A great favorite of mine. Interesting no matter what he did. However.....
I think he was most brilliant - and that's a serious word - when he was in support roles. He simply did not have the gravitas to carry a film, as well, on his own. His flame was just not that hot for the long haul lead.
It's a little hard to say why in a simple fashion. His range as a character was fairly broad but not full. He had that inescapable, white homey accent. He was not particularly handsome and he had just a touch of goofiness that he could never escape. One could say more but that's enough for the point.
Badlands, In The Heat of The Night, The Border, The Hired Hand.....I could go on. All these support roles allowed him to do what he did best, absolutely shine, when he had the breathing room to bring his particularly skillful quirk to full bore without the full focus observation that necessarily accompanies any lead role.
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Topic - Warren Oates..... - afilado 17:05:32 08/07/09 (9)
- RE: Warren Oates? Wasn't he in The Wild Bunch? nt - geoffkait 09:36:36 08/09/09 (1)
- Yes. And in several other of Peckinpah's films too. * - Mike K 10:36:40 08/09/09 (0)
- "Lighten up, Francis." * - mr grits 20:52:00 08/07/09 (2)
- "Stripes" is hilarious. "Who's your buddy..... who's your friend? I am, aren't I" nt - tinear 09:17:55 08/09/09 (0)
- That one , too....LOL. nt - afilado 21:36:51 08/07/09 (0)
- RE: Warren Oates..... while he didn't always get the lead - grinagog 18:45:30 08/07/09 (3)
- Geez, I didn't say.... - afilado 19:07:54 08/07/09 (2)
- Heard ya the 1st time... - grinagog 06:17:19 08/08/09 (1)
- Alrighty.... - afilado 07:27:48 08/08/09 (0)