears absolutely NO resemblence to a young MM. His face is much more finely drawn, with quite well porportioned bone structure and much more delicately strong than MM ever was.

MM had more of a 'clown' face (very endearing). Rounder, heavier, and plainer in all it's aspects, and very animated. Very sweet smile, as opposed to the chilling baring of teeth by PB.

Since they aged everyone else in their roles, I wish they had done that to Bettany. I would have loved to see him shine on as the older gangster, and missed him when his part was through. Even tho I like MM, I believe they should have done it differently.

o lucky man indeed

[–] parkyson 13 years ago

I think what chilled me the most about his performance was the fact that, on a much smaller scale, I do know people when I was younger who had some traits of the gangster in their personalities.

That nasty 'want to be something im not but in a vicious cool calm intimidating way' style of personality, that isnt as far fetched as people think. I found him terrifying because he could easily be a real person.

[–] Nobodyinnit 8 years ago

I hear that.

As for Karen, I think he disliked her because she could sense he was one sick puppy underneath. Not only that but was a distraction from him for Freddie and she rejected Gangster's not even remotely nice come-on. Three reasons he probably hated her, but at the same time probably wanted to see if he could charm her anyway (but couldn't, looks like he would have difficulty being sincerely nice to anyone).

I think this was PB's best performance. You're in no doubt watching him on screen, the character is very unsettling in his potential realism.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

I agree with you Op that his performance is chilling because he seems to revel in being evil for its own sake.

I would rather have sewing classes with Buffalo Bill or lunch with Hannibal Lector than have to be interrogated by Gangster.

You would? I guess Bill and Hannibal would be more predictable in their actions, whilst Gangster wasn't.

I epsecially liked the way he reacts to Karen , I could never figure out if he hated her or maybe liked her in some way but couldnt figure out how to respond as voilence is the only way he reacts to a situation.

My take was that she 'rejected' him initially for Freddie and then he very quickly realises she will supplant him in Freddie's importance. I don't think he liked her at all. In fact he seemed to really hate her even at the end.

Moments of perfection,
idle in the sunshine

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