When I heard about Gene Hackman’s death this morning, I didn’t need to pull up a filmography to remind myself of the great films he had been a part of in his career. It was more of a challenge to narrow it down to the five that I am most thankful he brought to the screen.
- The French Connection (1971) (Directed by William Friedkin): “That son of a bitch is here. I saw him. I’m gonna get him” – Popeye Doyle. His Popeye Doyle character influenced the hat I wore for many years. This is the first film I remember seeing that really explored the “cop as criminal vs. villain as hero” dichotomy. Oscar-worthy for the way Hackman dominated every scene that he appeared in. You can’t take your eye off of him.
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) (Directed by Wes Anderson): “Anybody interested in grabbing a couple of burgers and hittin’ the cemetery?” – Royal. His second best character, and that’s only by a fraction of an inch. There isn’t a world where I can imagine this role was written for anyone but Hackman. In a film with such a strong cast, Royal Tenenbaum is memorable, and Hackman seems in his most comfortable place as an actor.
- The Conversation (1974) (Directed by Francis Ford Coppola): “He’ll kill you if he gets a chance. I’m not afraid of death. I am afraid of murder.” – Harry Caul. Hackman plays one of his most complicated characters. He is a man who makes a living listening to and observing others, which makes the acting skill of keeping up that wall while still letting us know the character in small doses quite the chore. He’s all internal compared to Popeye’s all emotional external.
- Scarecrow (1973) (Directed by Jerry Schatzberg): “Gimme a chocolate donut and a bottle of beer.” – Max. This is a buddy comedy without necessarily being about buddies and without being much of a comedy. It’s a travel story that doesn’t go far. Al Pacino and Gene Hackman have great chemistry in this small film. The movie doesn’t try to do much other than let these two great actors inhabit the characters. It’s a memorable little film.
- Night Moves (1975) (Directed by Arthur Penn): “Listen, Delly. I know it doesn’t make much sense when you’re 16. Don’t worry. When you get to be 40, it isn’t any better.” – Harry Moseby. Director Penn took Hackman out of the police department and made him a private investigator with the same attitude as Popeye Doyle. The anti-hero as hard-boiled detective had been around for 40 years, but this film breathed new life into the genre. One of his more underappreciated efforts, I see so much of the films of the next decade in Hackman’s performance.
I’ve gotten to five and haven’t left the decade of the ’70s yet. For the fun of it, the next five would be just as easy.
6. Superman (1978)
7. No Way Out (1987)
8. Unforgiven (1992)
9. Crimson Tide (1995)
10. The Quick And The Dead (1995)
