Tuesday, April 22, 2014

In Character: Bill Murray

Since the inception of my In Character series two and a half years ago, the one actor who has dominated my readers’ requests for coverage is the incomparable Bill Murray. Choosing Murray’s finest performances is certainly no easy task, but listed below are characters that define one of the most uniquely gifted performers who has ever lived. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement for this post, and I really hope you enjoy my picks. As always, be sure to share your favorite Murray performances as well.

Five Essential Roles
Ghostbusters (1984)
Dr. Peter Venkman
Peter Venkman is one of cinema’s finest comedic characters. It’s an iconic performance by an actor who is so acutely aware of his skills. Timing, inflection, facial and body movements – it’s all delivered to perfection.

In an impressively unselfish move, the writers of Ghostbusters, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, gave Peter Venkman the film’s best material. In doing this, they more or less put the fate of the film in the sensibilities of the actor playing Venkman. In lesser hands, Peter Venkman’s ceaseless deadpan humor could’ve fallen noticeably flat. But Murray knew what he was doing, and he created a character that will, in no uncertain terms, outlive us all. Peter Venkman is many things, perhaps most importantly, the finest out-and-out comedic performance of Murray’s career.

What About Bob? (1991)
Bob Wiley
Never has Murray presented a more loveable, frustrating, hilariously idiotic character than Bob Wiley. There’s a notion common throughout all of Murray’s comedy work that I always go back to, and that is the idea of balance. Murray’s best comedic characters consistently toe the line of going too far. With Ghostbusters, Peter Venkman could have potentially been too sardonic, thereby alienating viewers. Similarly, Bob Wiley could’ve been too much of a buffoon to take seriously. At worst, we could spend much of What About Bob? annoyed with Bob. But because Murray is aware of the balance in his work, he keeps Bob interesting by never pushing his performance to the absurd. Basically, again, Murray knew precisely what he was doing with Bob Wiley, and the results never cease to amuse.

Groundhog Day (1993)
Phil Connors
The thing I love most about this performance is how Murray played Phil Connors as such an egotistical dick. It allowed Murray to explore a darker side of his comedic psyche, which helped establish Groundhog Day as one of the best comedies of the ‘90s (if not ever).

The beauty of this performance is in the evolution of our perception of Phil. At first, we don’t really like him, because we’re not meant to really like him. Later, as Phil has suffered through the same damn day countless times, we start to pity him. We begin to accept his plight, and long for him to escape this dreaded day. It’s a subtle transformation from contempt to empathy, all due to Murray’s balanced worked.

Rushmore (1998)
Herman Blume
Is there an actor from recent memory who so seamlessly fit better into a director’s world than Bill Murray fit into Wes Anderson’s? From Herman Blume’s overall melancholic demeanor, to his random, silly gestures (swatting at his kids in the back seat, blocking the layup of a little kid), everything about the man feels wholly authentic. Simply put: Herman Blume is one of the best career resurgences from an actor that I can think of.

And that’s not to say Bill Murray went away. He’s been a staple of television and film since the late ‘70s, but with Rushmore, we discovered a new Bill Murray. A gentler, more subtle Bill Murray. He’s still funny (he’s always funny), but Herman Blume is a different kind of funny. A sad, unobtrusive funny. Prior to Rushmore, Murray had attempted drama, but never to such startling effects. Through Herman Blume, a new facet to Bill Murray’s cinematic identity was born, and we’ve been basking in its greatness ever since.

Lost in Translation (2003)
Bob Harris
Bob Harris is the character Bill Murray was born to play. Watching Lost in Translation, it feels as though Murray’s entire career was leading up to his representation of a repressed, lonely, despondent actor named Bob Harris. And perhaps the greatest compliment I can offer Murray’s work in this film is that there is no other actor who could do what he did here. The distinctive tone he created for Bob, and, consequently, the entire movie, is unlike anything I’ve seen. Whether he’s struggling with a malfunctioning elliptical, trying to shield his shame after he’s been caught with another woman, or suffering through a painfully awkward lunch, everything about Bob Harris works. Bill Murray and Lost in Translation is a perfect marriage of content and performance; each betters the other, creating an enduring work of art that will be cherished forever.

A-ring-a-ding-ding.

Wild Card
Wild Things (1998)
Ken Bowden
I’ve never included a Wild Card section in my In Character posts, but if there is an actor to bend the rules for, then it is certainly Bill Murray. Although Wild Things is just a step above (or below…) a mid-afternoon soap opera, it knows it’s a mid-afternoon soap opera, and it plays it up wonderfully. The chief case in point is Murray’s character, Ken Bowden. Ken is the definition of an ambulance chaser – a sleazy strip mall lawyer who wears an unneeded neck brace for sympathy, and plays the part of a sore winner to perfection. Take, for instance, the scene in which Ken and his client, Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) successfully countersue the Van Ryan family for defamation. Ken rolls up to his shitty office in a brand new sports car, late to his own damn metting, he gives Sam a ridiculous attaboy handshake, signs the settlement papers, then smugly tells the town’s king douchebag, Tom Baxter (Robert Wagner), that they should “Do lunch.”

Ken Bowden is the perfect Bill Murray as Bill Murray performance. He’s so clearly tapping into the extremes of his on-screen persona, but the way in which he shamelessly owns it should certainly not be overlooked.

The Best of the Best
Broken Flowers (2005)
Don Johnston
Last January, Bill Murray participated in a humorous and insightful reddit “Ask Me Anything” in which he revealed many a splendid thing about his career. My favorite being that he nearly gave up acting after starring in Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers. “I didn’t think I could do any better than Broken Flowers,” he admitted. “I thought I had done all I could do to it as an actor.” (Murray later expanded on this during the mesmerizing hour he spent with Charlie Rose a month later.)

I’m using Murray’s words as a means of defending my pick of Broken Flowers as his best work. Because really, anyone could pick their favorite Bill Murray performance and construct a convincing argument as to why that performance is his best. That’s the strength of his craft. Is Murray’s work as Don Johnston “better” than his portrayal of Bob Harris? Is Peter Venkman a more fully realized incarnation of comedy than Herman Blume? Hell if I know. I’m not a judge or jury, I’m just a guy who unequivocally adores Broken Flowers.

With Lost in Translation (or, one might argue, Rushmore), Bill Murray shared a new side of himself for the first time, and the result was utterly captivating. With Broken Flowers, he expanded on that new facet of his personality and delivered a performance of fascinating restraint. There’s something about Don that I find almost hypnotic. He’s drifting through life, aimless in a fog of monetary success and emotional indifference. When his life gains purpose and he himself has a mission, it still comes off as dry and routine (Jarmusch’s purposeful narrative helps create a distinctly circular mood). It isn’t until the film’s poignant conclusion that we truly get to know who Don Johnston is. Standing at a crossroads, waiting, thinking. That’s the Bill Murray I know and love.

Other Notable Roles
In Stripes
Meatballs (1979)
Caddyshack (1980)
Stripes (1981)
Tootsie (1982)
The Razor’s Edge (1984)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Scrooged (1988)
Ghostbusters II (1989)
Quick Change (1990)
Mad Dog and Glory (1993)
Ed Wood (1994)
Kingpin (1996)
Space Jam (1996)
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
Hamlet (2000)
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Coffee and Cigarettes (2003)
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Get Low (2009)
The Limits of Control (2009)
Zombieland (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2012)
The Monuments Men (2014)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

44 comments:

  1. Love this! I haven't seen Ghost Busters yet. I really need to! Your top two are perfection. I need to see Broken Flowers too. He was hilarious in Wild Things. I love that you mention that.

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    1. Ha, thanks man! Dude, you really need to make Ghostbusters the next film you watch. It's a staple of cinematic comedy. So, so good. Hope you enjoy it!

      And Wild Things... yep, movie rocks.

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  2. Broken Flowers has been on my watchlist since forever.
    Murray's performance in Lost in Translation is one of my most favourites ever. Just fantastic work there. And of course Herman Blume is awesome.

    No Garfield? :P

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    1. Garfield just missed the mark. Ha. You must see Broken Flowers as soon as you can. Don Johnston fits so well within the Bob Harris/Herman Blume world of Murray. You'll love it.

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  3. Yes yes yes! Dead Flowers would be my top pic as well. That's my favorite Jarmusch movie and my favorite Murray performance (which is tough on both ends since I love both the film maker and actor so much!). For a second I was actually sad that you picked Wild Things, but then saw the "Wild Card" title above it and calmed down. I love that film but I would have been really bummed if you had said that that was Murray's crowning achievement. But it was a momentary bummer before the sun was shining in my grey Jarmusch colored world again.

    Can't fault the rest of these picks either. Truthfully, beyond Murray's central performance, I've always found Lost In Translation to be rather overrated. I was a little surprised to see Bob in here as well. Really solid comedy but rather unexpected (in a good way!). Once again a very solid job bro, always love reading these things.

    (Also what are your thoughts on Where the Buffalo Roam? I actually thought Murray did a pretty solid Hunter Thompson impression even if the rest of the film around him faltered)

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    1. Haha, well, as much as I love him in Wild Things, I'd have to be batshit to call that his best performance, so I'm glad I didn't let you down there! Broken Flowers is remarkable, isn't it? By far my favorite Jarmusch as well. I really love that film.

      You know, you summed up my thoughts on Where the Buffalo Roam rather well when you called his performance an impression. That film does nothing for me, because it really does feel like an extended SNL skit or something. Kind of a bummer.

      Thanks for the support man, so happy you enjoy this column!

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  4. Man, I really need to see Broken Flowers. That one has been on my radar for so long. Just looking through his filmography makes me smile though. He's been in a lot of wonderful things.

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    1. He certainly has. I'm so glad you pointed out that Broken Flowers is on Netflix. More people need to watch that film. It's so damn good. Hope you enjoy it!

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  5. Very glad to see that you did Bill! Even though I think a lot of the characters he plays are alike, he still brings them to life and it is so refreshing to watch him. I prefer Steve Zissou over Herman Blume, but you highlighted his best performances!

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    1. Thanks! I think the reason I put him off for so long is that he really isn't, by my definition, a character actor. He's Bill Murray. All of his characters have varying degrees of Murrayness, which is fine, considering he's one of the all-time greats. I pretty much love him in everything.

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  6. What an actor!! My favourite performance of his is by far Lost in Translation, I think you perfectly described his performance, although Venkman and Blume are VERY close behind. Also, how has he never made a bad movie! I mean, apart from Garfield and its sequel, but in my opinion, the less said of them, the better... and I am definitely gonna watch the Charlie Rose interview!

    By the way, how is Wait going?

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    1. He really is perfect in Lost in Translation. Not a single misstep to be found in his performance. Although I have, unfortunately, seen some very bad films featuring Bill Murray, he always manages to bring something pleasing to them, which is nice. The Charlie Rose interview is great. There's a moment with John Belushi gets mentioned, and Murray's reaction is bliss. I think it's toward the end.

      Wait is going really well, thanks for asking! Nearly done locking picture, and then it's on to sound editing/mixing, which I think I told you is a very, very tedious process. But I work on the film a little every day (and a lot on the weekends). It's turning into something I'm really proud of :)

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  7. Groundhog Day is one of those.. "what should I watch.." movies that pops into your mind one minute and you just have to watch it or something bad will happen or something.. I love Murray.. I loved Murray's Murray in Zombieland so much.. only he can play himself and have a stand out small role that just stays with you..

    I like to think I gave you that last push that time I commented the In Character page just a little while ago. :D

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    1. Yep, it was definitely your comment that pushed me right over, so thanks for that!

      Groundhog Day, like the best of Murray's comedy films, is endlessly rewatchable. I love that damn movie. In fact, I could stand for a rewatch ASAP.

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  8. When Nicole Kidman announced Sean Penn's name for Best Actor... my heart sank. I wanted Bill Murray to win that Oscar for Lost in Translation. It's my favorite Bill Murray performance and not suprisingly, I mentioned that in my list 4 years ago in celebration of his birthday.

    Murray is the actor that I think many comedy actors wish they could be. He has the charisma, the wit, the ability to be outrageous, and can also be dramatic without trying to be. I hope he wins his Oscar and then host SNL in a big episode where everyone from the show will have to show up and bow down to him. After all, he is the total package.

    Hell, making a list like this isn't easy since he's done so many great performances. I can't argue with your choices. You've nailed the essentials and more.

    For relaxing times... make it Suntory time.

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    1. Oh man, I love that list of yours. It's so great to see Wild Things and Ed Wood make your Top 10. I recently rewatched Ed Wood, and I love what he did with his character in that film. What an odd little man he was.

      I too hope he wins an Oscar someday, because you're right, he really is the beacon of comedy right now. And, frankly, has been for a while.

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  9. While I was reading your list I saw the expected Rushmore (expected because many people name it) and I thought to myself "I'd swap that out for the more obscure Broken Flowers". Then I get to the bottom and see you've picked that as his best. It deserves a wider audience. It's probably my favorite Jarmusch film, too. As for Rushmore, I don't dislike it, but I've just never "gotten" the fascination so many people have with it. I'd pick both The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Moonrise Kingdom as better Anderson films with Murray in them.

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    1. Love hearing that you're a Broken Flowers fan. Definitely my favorite Jarmusch film. It's the one film of his that I can put on most any time. Don't get me wrong, I love Jarmusch's work, but there's something about Broken Flowers, and Murray's performance, that I'm so drawn to.

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  10. I'm another one who hasn't seen Broken Flowers Shame on me. The rest of his filmography is so amazing I know it was a difficult task narrowing it down. His work in Ed Wood would make my list for sure. That short burst of awesomeness that is his cameo in Zombieland might be on top for me. Its a small dose of Murray, but it's 100% perfect.

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    1. You know, it really came down to Wild Things or Zombieland for that Wild Card of mine. Because they're both Murray doing Murray, and they're both priceless. I love him in Ed Wood too, such a funny little role. Definitely see Broken Flowers ASAP!

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  11. I can't argue with any of these, but methinks I need to see Broken Flowers asap.

    I really love that you found a place for Wild Things. If there's one thing we need more of in this world, it's shameless cinematic Velveeta. The '90s had so many awesome/terrible movies and Wild Things was at the apex/nadir of the mountain/trench that included the likes of Showgirls and Cruel Intentions and Sliver. In the other awful films, you could tell some of the actors were taking their roles very seriously. No such delusion to be found in Wild Things, particularly from Murray. He knows he's in a bad film and he revels in the sleaze.

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    1. Methinks you gotta see Broken Flowers too. So good.

      Dude, I'm so pleased that you get my love for Wild Things. I don't love that film because I'm a creep, I love it because it knows exactly what it is. I fully agree with everything you said about it.

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  12. Groundhog Day is one of my all time favorite movies. Bill Murray is great. I also really loved him in his small role in Ed Wood.

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    1. I just rewatched Ed Wood the other day, and he's so perfect in that. He's never concerned with being the top bill and taking the spot light, which I so respect.

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  13. Great post, love the appreciation for Broken Flowers, granted I only saw it once but there is something so memorable about the movie and its performances.

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    1. Thanks! I love that movie so much. I haven't seen it too many times either, but it is oh so very memorable.

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  14. I figured you'd go with Lost in Translation or even the greatness of Groundhog Day, but I can't argue with the pick of Broken Flowers. He carries that movie, and I feel like it's a film that's mostly been forgotten already. Can't argue with any of these picks.

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    1. I agree that Broken Flowers has either been mostly forgotten, or completely overlooked by the majority of people. But I suppose that's the case for most of Jarmusch’s films. Loyal as hell fan base, but it's sad that his films don't reach many people.

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  15. I feel like Broken Flowers has been in my Netflix queue for ages, but it keeps getting lost in the shuffle. I'm pushing it to the top of the list now.

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    1. Nice! I promise it'll be worth your while. Such a great film.

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  16. Oh man, great to see you highlight Bill here man. Recently watched Ghostbusters with a good friend in the memory of the late Harold Ramis, and my God. I was overcome by raucous laughter throughout, Bill's Venkman might be the perfect storm of polarizing cynicism and relatable fallibility, Peter Venkman is like a Billy Wilder character trapped in a 90's film, fucking perfect. My dad got me into Bill Murray with films like What About Bob and old episodes of Saturday Night Live (Although SCTV is vastly superior, go Canada!) and I haven't missed a beat since. We've talked about how I feel about Wes but I haven't mentioned how much I really enjoy Rushmore, it's a fun film and Murray elevates it even further. Good post man!

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    1. Thanks! I love how you said Venkman feels like a character from a Wilder film. I've never thought about him like that, but that is fuckin' spot on. Genuinely one of the funniest performances in cinema history. And yeah, Murray is the reason Rushmore is... Rushmore, you know? He elevated that thing to greatness.

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  17. One of my absolute favorite actors ever and my favorite comedic actor ever! As I say to my friends it is very very hard to be right in the middle in playing a comedic character, to be sort of funny. Not Jim Carrey over-the-top or Dan Aykroyd in Blues Brothers stoic, just right in the middle. What he pulls off in Lost in Translation is perfectly played as the man trying to cope in a isolated world. However, his Phil Conners is my favorite performance in one of my favorite comedy movies ever, no one else could pul the character to the degree he does. Will have to check out Broken Flowers ASAP. Great profile of a great actor.

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    1. Thanks Jeff! Yeah, that thing you're talking about - not giving too much, not holding back - is the notion of balance I kept harping on. Murray is such a well balanced actor, both in comedy and drama. And you're right, no one could pull off Phil Conners the way he did.

      Oh man, if you're a Murray, you gotta check out Broken Flowers. Be really curious to hear what you think.

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  18. It's incredible the amount of movies he's made that have brought me such joy over the years!

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    1. Isn't it? He's literally been making classics throughout my lifetime. So crazy.

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  19. Another awesome post! I've grown up watching a lot of Murray's films 'cause he is one of my mother's favorite actors. I loved him since I watched him on Ghostbusters, What About Bob? and Groundhog Day. You couldn't have described better how great he is on these films.

    Then I watched Lost in Translation as a teenager and I was so impressed with his performance. That's one of my top favorite films and you're totally right. I can't imagine anyone else as Bob, he's one of the reasons why the film worked so well. His dynamic with Scarlett was perfect. Rushmore is an amazing work too, but Bob and the guy from Broken Flowers are my two favorites. I think his unique humor is the perfect addition to a Jarmusch film and that's why it worked so perfectly. That film is something special, so is his performance. And even just being a little role, I loved him in The Royal Tenenbaums - probably because I love everything about that film - but his face listening to Margot's background and the "Well I wanna die" line were perfect.

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    1. Thanks Mara! I know how much you love Lost in Translation, so your appreciation for my post means a lot to me. Also really love that you're a fan on Broken Flowers, a film I've cherished since first seeing it. And I agree that Murray's unique humor is what sets Broken Flowers apart, and helps make it Jarmusch's best film. For me, anyway.

      Oh, and I absolutely adore everything about The Royal Tenenbaums too.

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  20. I have a vague memory of him in Ghostbusters, since I saw him in it when I was a kid. Glad I recognize most of the roles you mentioned. I love him in Lost in Translation and Groundhog Day too. Still need to see Rushmore. Great pick, Alex!

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    1. Thanks Andina! Rushmore is classic Wes Anderson, if you dig his films. Have you seen Broken Flowers? I highly recommend that one. So very good.

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  21. Yes to all of these! My top 6 would be exactly the same. I might name Lost in Translation as his best, but he's brilliant in Broken Flowers. I also love his small role in Tootsie. He's hilarious in that. "I wish I had a theater that was only open when it rained."

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    1. Awesome! Oh man, I love him in Tootsie. He plays it so straight, and it just kills me. Truly hilarious film there.

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  22. Lost in Translation is my favourite film so I can't go past that performance. There's something so incredibly lonely about his character that Murray just nails. You're right when you say it's a character he was born to play. Gosh, I think I'll just have to watch it now! I really liked him in Broken Flowers too, although I'd have to rewatch it to see if your (and Murray's) assessment stacks up to Suntory Time Bob. Great post Alex

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    1. Thanks Sam! It wasn't easy to have anything top Lost in Translation, but both are such splendid performances. And, it's worth noting that without Bob, I don't think we get Don Johnston. Not as fully fleshed out as he was. I'm so in love with both of those performances.

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