tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post6963751503606275682..comments2024-03-28T06:14:54.076-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: In Character: Eli WallachAlex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-44769864115847669262024-01-29T15:02:47.992-05:002024-01-29T15:02:47.992-05:00Every time I see him, I'm reminded how much i ...Every time I see him, I'm reminded how much i love him.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-70068339192946921042024-01-20T09:18:03.946-05:002024-01-20T09:18:03.946-05:00Wait a minute! We aren't supposed to fall in l...Wait a minute! We aren't supposed to fall in love with the bad guy!!?? But I did, all those years ago when The Good etc came out. I didn't know it til the movie came on tv last year- and I was hooked again. Drooled over him in The Holiday. ELI was LOVELY. What a man xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-28133939169769183992016-10-10T16:58:37.330-04:002016-10-10T16:58:37.330-04:00That's very interesting context. And in terms ...That's very interesting context. And in terms of people condemning a movie they haven't seen... sadly, that still happens today, all the time. I remember when Brokeback Mountain was released, the conservative right were shitting their pants over it, even though the fuckin' movie hadn't even been released. More recently, seemingly <i>everyone</i> had an opinion about The Birth of a Nation before it was released. Even though most people were condemning the person who created it, and, by proxy, the film itself.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-80654374460893079422016-10-10T16:55:57.365-04:002016-10-10T16:55:57.365-04:00haha all good!haha all good!Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-65410829938643555112016-10-07T01:18:25.332-04:002016-10-07T01:18:25.332-04:00I think a big reason Baby Doll is not among his mo...I think a big reason Baby Doll is not among his most well-known movies is because of its condemnation by the Legion of Decency and Cardinal Spellman of New York. The movie was withdrawn from many theaters so soon after its initial release that it didn't even turn a profit, which is sad. It was such a misunderstood movie. I had read that those who condemned it admitted they hadn't even seen it! Is that true? How can anyone condemn a movie they haven't viewed? I don't think it helped that a huge billboard of Carroll Baker lying seductively in the crib/bed sucking her thumb and wearing the shorty nightgown was put up in Times Square not long before Christmas! Am I amiss to say that this advertising and the timing of the movie's release did more to sink its ship than any actual erotic content in the movie itself (which is more dependent on what one's imagination might conjure up than what one actually sees)?Dixie Burgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04166129030174880729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-74233145547885549882016-10-07T01:02:46.412-04:002016-10-07T01:02:46.412-04:00Ugh! I can't believe I put Food instead of Go...Ugh! I can't believe I put Food instead of Good! Tanglefingers me! Lol!Dixie Burgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04166129030174880729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-24682479872673756762016-10-04T13:50:44.387-04:002016-10-04T13:50:44.387-04:00So happy you're a fan! I agree, Baby Doll is d...So happy you're a fan! I agree, Baby Doll is definitely his finest work. Maybe not his most well known, but ultimately his best.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-948434365646564512016-10-04T13:49:18.027-04:002016-10-04T13:49:18.027-04:00I wouldn't really say that tGtBatU was inspire...I wouldn't really say that tGtBatU was inspired by Kurosawa. But A Fistful of Dollars is essentially a remake of Yojimbo.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-5654576719217858692016-10-01T22:34:20.122-04:002016-10-01T22:34:20.122-04:00I didn't know The Food, the Bad and the Ugly w...I didn't know The Food, the Bad and the Ugly was inspired by a Kurosawa film. That's news to me! How was it inspired by Kurosawa? Sorry, I have never seen any of his work.Dixie Burgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04166129030174880729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-55198234736577978972016-10-01T22:22:25.801-04:002016-10-01T22:22:25.801-04:00Thank you, thank you for this write up about the m...Thank you, thank you for this write up about the man who is now my favorite actor of all! Jeez, I know I'm coming awfully late to this, more than 2 years after his passing, but I was very late in coming into the fold of Wallach's admirers. It was only this past June that I had the opportunity to see more of his work than just The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, on Turner Classic Movies' "Eli Wallach night". Their movie lineup included Baby Doll, The Lineup, The Misfits, The Magnificent Seven and the aforementioned GBU. What an actor! He took my breath away with his ability to be the chameleon of the human world. All these years I never suspected he had it in him to be the sexy, provocative character he played in Baby Doll! That performance blew me out of the water. It's no wonder Silva Vaccaro was the role he was the most proud of. I can't say enough good about it. It's a performance that everyone should see at least once before they die! <br /><br />Needless to say, most people who are familiar with Wallach's career at all will easily remember Calvera from The Magnificent Seven and Tuco from the Sergio Leone film as their favorites. Those 2 are definitely favorites of mine, as his performance in those two was the highlight of both and the most riveting of those movies; but I'm on the fence about whether they should be EVER be considered above his performance in Baby Doll. That was burned into my brain forever, and was the most riveting and unforgettable performance I have ever seen. Sexy, steamy, exciting and energetic. Not to be missed by any of his fans! Do yourself a HUGE favor and watch Baby Doll however you can. You won't be one bit sorry!Dixie Burgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04166129030174880729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-38461629375877084772015-06-01T12:47:50.784-04:002015-06-01T12:47:50.784-04:00I agree, The Magnificent Seven is a decent film wi...I agree, The Magnificent Seven is a decent film with a few excellent performances. So many films have been based on, or inspired by, Kurosawa's work. I agree, it's rarely a bad idea to take inspiration from such a master.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-63519500472667310752015-05-31T09:33:18.860-04:002015-05-31T09:33:18.860-04:00The Magnificent Seven is just okay, Eli Wallach wa...The Magnificent Seven is just okay, Eli Wallach was great and James Coburn was good ("The worst! I was aiming at the horse"), but everything else was forgettable. Though I never saw Seven Samurai. I think there should be more remakes after Akira Kurosawa. I mean we don't get more of these and it's not like you can't make a great film inspired by Kurosawa (Star Wars, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). Maybe not remake but you can take so much inspiration from the master. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059813680559966539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-11431367233867689022014-07-29T16:08:15.729-04:002014-07-29T16:08:15.729-04:00Love this comment. And hey, it's never too lat...Love this comment. And hey, it's never too late to comment about such a fine actor!<br /><br />"What is Art if not the ability to evoke deep emotion and a personal connection to the artist?" Yes, exactly. I truly believe that - very well put on your part.<br /><br />I had the exact same reaction to Baby Doll as you did. I mean... wow, holy hell. Can't believe they were able to get that film made. Wallach is such a force in it. <br /><br />I will certainly miss him dearly.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-32531616908254183142014-07-28T01:17:38.503-04:002014-07-28T01:17:38.503-04:00I know this is an older thread, but I just stumble...I know this is an older thread, but I just stumbled upon it after looking up some of Mr. Wallach's movies that I have not yet seen, (which haven't been many). <br />I have long adored him as Tuco and loved him in every role he made his own, but then I saw Baby Doll and my mind was utterly blown. I think I spent half the movie paralyzed with my mouth agape as though I had just been bit by a cobra. I love movies and actors and love being drawn into the magic of the craft. But what Mr.Wallach did on that black and white screen had me mesmerized and eating right out of his hands. I felt terrified for poor Baby Doll, cheering for Vaccaro as he tormented Archie Lee, and yet I could not help but be so repulsed and so completely drawn to Silva at the same time! <br />What is Art if not the ability to evoke deep emotion and a personal connection to the artist? And now, I cannot decide which character is truly his masterpiece, Toco, or Vaccaro. Eli Wallach is, was, and always will be, pure genius! This very long time fan will miss him deeply. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-89767488579031353032014-06-29T15:52:12.744-04:002014-06-29T15:52:12.744-04:00Nice man, so happy to hear you're a fan of his...Nice man, so happy to hear you're a fan of his work. I really like him in The Holiday as well. And The Lineup is a lot of fun. Whatta psycho.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-30732861461977073102014-06-29T15:51:23.602-04:002014-06-29T15:51:23.602-04:00I think that speaks so well to his strength as an ...I think that speaks so well to his strength as an actor. And sure, he physically looked a lot different when he was younger, but he was also able to transform into his characters in such a commanding way.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-50411805354769130452014-06-29T15:50:14.557-04:002014-06-29T15:50:14.557-04:00It's So. Good. And to think, I hadn't even...It's So. Good. And to think, I hadn't even heard of it before this post! Crazy. It definitely deserves a wider audience.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-69644523859300773762014-06-29T15:49:41.967-04:002014-06-29T15:49:41.967-04:00Hell yeah man. So cool that we both sought that fi...Hell yeah man. So cool that we both sought that film out. Movie was remarkable.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-62703098693771767392014-06-29T15:49:20.733-04:002014-06-29T15:49:20.733-04:00Thanks Eric. Baby Doll is really something else. S...Thanks Eric. Baby Doll is really something else. Stunned me. Be curious to hear your thoughts on Mystic and Part III.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-65098688480799992452014-06-29T15:48:43.029-04:002014-06-29T15:48:43.029-04:00Awesome man, so happy you checked this one out. Of...Awesome man, so happy you checked this one out. Of the work I've read/films I've seen from Williams/Kazan, I would agree that Baby Doll is perhaps the most underrated work by either of them. I mean hell, I hadn't even <i>heard</i> of the movie before researching this post. I'm so pleased to hear that you were as taken with Wallach's work as I was. And I LOVE the Killer Joe connection you made. That's spot on.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-83995994300981428332014-06-29T12:26:15.043-04:002014-06-29T12:26:15.043-04:00Oh, I love him in Baby Doll, The Misfits, The Magn...Oh, I love him in Baby Doll, The Misfits, The Magnificent Seven and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I even dig his unsung work in The Holiday. I forgot he was in The Godfather Part III, but I think I've only seen it once in its entirety. Now I have to watch The Lineup!Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-60705914025625339162014-06-28T21:09:53.289-04:002014-06-28T21:09:53.289-04:00I agree on The Good the Bad and the Ugly and on Go...I agree on The Good the Bad and the Ugly and on Godfather Part III. I've seen Baby Doll twice over the years and I honestly never ever recognized Wallach as that character. That was quite a surprise when I read it here in your post.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-42716088810690610132014-06-28T20:30:19.032-04:002014-06-28T20:30:19.032-04:00I can't believe that of all these movies, I...I can't believe that of all these movies, I've only seen The Good, the Bad & the Ugly. I need to see Baby Doll.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06574641672605054506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-22938976862843544432014-06-28T08:47:40.681-04:002014-06-28T08:47:40.681-04:00So I finally watched "Baby Doll" and enj...So I finally watched "Baby Doll" and enjoyed it a lot. I'd put it easily among the most underrated work Elia Kazan and Tennesse Williams have ever produced. Devilishly entertaining and impressively steamy (considering it was released in 1956). I loved Carroll Baker's performance as Baby Doll Meighan (Juno Temple's Dottie from "Killer Joe" owes a lot to Baker's character - besides, Tracy Letts is clearly inspired from the work of Tennesse Williams) and I think that she deservedly received an Oscar nomination for her turn here. And her chemistry with Wallach is electrifying, to say the least. The latter shines the brightest in this fantastic ensemble, serving up a potent reminder of why many regard his work here as his absolute best. He steals the show with a ferocious performance, undoubtedly the greatest of his whole filmography. He balances charm and menace so damn perfectly. Amazing to think that this was his screen debut. Wow! A great reccomendation, buddy. Thanks a lot!Stergiosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-64074048537870828322014-06-27T23:49:35.679-04:002014-06-27T23:49:35.679-04:00I also watched Baby Doll for the first time after ...I also watched Baby Doll for the first time after hearing about his death! Without a doubt one of the greatest acting debuts ever. <br /><br />-Dan Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com