Tobey Maguire

I've seen many posts pointing out how "miscast" Mr. Maguire was. I would argue that he was perfectly cast. The point was to show how that evil resides just as often in people who have sweet faced good looks as it does in people who look demented. He may have taken the part to expand his horizons beyond the Spidey persona, sure, but I thought he did a good job with his ridonkulous over-the-top lines.

Overall, none of the actors rose above the material. Worse, they didn't even appear to try. Cate Blanchett was so intent on making with the bedroom eyes that she actually appeared to sleep through her part. And George Clooney was what Geirge Clooney always is: George Clooney.

Getting back to the typecasting issue, it's been done better and with less bludgeon force. Look at "Stalag 17" with the surprise Nazi who infiltrated the prison camp. I won't give the details of who it is in case someone out there hasn't seen this top notch film. Later, after the movie is over it dawns on the viewer how very close the Aryan ideal of young manhood and the All-American ideal appear. That's the reason the infiltration worked, after all. The infiltrator was essentially above suspicion. It worked largely due to his appearance: He looked the part of the All-American-Boy from head to toe.

I don't know if a 1953 flick qualifies as film noir, but watch it anyway if you get the chance. Otto Preminger, a truly Good German, directed it and he plays the commandant of the camp with such steely slimy flint that will make you forget Hogan's Heroes ever existed. (They based HH off of it by taking out all the evil.) You won't guess the ending and you'll be on the edge of your seat caring who done it, I assure you.