MRM has chosen ‘Favourite Actor from the 1990s’ as this week’s theme.
Harrison Ford was a strong contender in this category but he’s a little too obvious so, after some hunting around, I remembered two other extremely under-rated and yet totally charismatic actors, who can always be relied upon to put in a mesmerising performance.
Sam Neill is not the most obvious of choices but he was the quintessential Brian de Bois-Guilbert in a version of Ivanhoe that had my heart thumping in my breast with lust to be taken by the bad guy. More television appearances followed with Reilly, Ace of Spies and Kane and Abel, I just thought he was soooo cute. ‘A Cry in the Dark’, the fabulous sailing thriller, ‘Dead Calm’ and ‘The Hunt for Red October’ saw him move into celluloid big time and 1993 was the year of both ‘The Piano’ and, of course, ‘Jurassic Park’.
More recently, he was a wonderfully Machievellian Cardinal Wolsey in Hollywood’s ‘The Tudors’… and even portly and grey, I’d still do him :)
Ralph Feinnes burst into my life as the evil Nazi with the most extraordinary eyes in ‘Schindler’s List’. There followed a complete change of character in ‘Quiz Show’ and again in ‘Strange Days’. Charismatic and beautifully spoken but it was always the eyes that had it.
Originally posted 2010-08-25 12:02:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
OOOOOH! Great choice on Sam Niell! Totally under-rated in all aspects of moviedom. He is a dreamboat! And Ralph Fiennes in Schindler’s List …. I totally forgot about this but he stole the movie, for sure. Much like the guy did in Inglorious Basterds. Happy MCW!
pam recently posted..Movie Clip Wednesday – Best Actor of the 1990’s
Great picks both JC! I like that Sam Neill has that ‘everyman” quality about him. Feinnes is a huge talent and I find it odd that he doesn’t get more roles and hasn’t exploded in Hollywood. By the way, you put a “u” in favorite. Just sayin. Bwhahahaha. I’m dyin over here! Happy MCW.
Hi Joanna,
Great choices. Sam Niell has been one of my interests for years as hasMr Feins..
I don’t know if you have seen this add of Samsit’s a giggle
Pam, That guy in Inglorious Basterds was just brilliant wasnt he. I think he was Oscar nominated for that performance!
MRM – There will be no deliberate lazy Americanisation on this blog ;P It is strange that Ralph Feinnes didn’t get more Hollywood roles but don’t forget his brother in ‘Shakespeare in Love’, another underused talent. I suspect that both do a lot more theatre work than cinematic.
Princess, LMAO, that’s brilliant. I’ll have to keep that one away from the vegan Ruf tho ;P
Good evening Joanna,
Sam Neill is a good choice he’s been in so many quality productions and I can’t think of a one that I’ve seen that he didn’t do a fine job.
Ralph Feinnes, I must confess, I haven’t seen any of his work. Schindler’s List is on my “to watch” list. I just never seem to get around to it.
Hope you’re having a good clip day.
Karl recently posted..Movie Clip Wednesday- Best 1990s movie