With magnetic presence, Hackman dominated the screen in movie roles for over four decades. Here are 5 films where he redefined acting.
Last month we lost one of cinema’s greatest actors, Mr. Gene Hackman. With magnetic presence, Hackman dominated the screen in every scene he appeared in for over four decades until he retired from acting in 2004. Starting out in the late 60s in supporting roles, he got his big break as the lead in The French Connection, a film that’s a masterclass in building tension and excitement. Looking nothing like the Pacinos and the Hoffmans of the time, Hackman carved out his career playing parts that compromised creativity over commercialism for most of the 90 movies under his belt.
Today, he is most remembered for his tough-guy movie roles, because no one has done them better since. But Gene Hackman had a range that made the whole world take notice, nabbing two Oscars in his illustrious career for playing the good guy and the bad guy each, with unmatched skill.
Here are 5 films where Hackman, the American genius, redefined film acting.
5. French Connection II
It was a tough act to follow his Oscar winning and career-altering performance as ‘Popeye’ Doyle in The French Connection. Expectations were high because right after the film’s release, and Dirty Harry, which followed a few months later, a series of movies presented the tough-guy cop character in action thrillers. By 1975, people expected an action thriller to end all action thrillers featuring Popeye Doyle and were disappointed by the lack of action in French Connection II.
While The French Connection is an action thriller, French Connection II is a character study. Here, Popeye travels to Marseille in his relentless hunt for Charnier, the bad guy from the first film. Unequipped to communicate and with no game plan, this tough New York cop finds himself in an ineffectual position. Hackman dove deep into the character and presented nuances that can be dissected by psychoanalysts for days.
Laying the character bare for the audience, Hackman presented the side of the tough cop archetype that is seldom seen on screen if ever. At one point, Doyle gets addicted to heroin and is later forced to abruptly withdraw from the drug. His withdrawal journey is underscored by one terrific scene which is probably one of the best acted scenes in the history of American movies. A full-bodied and multidimensional piece of work that provides a palpable character arc to Popeye Doyle’s story, Hackman’s performance in French Connection II is criminally underrated.
Popeye Doyle – ‘I’m going to take you right down that alley there. Right down there. And we’ll start, we’ll start right on your throat, right here. Bust everything in it.’
4. The Royal Tenenbaums
By 2001, when The Royal Tenenbaums came out, Hackman had played other interesting comedic parts in films like The Birdcage, Young Frankenstein, Get Shorty, etc. But The Royal Tenenbaums is one of those movie-magic moments when the sum of all brilliant parts come together to create something timeless; a classic. From the Oscar nominated screenplay written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, Hackman plays Royal Tenenbaum, a hustler of international caliber who hustled his way out of fatherhood, living a selfish existence with no one to care for him as he rides the last lap of his life.
He had a family once. A magnificent family with a beautiful and sensitive wife and three children who loved him terribly. But his abandoning them took a tremendous toll, and to try to win back their affections will be difficult.Â
As Royal, Hackman gives the most ludicrous yet touching comedic performances ever. In his portrayal, there are memories of vitality and charm that show why he had such an impact on the other Tenenbaums. A great ensemble piece rooted in a central performance where an actor brings decades of experience and yet presents a character with unique freshness.
You may or may not be a fan of Wes Anderson’s style of filmmaking but you can’t help but be engrossed in this story. Watch this gem ASAP if you haven’t seen it yet. If you have but it’s been a while, it’s time to watch it again and tip your cap to the legend, Mr. Gene Hackman.
Royal – ‘I’ve always been considered an asshole for about as long as I can remember. That’s just my style. But I’d really feel blue if I didn’t think you were going to forgive me.’
Henry – ‘I don’t think you’re an asshole, Royal. I just think you’re kind of a son of a bitch.’
Royal – ‘Well, I really appreciate that.’
3. Unforgiven
Encapsulating a time and place and people, with Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood not only delivers his best film but also one of the best Westerns ever made.Â
It tells the story of an old rancher who used to be a dangerous killer in his youth. Struggling with money and raising two kids alone, William Munny (Clint Eastwood) reluctantly goes back to his killing ways to seek revenge for a prostitute and claim the bounty offered in return. The only thing standing between him accomplishing the task, is Sheriff ‘Little’ Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman).
He may be on the right side of the law, but Bill is one of the most beguiling movie villains. Hackman plays Bill with enough charm to satisfy a romantic role. Again, working in one of the best screenplays, there is an indelible scene where Bill explains to Saul Rubinek’s writer what makes him tick, how he functions. It’s the kind of bad-guy exposition we don’t ordinarily get in film and Hackman turns the scene into cinema gold.
Hackman went on to play many versions of the same character later in his career but was never this effective. Seeing the movie the first time, you are scared to watch the showdown between Eastwood and Hackman. Seeing it every other time, you relish the anticipation. Eastwood’s vision meets the perfect screenplay meets Hackman’s presence. A match made in heaven.
Little Bill Daggett – ‘All, right, gentlemen. He’s got one barrel left. When he fired that, take out your pistols, and shoot him down like the mangy scoundrel he is!’
2. The French Connection
The French Connection broke new ground with its long chase sequences, making the blueprint for future action movies. While the film is high entertainment for the audience, the lead character is challenging. A guy running around the city beating black folk for petty drug crimes was not an ideal hero for the time. But, Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) was never meant to be likeable. In fact, his tenacity is his only redeeming quality.
On a routine night out with his partner, Doyle spots Sal Boca. The market is geared up for a new drug infusion and Doyle suspects Boca as the weak link in the chain who could lead them to the big fish involved in the drug business. Doyle’s following actions can be used to describe persistence in a dictionary. Playing against character, when the camera rolled, Hackman brought the good and bad in Doyle under the spotlight with great courage. There is no whitewashing to be found. Unapologetic for his actions and seeing nothing beyond his target, on balance, you leave the movie liking the guy because he represents what we all aspire to, a desire to achieve something and moving heaven and earth to get it.
The famous car chase is an editing marvel, no doubt, but its universal and timeless credibility comes from Hackman’s face behind the wheel. This is the performance that brought Gene Hackman to the front row, which resulted in a glorious career we have the privilege to enjoy.
Police Mechanic – ‘Listen, I ripped everything outta there, except the rocker panels.’
Popeye Doyle – ‘C’mon Irv, what the hell is that!’
1. The Conversation
What happens when you have an actor with seemingly unlimited reservoir of energy, giving a restrained performance? If the actor is a genius such as Hackman, you get one of the greatest performances in cinema.Â
An actor’s job is to disappear in the character so that he is no longer visible. Hackman disappears so completely that you don’t see a gram of Popeye Doyle or any other popular characters he played. The socially awkward introvert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) comes alive only when he is alone in his office working with his tools.
Hired by a client to audio record the conversation between a couple, Caul grows increasingly anxious about the profound effect his work can have on others. This kind of internal performance is a bold move because despite being the only main character of the movie, Hackman makes no attempt to form an impression on the audience. Caul is totally unflashy and ordinary. Hackman portrays the kind of guy you see at the bus stop and seconds later forget he ever existed.
The minimalism in his performance makes the intense moments of the movie sneak up and attack the viewer. The scene where the twist is revealed is played so brilliantly by Hackman that the actor’s reaction alone makes The Conversation worth the price of the DVD. Add to that Francis Ford Coppola’s direction while being at the peak of his artistic skills (Coppola made this movie between the two Godfathers) and the result is an enigmatic, neo-noir, paranoid-thriller classic. It is a singular performance delivered by an actor who worked like he owned more than the average set of balls.
Stan – ‘It wouldn’t hurt if you filled me in a little bit once in a while. Did you ever think of that?’
Harry – ‘It has nothing to do with me, and even less to do with you.’
Stan – ‘It’s curiosity! Did you ever hear of that? It’s just goddamn human nature.’
Harry – ‘Listen, if there’s one sure-fire rule that I have learned in this business is that I don’t know anything about human nature. I don’t know anything about curiosity. That’s not what I do.’