'La di da': The 11 musicals I can't deny loving

Cabaret

Musicals are far from my favorite film genre.

It's not that I'm some sort of snob, I just think they work better on the stage than the screen.

I can always appreciate the craftsmanship of the elaborate sets and the catchiness of a lovely song, but there's something very inauthentic about most musicals to me, and it's not just because they feature people randomly bursting into song.

That said, there are a few films of this kind that have punctured my psyche. Typically, the musicals that work for me are the ones that have a little darkness or at least edge to them.

It's almost embarrassing to admit to liking these kinds of movies because their reputation is so incredibly cheesy, and unless you're a musical theater nerd who is comfortable belting out show tunes at the drop of a dime, they can be alienating.

My list is by no means expansive -- I've never seen all of Fiddler on the Roof, or dozens of other beloved musicals. But these are the few I can say I really like:

The Wizard of Oz (1939) - This feels more like a fantasy film than a musical and yet it's packed wall-to-wall with very endearing numbers. I find it to be an almost trippy visual delight. The colors are so vibrant and the tone is so note-perfect. It never seems corny or dated, even though it's an outright fairy tale. Judy Garland is probably most responsible for making it all work so well.

The Blues Brothers

An American In Paris (1951) - A beautifully shot travelogue as well as a sophisticated backstage drama. Gene Kelly is terrific and incredibly charismatic as an artist who gets sucked into an unhealthy relationship with an older, wealthy woman who seeks to control him. The dynamite dance numbers here are some of the best ever committed to film.

Singin' In the Rain (1952) - Arguably the greatest movie musical ever made, this Gene Kelly vehicle is also a very funny satire of behind-the-scenes Hollywood. The film is helped by the fact that it's wholly original (not a Broadway show transferred to a movie set), so it feels fresher and less old-fashioned than some of the other musicals of its era. While it's light-hearted, it does have something to say about the film industry.

West Side Story (1961) - This highly stylized ethnic update of the Romeo and Juliet tragedy may be the most influential movie musical ever made. It's certainly one of the fiercest, and its soundtrack was definitely a staple of my childhood. The movie won't win any awards for a subtle depiction of race relations, but it definitely has a heavy dose of "cool" -- which is uncommon for the genre.

Cabaret (1972) - Bob Fosse's brilliantly edited look at Germany during the rise of Nazism really changed the game as far as this genre was concerned. Liza Minnelli gives her most iconic performance in this sophisticated story which touches on bisexuality and a lot of other themes that movie musicals didn't dare touch in the past. When people talk about Fosse's signature style of choreography, they are most likely thinking of this exciting movie.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - I enjoy this movie on its own terms, although having had the midnight movie experience I can attest to the power of seeing it with a rowdy audience of revelers too. Tim Curry gives one of the most magnetic performances in movie history is this utterly bizarre mash-up of monster movies and pure campy comedy. And Susan Sarandon has never looked sexier.

Pennies From Heaven

All That Jazz (1979)/Pennies From Heaven (1981) - I'm counting these two as one because they're both remarkably similar. Both films are dark, unconventional musicals that contrast a death and depravity themed real world with bright, flashy and terrifically staged dance numbers. They are very emblematic of the Hollywood era in which they were released (although neither did the business of the mainstream Grease). Both films take a creative approach with risky material and succeed wildly.

The Blues Brothers (1980) - A comedy classic featuring the John Belushi-Dan Aykroyd partnership at its peak. Unfortunately the movie has been sullied by the unnecessary latter day sequel, but viewed on its own terms it's a wonderfully quirky madcap riot, as well as a sincere homage to the culture of the blues. For all their goofy posturing Belushi and Aykroyd were in awe of the black performers featured here and Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin (just to name a few) don't disappoint.

Chicago (2002) - It's sort of unhip to like this movie now, but people forget what a revelation it was when it first came out. This movie jumpstarted a brief musical renaissance by casting stars with surprising musical talent (Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere for example) and tweaking the traditional musical structure (the numbers take place in the characters' imagination). Did it deserve to win best picture? Maybe not. But it was a hell of a lot of fun to see.

Dreamgirls (2006) - I'm a sucker for all things Motown and this gaudy throwback musical brilliantly recreates that label's heyday. While the story is pretty simple -- it's got virtually every backstage melodrama cliche you can imagine -- the music is anything but. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson in particular rise above the material with sensational performances that are lively and lived in. I still think Murphy was robbed of the Academy Award.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) - Of all the Johnny Depp-Tim Burton collaborations since Ed Wood, this is the only one that's really worked for me. Burton has the perfect eye for this kind of material and Depp gives a less winking performance than usual here. The material is very bizarre for the genre, we're asked to root for a murderer and laugh at cannibalism, but the movie works as a visual and aural whole.

Seeing 'St. Vincent': Bill Murray's top 10 best movie roles

The one, the only...Bill Murray

Is there any comedic figure in America more beloved than Bill Murray? I can't think of one.

And yet, he's also proven, especially in recent years, that he can carry a dramatic scene too. Murray is an icon now, as much for his off-screen antics, as his memorable 30+ year career as a movie star.

Tonight, I plan to go see his latest movie, the sentimental indie comedy St. Vincent. He's getting strong reviews, but the movie -- not so much. It looks a little predictable for my tastes, but then again, it'll be fun to see Murray return to his broad comedy roots, albeit in a less-than-risky role.

Ironically, this movie looks like a callback to his first leading role as a camp counselor who helps a socially awkward kid come out of his shell in Meatballs. In some of his best parts Murray seems like the cool older brother of our dreams -- sly and one step ahead of all the squares.

His career has endured into his early 60s because, unlike a lot of his counterparts, he has largely avoided any embarrassing missteps, and when he has (the Garfield movies), he's made fun of them. Right when his career seemed to be going off the rails in the late 90s, he wisely hooked up with Wes Anderson and forged a fruitful partnership that added nuance to his persona and longevity to his appeal.

In honor of St. Vincent, which I'm hoping is more than just a cute coming-of-age movie. Here are my personal favorite Bill Murray performances.

I love Bill.

Honorable mention: This was a really hard list to winnow down. For instance, I am a big fan of Quick Change (the only movie he has ever directed) and also a number of his smaller supporting roles in movies like Tootsie, Mad Dog and Glory, Moonrise Kingdom and of course, The Royal Tenenbaums. But a top 10 list is a top 10 list so...

10) Kingpin (1996) - According to the Farrelly brothers (who directed this underrated bowling comedy), Murray improvised every single one of his lines at the unapologetically conniving and egotistical Ernie McCracken. Murray's outrageous hair pieces and costumes are just part of the fun here. Murray is one of the few actors who makes utterly repulsive behavior so appealing.

9) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) - A polarizing Wes Anderson film, this one left a lot of people cold when it came out 10 years ago, but I loved it. Murray plays a sophisticated Jacques Cousteau-inspired underwater adventurer who is out to kill a shark that devoured his best friend. This whimsical character piece shows Murray can be both hilarious and heartbreaking. He is a standout among a dream ensemble of actors including Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe and Cate Blanchett.

8) Stripes (1981) - Bill Murray's first real star vehicle was a huge hit and put his own unique stamp of the military comedy genre. His performance as John Winger clearly served as an inspiration for future lovable louts played by the likes of Jason Segal, Seth Rogen and Vince Vaughn. His sarcastic slacker has a real character arch here. His scenes alongside Warren Oates as a drill instructor have real dramatic potency. A real showcase for Murray's chemistry with the late Harold Ramis.

7) Rushmore (1998) - Murray was unjustly overlooked for an Academy Award nomination for his iconic performance as Herman Bloome, a miserable, aging millionaire who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Max Fischer, an iconoclastic jack of all trades played by Jason Schwartzman. This movie marked the beginning of a real critical re-evaluation of his talents, but for longtime Murray fans it was just the culmination of many of his prior roles. No one does exasperated funnier than him.

6) What About Bob? (1991) - An usual, high energy role for Murray that he knocks out of the park. He takes a whiny, neurotic character who should be annoying on paper and makes him an infectious, adorable delight. This incredibly subversive "family comedy" could be  interpreted as a horror film if you think about it long enough. Patient tracks down his therapist while on vacation with his family and proceeds to insert himself into their lives. The performance works only because of the very real tension he creates with Richard Dreyfuss, who seems ready to explode in rage at the sight of him.

Lost In Translation

5) Broken Flowers (2005) - Bill Murray gives one of his most powerful dramatic performances in this little seen Jim Jarmusch film. In it, Murray plays an faded Don Juan who learns of an illegitimate son he's got out there somewhere. Goaded on by his best friend (a wonderful Jeffrey Wright) he goes on a search to find him, and ends up learning a lot more about himself along the way. A quiet, subtle performance that achieves real depth by the time this moving film reaches its offbeat conclusion.

4) Groundhog Day (1992) - This may be the perfect Murray film, and it's certainly one of the two or three he'll always be remembered for. It's got a perfect premise -- conceited weatherman wakes up in the same place at the same time every day until he learns to become selfless. It's got a great leading lady foil for him, the lovely Andie McDowell. But it also has a heart in addition to the laughs -- the powerful scene where Murray tries to keep a homeless man from dying is remarkable.

3) Caddyshack (1980) - One of my all-time favorite movies features Murray in one of his most unhinged performances as the manic groundskeeper Carl. According to Ramis, who directed the film, Murray was on such an improvisational hot streak at the time that they often just placed a camera in front of him and just let him riff. His character doesn't really have a plot function, he's just pure absurd comedy gold. And the scene between him and Chevy Chase is one of the most quotable ever.

2) Lost In Translation (2003) - Murray was finally given an Oscar nomination for a role that beautifully both pays homage to and enhances his established persona. His Bob Harris is a bit of a sad clown, an actor reduced to making cheesy commercials in Japan. There he meets a sweet and neglected young woman played by Scarlett Johansson and they strike up a friendship that almost becomes romantic and winds up deeply affecting them both. I'll always have a soft spot for this film.

1) Ghostbusters (1984) - As I've written before, Murray creates one of the coolest characters of all time in this perfect comedy film. His Peter Venkman made being a "geek", as he puts it, super suave and badass. The movie is chock-full of brilliance but none of it works without Murray at the center, his quips and comebacks are the stuff of legend. Every time I see this movie I can't walk away without a smile on my face, or more appropriately for Murray, a smirk.

All hail the Steve Martin-Carl Reiner comedy collaborations

Steve Martin in The Jerk

One of the most underrated comedy collaborations of all time is the four-film partnership of the legendary Carl Reiner and Steve Martin.

From 1979 to 1984, they made some truly inspired and incredibly silly movies, some of which stand out as some the best work of Martin's beloved career as a film actor.

Martin has always been one of my personal favorite comedic actors and a major inspiration to me when I started performed improv myself.

Like most people my age, I first became aware of him through his movie roles in cult classics like Three Amigos, but that helped me discover his stand-up albums, which I adore.

Despite several great, hit movies -- Steve Martin, in my opinion, has never topped his first, the Carl Reiner-directed The Jerk. The movie, which was reportedly a huge favorite of Stanley Kubrick's, is a madcap melding of some infamous bits from Martin's stand-up ("I was born a poor black child") and Reiner's classic comedy gag sensibility.

This unity of old school comedy (Reiner made his name as a writer for 1950s television variety shows) and what was new (Steve Martin's brand of sly satire of that same traditional material) created an irresistible mix. The Jerk is brimming with ideas -- some ridiculously silly, others wonderfully subversive. It remains one of my favorite comedies of all time because it's Martin's most unbridled performance and the movie is politically incorrect and proud of it.

Reiner and Martin followed up The Jerk with their inventive gag movie Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, this goofy 1982 confection can probably best be enjoyed only by film noir buffs, since the movie employs a bevy of archival footage from old cinematic treasures for comedic effect. Martin gets to play off the likes of Bogart and Cagney, and he has a ball.

In 1983, Reiner and Martin collaborated on the loving spoof of B-movie horror films with The Man With Two Brains, which serves as sort of precursor to Her. Martin plays the absurdly named Dr. Hfuhrhufurr who falls in love with an inanimate object, a human brain (voiced by Sissy Spacek). Martin plays brilliantly off a deadpan Kathleen Turner and shows off his incredible gift for physical comedy.

Their final film together was 1984's critical acclaimed All of Me, which had Martin playing an attorney possessed by the ghost of an out-of-touch heiress (played by the great Lily Tomlin). This film, which won Martin the best reviews of his career at the time, was his first commercial hit following The Jerk and it sparked a terrific run of successes that stretched into the 1990s.

While All of Me isn't as well-known as say, Father of the Bride, it's a better film because it lacks the later film's sentimental streak, something that diminished much of Steve Martin's late career work. He found himself stuck in the same "family movie" ghetto that more or less destroyed the comedy chops of his peers, like Eddie Murphy and Chevy Chase. In fact, of that era's comedy stars, only Bill Murray has managed to remain "hip" because he didn't sully himself with the sickly cute stuff.

Still, I remain an enormous Steve Martin fan, and I always will be, but I personally prefer his earlier work because it possesses an anarchic spirit that is largely missing from today's mainstream comedies.

'Gone Girl' is the first great movie of the good movie season

It's that time of year again, when Hollywood stops its endless stream of horror movie remakes and romantic comedies no one wants to see. It's the season of quality films for adults -- which sadly gets shorter and sparser each year.

We've already had two bonafide masterpieces this year, Under the Skin and Boyhood, and I think I can safely say that David Fincher's adaptation of the page-turner Gone Girl is the third.

I sped-read the novel over the past week to prep for the film and while I found it endlessly entertaining, I fully expected Fincher to elevate the material (he did with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) into more than just a trashy potboiler.

Fincher has been on a huge role lately. He's always been a terrific filmmaker -- but ever since The Social Network he seems to have found his aesthetic groove. His films have a distinct, cool look where everything seems to be made of sharp corners and icy glass. His collaboration with composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have yielded some of the best scores of the decade. Most importantly though, he's found a niche for edgy, dark films that are not stocked with CGI superheros and aren't tarnished by forced sentimentality.

He has stumbled. I have never been as big a fan of Fight Club as others, and I thought The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was little more than a Forrest Gump remake, but the man's talent is undeniable. Gone Girl is a remarkable testament to Fincher's skills as a filmmaker, a riveting piece of mainstream entertainment.

It's the rare movie I actually enjoyed more as it went along, the second half is even stronger than the first and everything Fincher excises from the book will not be missed. The movie, despite its heightened circumstances (missing woman, husband suspected) has some darkly savage things to say about the nature of marriage and the mind of a sociopath.

Rosamund Pike

The movie and the book's brilliant conceit is a real role reversal of stereotypical gender roles. And I suspect that some men will leave this film never looking at their partner or spouse the same way ever again. Still, this is not necessarily a deep movie -- it's just an enormously well-crafted one.

What the film gets right is what the book largely lacked, a very strong sense of humor. Gone Girl, the movie, doesn't take its salacious material too seriously. It is also, like most great films, perfectly cast. Ben Affleck has never had a role more tailor-made for him. He plays a man whose wife goes missing and for reasons I won't spoil for the uninitiated, he is not as sad about it as he should be.

Affleck is a strange case - I can't remember another actor who has seen their stock fall so far with audiences to only spike back up. He largely deserves the credit. After becoming somewhat of a punchline after making forgettable films and being ubiquitous in the tabloids, he directed three straight strong films. In both The Town and Argo he reminded us that he could act, but also ceded the showier roles to his co-stars. By humbling himself, he's endeared himself to us. And not unlike say Michael Douglas, he can play characters that may turn us off at times, but we still can't help rooting for.

Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry acquit themselves well by playing against type, but the real find here -- and in my opinion what should be a lock for a best actress Academy Award nomination -- is Rosamund Pike as the "girl" in question. I had seen her in other films, most prominently as a Bond girl in Die Another Day, but she is a phenomenon here -- pulling off an incredibly difficult role as a neglected housewife who's enormously "complicated."

Pike's performance in particular sold me on a story that was frankly ludicrous on the page, and could have been ridiculous on screen. This is very over-the-top stuff, but Fincher keeps it grounded and fun, so you never feel like you're getting ahead of the movie or being manipulated by glossy trash.

It's too early to say if Gone Girl will still be in the conversation by the time the Oscars roll around. There are still several highly anticipated films that have yet to be seen by a wide audience. I will say that with Gone Girl, whether you read the book or not, you will get your money's worth.

'Heaven's Gate' never had a chance in 1980, but now it does

Kris Kristofferson in Heaven's Gate

Michael Cimino's 1980 western epic Heaven's Gate has a horrible reputation.

It routinely appears on lists of the biggest flops of all time and it's often credited with bankrupting a studio (United Artists) and ending the era of auteur-driven cinema of the 1970s.

But, at the end of the day, is the movie actually good?

This question has only begun to be asked more often in recent years, where time and distance has been far kinder to this costly film.

In hindsight, despite being a visual feast and boasting a formidable cast, Heaven's Gate could probably never have been a big enough hit to recoup it's budget.

This is not because it's bad, in fact I think it's a masterpiece. It's because the movie is a bleak indictment of American culture, particularly our unique form of greed. It's an unabashedly revisionist, and politically leftist interpretation of the frontier which had the unfortunate distinction of hitting theaters the year the Reagan revolution took hold.

It's also a very long, uncompromising film with a somber tone and a very downbeat ending. That said, you can see that the estimated $40 million sunk into its production was put to good use, this is one of the most visually stunning films I've ever seen. The narrative is unconventional, and may turn off a lot of viewers -- it takes several detours from its strongest element, a story of eastern European settlers being executed by organized, rich landowners -- but it's rewarding if you hang with it.

Christopher Walken in Heaven's Gate

Not unlike Cimino's best picture winner The Deer Hunter, the film begins with protagonist at a point of innocence and joy. While that war film began with an extended wedding sequence, this one opens with an old fashioned Ivy League graduation. This sequence will try the patience of some viewers but if you give in to its semi-indulgent charms you'll find the entire enterprise very engrossing.

The film then jumps twenty years into the future, and we see that our hero, the soulful Kris Kristofferson, is now the one moneyed man standing in the way of a nefarious plan to disperse unwanted settlers in Wyoming with a "death list."

The villain in this scheme is played brilliantly by Sam Waterson. To see this actor so associated with nobility playing a capitalist of the worst kind is a master class in performing against type.

The sprawling story incorporates a love triangle between a French prostitute (played by Isabelle Huppert), Kristofferson's character, and a hired gun played by Christopher Walken. The Walken performance is one of his best, combining his infamous ability to terrify with a tender sensitivity that is often overlooked.

The movie's massive sets and action sequences had me an awe, and its elegiac and authentic score keeps things lively. There were no scenes that struck me as wrong-headed or embarrassing in all of its 219 minutes. What I saw was an ambitious film that is not for all tastes but far from a failure.

Thanks to underground buzz over the years and a gorgeous, state-of-the-art re-release thanks to the Criterion Collection, a whole new audience can enjoy this remarkable film without the griping over its cost. Heaven's Gate is a challenging, visionary work that tries to portray the West as it really was.

Even if you don't think that it succeeds in doing that, I think it's a noble effort.

All things being 'Equalizer': My top 10 favorite Denzel performances

Denzel Washington

This weekend I'll likely be going to see Denzel Washington's latest action potboiler The Equalizer, not because I think it'll be a great film (it probably won't be), but because aside from George Clooney, Denzel's probably my favorite movie star around.

I almost always go to see his work (yes, I even sat through 2 Guns) and although lately he's been doing a lot more junk for a paycheck (Safe House anyone?), he still occasionally takes a role that makes him stretch, and when he does, the results (Flight, for instance) can be riveting.

At 59, his former flawless matinee idol looks are fading. He's put on more than a few pounds too, but that hasn't stopped audiences from embracing him as an action star.

He is no longer Denzel Washington the accomplished actor. He is Denzel, the icon. And you know what? He's earned it.

Ever since his breakthrough, Oscar-winning performance in Glory, Denzel has been one of the most exciting and charismatic leading men of his generation, and miraculously he has become one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood as he has gotten older. Only Liam Neeson can claim a similar rise in stature. Even if he never gives another legendary performance on the level of Malcolm X or his role in Training Day, he will always be The Man.

So what are my favorite Denzel performances? I have never been a fan of his more sappy mainstream hits like Remember the Titans and John Q. He's terrific in them but they're so predictable it hurts. I'm also not a fan of some of his more low-IQ action films, sorry Man on Fire fans. I like my Denzel fierce and funny, with an edge and hopefully, some depth. But listen, I even liked The Pelican Brief, so nobody's perfect.

American Gangster

10) The Manchurian Candidate (2004) - This imperfect remake of the 1962 classic was an excellent showcase for a more frazzled, vulnerable Denzel. He plays the role of Bennett Marco (originally played by Frank Sinatra), an Iraq War veteran tormented by brainwashing he endured. His committed performance helps the absurd premise of this film feel more plausible.

9) Crimson Tide (1995) - Denzel is in peak movie star mode here. The role he plays, as a thoughtful, dove-ish executive officer of a submarine, was written and conceived for a white actor. Washington creates real fireworks opposite Gene Hackman, who plays the ship's stubborn captain. A thriller which is as much about character as it is driven by special effects, it was a big hit back in '95 but would probably be deemed too "talky" now.

8) Antwone Fisher (2002) - This heartbreaking biopic was Denzel's first directing effort and he knocks it right out of the park. He plays a supporting role here, as a father figure/therapist to the titular hero, a young man who is haunted by an incredibly abusive and tragic childhood. Washington makes an assured tearjerker and gives a very moving and grounded performance as the man who gets through to Fisher and persuades him that his life has value.

7) Flight (2012) - This drama about an alcohol and drug-addicted pilot who miraculously lands a malfunctioning plane was a real return-to-form for Washington. He scored a well-deserved Oscar nomination for a difficult role that was at times unflattering and unlikable. We've seen plenty of films about addiction but this one is easily one the best. This movie is yet another testament to audiences' willingness to follow Denzel on a journey, even if its a rocky road to the destination.

6) Inside Man (2006) - Spike Lee made a big comeback with this fun and inventive heist movie. Denzel and Lee have made from a great combo in the past, and their winning streak continued with this box office hit. Denzel has played plenty of cops but his character here is just enough of a wild card that you're never sure what he is going to say or do next. The clever plot keeps the twists coming and Denzel has a ball playing off wily veterans like Clive Owen and Jodie Foster.

5) The Hurricane (1999) - This retelling of the life of falsely accused boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter seems to have plenty of detractors, but no one can dispute the power of Washington's performance in the title role. He believably ages (and boxes) in this film and conveys the strength and wisdom of an uncompromising man. Washington was robbed of the Academy Award that year, for a performance that elevated what would have been a cliched feel-good movie into something far greater.

4) Training Day (2001) - Denzel revitalized his career and finally won the best actor Oscar by playing his first outright villainous role. His performance as Alonzo Harris, an incredibly quotable corrupt cop, is the stuff of legend. Previously Denzel was boxed in as the "new Sidney Poitier" but once he started using his innate charm to be menacing the game changed. Instead of just going over-the-top, he makes Harris insidious. You want to trust him until you realize can't.

Glory

3) Glory (1989) - In his first Oscar winning role, Denzel is electrifying as the defiant former slave Tripp who joins the first ever black regiment to fight for the Union in the Civil War. The scene where he is whipped (on his already brutally scarred back) for going AWOL and a silent single tear rolls down his face, is simply one of the most remarkable pieces of acting I've ever seen. It's impossible not see this performance and think: that is a star.

2) American Gangster (2007) - Denzel's amazing performance in this crime epic about real-life Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas was so compelling Jay-Z decided to make a whole album about it. His performance is as smooth and silky as his Alonzo Harris was combustible. When Lucas executes a rival in broad daylight for showing him casual disrespect and then, unphased, goes back to his meal -- it's one of the most badass moments in cinema history. Another excellent entry that should have earned an Oscar nomination. This remains Denzel's most commercially successful film to date.

1) Malcolm X (1992) - When people talk about an actor becoming someone they play, this is exactly the kind of performance they have in mind. Director Spike Lee claims that Denzel would go on a tear improvising as the slain civil rights hero long after the cameras stopped rolling. When asked how, Washington would say he simply caught "the spirit." Although Denzel doesn't really resemble Malcolm X he beautifully captures his voice, mannerisms and mystique. This is one of my favorite performances of all time in one of the greatest biopics of all time. 'Nuff said.

In honor of Humphrey Bogart: Great character actor and movie star

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart was and is a very unconventional movie star.

He was short and had bad teeth. He was interesting looking but in no way traditionally handsome. He had an irritable delivery that was in no way comforting or cathartic. And he always looked older than he actually was.

And yet he remains one of the most iconic Hollywood stars of all time, and his influence can still be felt today in some more recent generations of male actors.

What was it about Bogart that made his such a dynamic and fascinating film presence?

He was a character actor for decades, largely playing second bananas or foils for the likes of James Cagney (another unlikely leading man) in great movies like Angels With Dirty Faces.

He didn't become a star in his own right until he was already in his 40's and his career ended prematurely when he died at the young age of 57.

Bogart was one of the first movie stars to master the art of playing against type. So what if he was a craggy, sad-faced little guy, he could still be a romantic lead. Casablanca made him a matinee idol. Even though the role was initially offered to the likes of Ronald Reagan, today it's impossible to think of anyone but Bogart uttering "play it again, Sam" (even though he never actually does in the film).

In a Lonely Place

That part also cemented his anti-hero persona. Not only is his Rick character kind of a jerk, he doesn't get the girl in the end. That kind of thing would never happen to Cary Grant. Now that he was a bonafide A-lister, Bogart was not one to rest on his laurels. He continued to play cool iconoclasts in classics like To Have and Have Not, but he also delved into his own dark side with unforgettable performances in films like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

In that 1948 masterpiece, Bogart plays Fred C. Dobbs a man driven mad with paranoia when a prospecting mission leads to a potential fortune. Bogart wasn't afraid to be unlikable and show vulnerability on screen, traits we take for granted in film actors now, but it was downright radical in his day.

In the under-seen noir classic In a Lonely Place (1950) he plays what can only be described as a manic depressive character. He is a screenwriter who becomes the suspect in the murder of a young girl. Although he's innocent, he shows flashes of anger and madness, leading the other characters in the film and the audience watching to believe his character is truly capable of killing. This uncompromising, dark movie still has the power to shock today.

And in The Caine Mutiny (1954), Bogart gave one of his last great performances as the eccentric, and ultimately rather pathetic Captain Queeg, an old navy man who loses the confidence of his crew aboard a battleship because of unorthodox behavior. Bogart's final scenes, wilting under cross examination during a court martial, is acting of the highest order. His worn face and nervous delivery are heartbreaking.

My personal favorite movie star era is the 1970s, when Nicholson, Pacino, DeNiro and Hoffman were doing some of the best stuff. But all of those stars might not ever have been able to rise to the level they did had it not been for Bogart, who broke the mold of the macho, gorgeous He-Men who used to strut around our movie screens without a care in the world.

Don't get me wrong, there's room for that kind of hero too. But Bogart was the kind of star who was a more realistic reflection of his audience, which is probably why his films still hold up so well.