Johnny Guitar.
Sigh…
The Asphalt Jungle
Battle Taxi
The Godfather, Dr. Stangelove, Naked Alibi
The Killing
I really do love how the brain works. You mention Sterling Hayden, I think of The Asphalt Jungle and how great it is. Then I think about Marilyn Monroe and how that was the first film I’ve seen her in. And now I want to watch The Seven Year Itch. Thanks a lot, Fredo.
Johnny: How many men have you forgotten?
Vienna: As many women as you’ve remembered.
Johnny: Don’t go away.
Vienna: I haven’t moved.
Johnny: Tell me something nice.
Vienna: Sure, what do you want to hear?
Johnny: Lie to me. Tell me all these years you’ve waited. Tell me.
Vienna: All those years I’ve waited.
Johnny: Tell me you’d a-died if I hadn’t come back.
Vienna: I woulda died if you hadn’t come back.
Johnny: Tell me you still love me like I love you.
Vienna: I still love you like you love me.
Johnny: Thanks. Thanks a lot. I can no longer sit back and allow the international communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.
I’ve only seen him in The Asphalt Jungle and in Dr. Strangelove, and in both movies he was excellent. Who can forget his “precious bodily fluids” monologue in the latter?
I totally agree that he had extraordinary screen presence—as a child of of 4-8 years I was spanked on 2 occasions for talking obssessively about and acting out parts of 2 of his 1950’s movies: 1 Johnny Guitar and 2 Terror in a Texas Town another Western in which a Swede cleaned up entire corrupt town with a real harpoon—I still watch both of these films on Region 2 DVD’s—I had 1st cousin who in teen yrs years tortured me by calling me Sterling—after adolescence I took it as a big compliment, an improvement on Robert/Bobby. Kenji, that’s my favorite dialogue in the movies of childhood. That’s enough personal info!
Glemaud – See you mention Marilyn Monroe and the first film I think of is Bus Stop (which is probably my favorite performance of hers). But then I think of Niagara, which I also really like because Joseph Cotten is fantastic. But then I think of The Third Man and Shadow of a Doubt – ooh, that was Hitchcock’s favorite film of his, then I go back to the original reason I started thinking about this and wonder why Hitchcock never worked with Marilyn Monroe. And then I realize how stupid a question that would be.
King of the Gypsies – “Look at these hands. Never did an honest day’s work in my life.”
i can imagine monroe in “vertigo”. or maybe “north by northwest”.
Sterling Hayden even had a bit part in The Godfather as some policeman.
Not just “some policeman.” He was the one shot to death by young Michael, prompting him to move to Sicily and forever alter his destiny.
Haha Josh.
Bobby, Monroe in Vertigo? ecchhh. Monroe in North by Northwest? ehhhh
And yes Sterling Hayden is great.
Didn’t he have some HUAC issues? Do love him though, ‘specially in Kubrick and Altman’s THE LONG GOODBYE.
I cannot imagine Monroe in Vertigo.
Amazing actor. He was brilliant in roles large and small…his fire breathing role in 1900 is one of the film’s highlights. And The Long Goodbye would have…well…just Elliott Gould if Hayden wasn’t there!
PS- My father used to have Hayden’s books (he wrote novels about the sea)….
I think you’re right, Daniel. I think he had some ties that got him in trouble with HUAC – I know he was involved in the Committe for the First Amendment which tried to stand up against the blacklist. Not really sure though. Don’t recall the specifics.
Yeah and i forgot he was in Johnny Guitar (just caught it on TCM several weeks ago) but that movie truly belongs to Ms. Crawford…
not to mention he has one of the greatest names ever . . . Sterling Hayden
“Balls, baby, balls!”
Any takers? (for the quote, sillies)
Cesar, yes, the dialogue i quoted from Johnny Guitar (with a line from Dr Strangelove added for good measure) i quickly realised put Joan Crawford firmly in the driving seat and wearing the trousers
Excellent actor. When I first saw him in the Asphalt Jungle, I was underwhelmed, it took me awhile to get used to his style but after I saw him in Dr. Strangelove and the Long Goodbye I was hooked. He was fantastic in the Killing as well, he’s been in so many iconic films it’s quite impressive.
If you want to go off the track a little he has a good supporting role in “Suddenly”, a “B” favorite of mine starring Sinatra as a would be presidential assassin.
His autobiographies are also quite good. The man was also a hell of a sailor.
He didn’t stand up against HUAC though. He named names (but his wife later said that he only named names they already had). He later said he was ashamed about doing that for the rest of his life and apologized for it.
yes, he was great in everything. another great tough guy is lawrence tierney, but he is scary as f—-.
Try Crime Wave (1954), a brilliant late noir with Hayden doing his stoic cop bit to perfection. It was directed by Andre de Toth and co-starred Ted de Corsia and Charles Bronson.
As mentioned brilliant in 1900, The Long Goodbye, and The Godfather as well as The Killing and The Asphalt Jungle.
His two books, biography Wanderer and novel Voyager are well worth seeing out.
Fredo
I recently watched The Killing for the first time and it reminded me of how much I love Sterling Hayden. Every performance I’ve seen him in he has been outstanding. From Dr. Strangelove to The Long Goodbye, the man knew how to deliver. Anytime someone mentions his name the first visual that pops into my head is the scene from The Godfather when Michael shoots him in the restaurant. That look on Hayden’s face as he chokes is priceless.
What are some other films where Sterling gave great performances?