A tremendously under-rated Hollywood talent, Robert Ryan originally set out to be a journalist; however, with the Depression in full swing at the time of his graduation from Dartmouth College, there were no newspaper jobs available to him, so he took on a number of other jobs for several years. Eventually, he got involved in the theatre and made his way to Hollywood, where he gave incredible performances in such films as Crossfire, Inferno, Odds Against Tomorrow, and Bad Day at Black Rock.
Although he never retired from films and was making his final movie, The Iceman Cometh (which incidentally was also Fredric March's final film), the year of his death, the stage often drew Ryan back. Though he did other stage roles, having been a Shakespeare appreciator, he enjoyed taking part in Shakespearean plays; one of his roles was Marc Antony (opposite Katharine Hepburn's Cleopatra). Helen Hayes said about that portrayal, "What a joy it is to see a real man playing Antony."
Besides entertaining audiences with his brilliant portrayal of cruel, angry, sadistic men, Mr. Ryan also served his country by way of the Marine Corp. Based at Camp Pendleton, California, he spent two years as a drill sergeant. Kind of fitting that his birthday is on Veteran's Day.
Rounding out my list of 5 favorite Ryan films are:
2. Inferno (with Rhonda Fleming and William Lundigan---reviewed HERE)
3. On Dangerous Ground (with Ida Lupino---reviewed HERE)
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4. The Set-Up (with Audrey Totter---reviewed HERE)
5. Her Twelve Men (with Greer Garson---reviewed HERE)
Interestingly, though it was Ryan's Oscar-nominated (supporting actor) performance as a cruel anti-Semitic soldier in Crossfire which first brought the brilliance of this man's acting to my attention, and though I love him in those "bad boy" roles, my five favorite films all show a bit of a softer and/or more likable side.
I haven't seen any of the films mentioned here but what I've seen of his work, his quiet strength and subtlety has always impressed me. Happy Birthday to your beloved.
ReplyDeleteIf and when you see any of the films mentioned, I would love to hear what you think about them. They all show a more likeable side to the man we are used to seeing as the "bad guy." Though in "On Dangerous Ground" he has an anger problem, he is surprisingly tender to Ida Lupino's character. In "Inferno," he's the victim and his character undergoes a metamorphosis in personality.
DeleteI learned in one of Robert Osborne's informational snippets that "The Set-Up" was Mr. Ryan's favorite role.
Wow, he sure was a good looker! He died so young, didn't he? Sad.
ReplyDeleteYes, he was very handsome! And so many of the classic film actors died fairly young, probably a result of the heavy smoking they all did in those days before we really knew how dangerous smoking was. (Mr. Ryan died of lung cancer.)
DeleteI'm a big fan of Ryan. Very nice tribute. I haven' seen most of those mentioned and need to seek them out. He's also terrific in Westerns, especially The Naked Spur.
ReplyDeleteAs you already know, Westerns are not my genre of choice, but every now and then I force myself to watch one. After all, how can I see Ryan's entire filmography (which I would like to do) if I'm not willing to turn on a Western. I agree about The Naked Spur...he's fantastic in that!
DeleteI'd really like to see About Mrs. Leslie. I caught Autumn Leaves on TV yesterday - have you seen that? Joan Crawford has such an expressive face - almost too expressive.
ReplyDeleteTo my knowledge, About Mrs. Leslie is not out on disc...and I have never noticed it on TCM's schedule. I caught it through Net Flix instant viewing.
DeleteI have never seen Autumn Leaves...never even heard of it. I think I noticed that it is on the TCM schedule in December, so perhaps I can catch it then.
He was sensational. One of my fave Ryan movies is "The Naked Spur" where he rattles Jimmy Stewart's cage. Thanks for a lovely tribute to a wonderful actor.
ReplyDeleteHe sure does rattle Jimmy Stewart's cage in "The Naked Spur." In fact, I consider that film much more of a psychological drama than an out and out Western, which, since I don't lean to Westerns, is probably one of the reasons I enjoy it.
DeleteMy personal favorite of Mr. Ryan's roles was the heavy in "Bad Day at Black Rock". That great ensemble cast just made the movie for me; Ryan turned in a first rate performance.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Mr. Ryan. And thanks Patti for all that background information.
Oh, was he ever nasty in "Bad Day at Black Rock." One of the things I have learned about Mr. Ryan is that he was a staunch civil rights supporter. He was about as far from a racially-charged bigot as one can be...yet he played the role of a bigot to complete perfection. To play a role that is completely opposite to what one is, to me, is the sign of a great actor. And that he was!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the background information, Jim. This post was somewhat a labor of love.