Leo and Kate: They Didn't Go Down With The Ship
Earlier this month Kate Winslet celebrated her birthday. To this aging fan, she still seems astonishingly young, but of course, success came fairly early for her. Who can forget her disarming freshness and exuberance in Ang Lee’s “Sense and Sensibility” (1995)?
Her close friend and co-star Leonardo di Caprio shares much with her beyond two high-profile motion pictures: they are virtually the same age, and both started acting in their childhood, a significant shared connection.
In their early twenties, they were brought together to star in James Cameron’s “Titanic” (1997), the movie that set records at the box office and the Academy Awards, and ironically, a motion picture experience that made me feel all of Hollywood was sinking. The wild success of this feature resoundingly affirmed the idea that in contemporary Hollywood, image and spectacle most always trump script and character. Over a decade later, it’s still true.
On our website, we feature more of Kate’s titles, including her own favorite role in 2004’s “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind”. As to why there’s less of Leo, the youthful actor is understandably fond of his twenty million dollar pay-days, and so gravitates towards those Hollywood blockbusters which fall into the “Titanic”, bigger-is-better mold.
For instance, I passed over the good not great Spielberg outing, "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), as well as Di Caprio’s high-profile work with Martin Scorsese: the woefully miscast “Gangs Of New York” (2002), “The Aviator” (2004)- which I thought was an elaborate dud, and even "The Departed” (2006), an over-stuffed feature that in my view pales next to the leaner, lesser-known Chinese feature on which it’s based, “Infernal Affairs” (2002).
As for Leo and Kate’s much-anticipated reunion pairing in last year’s “Revolutionary Road”, directed by Kate’s husband Sam Mendes, this recounting of the curdled American Dream starts out promisingly, but bogs down roughly halfway through. I don’t need to pay twelve bucks to see a married couple argue, I thought at one point- I can get that for free at home. All in all, I would have much preferred to watch an episode or two of “Mad Men”.
But criticism aside, both these actors are enormously gifted, even if the movies they make don’t always live up to their prodigious talents. Surely the best is yet to come, so here’s hoping Leo and Kate do many more films together. But for now, let’s celebrate their careers to-date with a sampling of their more interesting, lesser-known work, both pre-and post-“Titanic”.
This Boy’s Life (1993)- In the 1950s, flighty divorcee Caroline (Ellen Barkin) moves with her son Toby (DiCaprio) to Washington State and begins dating Dwight Hansen (Robert DeNiro), a charming, confident mechanic who offers a stable home and security. But soon after their nuptials, Toby, a thoughtful kid with a rebellious streak, butts heads with his new stepfather, who turns out to be a brutish and abusive bully. Based on a memoir by Tobias Wolff, this searing domestic melodrama tackles the myriad difficulties of surviving adolescence in a dysfunctional home. DiCaprio, in his first lead role, is likably mischievous playing against the petty tyranny of DeNiro's lying, thieving, authoritarian Dwight. Barkin is effective, too, as the submissive woman who can't admit she's made a mistake in wedding him. Sensitively directed by Michael Caton-Jones, "Life" will resonate with anyone who's ever had to fight for respect and independence.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)- In small-town Endora, young Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is the de facto household head, caring for his mentally handicapped brother Arnie (DiCaprio), endlessly mortified teen sister, Ellen (Mary Kate Schellhardt), and 500-lb. widowed mother (Darlene Cates), who hasn't left the house since Gilbert's dad hanged himself. Gilbert constantly negotiates a flurry of demands without fail, but when a well-traveled gal named Becky (Juliette Lewis) rolls into town with her grandmother, Gilbert gets his first taste of freedom. Adapted by Peter Hedges from his novel, Lasse Hallstrom's endearing, offbeat drama features heartthrob Depp as a fatherless young man with lots of worries and little time for his own happiness. Oscar nominee DiCaprio gives a remarkably tender performance as Arnie, a mentally challenged kid who's difficult to deal with but impossible not to love. Hallstrom develops the quirkier aspects of Hedges's story-including Gilbert's involvement with a lonely wife and a worldly newcomer-with a light comic touch. Excellent support from Lewis, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, and non-actress Cates kicks things up a notch. Beneath its unusual skin, this "Grape" is quite sweet.
Heavenly Creatures (1994)- Pauline (Melanie Lynskey) is a morbid, overweight New Zealand teen who feels alienated from her family and classmates, but discovers a bosom buddy in pretty Juliet (Winslet), a wealthy English transplant who shares her unusual taste in music and the arts. Together, they create a Gothic-tinged fantasy world called Borovnia that they retreat into with increasingly obsessive zeal. When their parents attempt to force them apart, the girls hatch a dark, violent plan of escape. An unsettling, thoroughly absorbing drama based on a real-life crime, "Creatures" is the magnificent brainchild of then-horror-movie director Peter Jackson ("Lord of the Rings"), who brings sensitivity and sincere human feeling to this tragic story of love and murder. Winslet and Lynskey have an intense, wholly credible rapport, playing highly intelligent girls (one of whom, the brash Juliet, would grow up to become mystery novelist Anne Perry!), whose fully enmeshed intimacy takes them farther and farther from reality. Beautifully photographed, splendidly acted, and imaginatively directed, "Creatures" burrows under your skin in a lasting way.
Finding Neverland (2004)- Married Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp), meets a widow, Sylvia Davies (Winslet), with four young boys he becomes very attached to, and is inspired to write “Peter Pan,” an ode to everlasting youth that would become a children’s classic. But Barrie’s efforts to produce the play at the Duke of York’s theater in London are fraught with difficulty, even as his love for the Davies clan continues to grow. Man-child Depp is perfectly cast in this endearing biopic about Barrie’s relationship with the family who inspired his greatest and most beloved work, and co-star Kate fits the bill just as nicely. Depp has always taken eccentric roles, but here he plays the real-life writer with authentic human warmth. Director Marc Forster allows us to see the world as Barrie does, depicting not just the emotional pangs (grief and the passing of loved ones is a theme in his life), but the flights of fancy soaring in his imagination. The effect is charming. See this one with the kids, or just for your own enchantment.
Blood Diamond (2006)- While serving time for diamond smuggling in war-torn Sierra Leone, former soldier of fortune Danny Archer (DiCaprio) hears about an ultra-precious raw stone unearthed by Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a fisherman who’s hidden the pink monster somewhere inside his unstable country. Driven by greed, Archer makes a deal with Vandy, agreeing to help find his scattered family in return for a share of the gem’s value. Along for the ride is Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist determined to illuminate the ugly underside of the world diamond trade. Set during Sierra Leone’s bloody civil war in 1999, this thriller stars DiCaprio as a ruthless smuggler who sells “conflict diamonds,” high-priced baubles used to finance war and terror before finding their way onto Western fingers. Shedding his boyish charm for anti-heroic male bravado, DiCaprio plays the white Rhodesian Archer as an unsympathetic mercenary motivated purely by personal gain. Hounsou, meanwhile, delivers an affecting performance as a humble man whose son has been forced into a child army. Edward Zwick directs with flair, visual daring, and a conscientious eye toward the real cost of diamond mining.
Little Children (2006)- After meeting at a local park, stay-at-home mom Sarah (Winslet) and handsome former jock Brad (Patrick Wilson), a failed lawyer with a young son, are drawn into an exhilarating but potentially destructive extramarital affair. Meanwhile, neighborhood busybodies are on edge about Ronnie (Jackie Earl Haley), a creepy sex offender who’s moved in with his mother. Based on the acclaimed novel by Tom Perrotta, Todd Field's unsettling, often irreverent portrait of suburban malaise features a cathartic performance by Winslet, whose singular talents are on high-beam display. Sarah is unfulfilled by life as a stroller pusher; Brad has failed the bar twice and seems unfit for a career in law; both need escape from isolating routine and distant spouses, and find it in each other. As he did in "In the Bedroom," Field takes his time developing the emotional tension, pacing us gradually toward a jarring conclusion. Former child actor Haley, in a superb turn, gives the film extra appeal as a scary, darkly funny, and vulnerable pervert.
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I thought Leo was very good in Blood Diamond. I didn't see it mentioned in the article.
I absolutely HATED The Departed. Yelling is not acting, and nobody was convincing. DiCaprio needs to stop playing tough guys. He's just not believable. Maybe he needs another decade of seasoning, like Kurt Russell did.
Two great contemporay stars, John. Especially Winslet, and you're right about Leo not always choosing the best films for his talent.
Leo was so convincing in "Gilbert Grape," that I originally thought they'd hired a mentally handicapped person for the role.
My favorite Winslet role is "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," but she's great in pretty much everything she does.
I know you really dislike (am I putting it mildly?) "Titanic," and I understand you're misgivings about it, but it's still one of my favorite films. I really don't see how it's all that different as a love story in a historic setting, than "Gone With The Wind."
Also, I've been captivated by Titanic's history since I was a child, so I really appreciated Cameron bringing that ship to life. "A Night To Remember" is a superb film, and a more straight forward telling of the actual events. Each stands on it's own for me.
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on "Titanic," but, if the past is any example on this subject, the "Titanic" haters will far outnumber the fans replying here. :)
An interesting Winslet story. She did an episode of the Ricky Gervais comedy show "Extras," in which the joke was she's playing a nun in a holocaust film, because she's sure it's the only way to finally win an Oscar. A year or so later, she wins an Oscar for her part in an actual holocaust film, "The Reader."
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great winslet story.
understand I'm in minority on "titanic."
I really do understand your criticisms and take on Titanic, I just love the film.
I agree with you on your picks and pans far more than I disagree, and those disagreements are usually minor.
I also understand that you're recommending the finest films and performances to you readers, and you do a great job of directing us to some real gems. Thanks!
DDL doesn't chew scenery. He just has this talent that your eyes can never escape. He always consumes the scene because he IS the scene. The only other actor that is capable of that is Meryl Streep. So there. )
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less is more, danny boy.
"Her close friend and co-star Leonardo di Caprio shares much with her beyond two high-profile motion pictures: they are virtually the same age, and both started acting in their childhood, a significant shared connection."
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Where they depart is that while Winslet has grown up, married, had a family, di Caprio is still living a Peter Pannish exsistence of dating models who are increasingly much younger than himself, LOL. I concur with your assessment on Gilbert Grape; di Caprio is stunningly good in it.
Just because Leo's a bachelor and dating younger women doesn't mean he's Peter Pan or Michael Jackson for that matter. Would you call a woman who dates much younger men Tinker Bell?
He is only 34. He doesn't have to get married and have kids.
"What's Eating Gilbert Grape" is far and away Leo's best role. All of the others, save "Blood Diamond" which to me was borderline -are a waste. The only good scene in ALL of "The Aviator" is when he's locked himself in the room and is acting crazy. When you don't even like Kate Blanchette in a movie- it must mean something. I find Leo as Scorcese's muse wasted- on both of their parts.
Kate Winslet, in my book, can do almost no wrong.
and I hate to tell you all - I HATED "Titanic"- every bit of it save Gloria Stuart.
Blanchette was terrific as Hepburn. She didn't give a carbon copy performance but brought her own sense to the role and a lot of her own film persona.
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yay- a fellow titanic hater!
Lol!!! ;)
I loved _The Aviator_ and while I agree that _Gangs of New York_ was miscast, I also thought that Daniel Day Lewis made di Caprio and Diaz step their games up. Diaz was actually not bad. Daniel Day Lewis, however, stole the show (as he always does).
Winslet and di Caprio are definitely among the best and brightest.
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he's a great actor but prone to chewing the scenery, which I think he did here.
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sorry- by "he" I mean DDL.
Nothing could have saved that film. The script was terrible and boring.
Titanic is still my favorite movie. Kate lost a lot of weight and transformed her body to an A-list star thanks to Pilates, which she practices at home. She's my hero because I try to lose weight too - I'm working on it. I have read on http://www.projectweightloss.com that she doesn’t have a personal trainer like all Hollywood celebrities. Kate preferred doing Pilates in the intimacy of her home, using Pilates DVD workouts. She is trying hard to get over her teenager image of “fat kid” and set an example to her daughter, by telling her she should be proud of herself and her body. I'm proud of her.
Wonslet didn't look fat or even overweight in Titanic and besides, film puts 10 pounds on you. Most Hollywood A-list stars have gone though more than Pilates to get in the shape they're in too. The only excercise they're used to is walking into a plastic surgeon's office.
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I agree.
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she seems like a cool lady overall.
hope to meet her soon.
Ah, a person, like myself, who admits they love "Titanic." For a film that is the biggest box office hit of all time, it's hard to find anyone who'll admit to liking it.
Sure, it ain't Shakespeare, but it has me from the haunting opening music, to the end credits, and both Kate and Leonardo were great in it.
Now, get ready for all of the "I HATE 'TITANIC!' replies to our posts. ;)
I loved it!
I never understand why there are those who criticize DiCaprio. He is just so brilliant, and it doesn't hurt that he looks like what my grandmother used to call a "matinee idol.". (Is that a derogatory term? I hope not), I even liked him in The Beach, which was universally hated.. His character was unsympathetic, but it was supposed to be. The first time I saw Kate Winslett was in Heavenly Creatures. She was unforgettable. I read somewhere that the reason they became such close friends during the filming of Titanic is that, because James Cameron was such a jerk, they kind of needed to support each other. I am happy to see that that friendship has lasted.
I wanted to add that DiCaprio believed so strongly in the project Blood Diamond that he took no pay for it.
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the film is solid, and he is solid in it.
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cameron does not have a wonderful reputation. ask linda hamilton.
I'm almost sure Catch me if you can is by Spielberg, not Scorsese.That said,one of the movies that made me aware of di Caprio was the small Marvin's room.A young actor able to shine among Diane Keaton,Meryl Streep and de Niro was obviously a promising one.And if I remember correctly,Streep and Keaton gave sincere praises at the time.
And Kate.It's so hard to pick one performance over another.I found her amazing in Jude,the adaptation of Hardy's novel and still found her great 10 years later in Little children (and almost everything in between).
I'm glad they were smart in their choices after Titanic.
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you're right about catch me! I'll fix it.
I liked marvin's room as well.
I've always interpreted James M. Barrie as the original rebel in entertainment. Living in the prim and proper world of England's high society in the early 20th century, he created fantasy for people who previously had no use for it.
The problem with "Blood Diamond" is that it only shows what the rebels were doing. Sierra Leone's government wasn't much better.
I saw "Titanic" only once* and declared that I had no opinion of it.
*One of the boys in my school saw it thirteen times, just so that he could find goofs.
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good poit on blood diamond- but it's still one hell of a thriller. nice to see leo gets his fingernails dirty.
While I usually try to steer clear of viol ent movies, living in a house with so many men, sometimes that's hard to do. That's how I happened upon "The Departed." I thought Leo was phenomenal in it. Just wonderful.
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but I thought nicholson hammed it up too much...see "Infernal Affairs".
Thanks, I shall try. As for Jack, I agree. Why does he seem to go for an over-the-top performance every chance he gets? Too much winking at the audience.
I though he hammed it up too much too. I guess he was kind of unpredictable when they were filming it. He liked giving the two younger men a hard time (all in fun though!)
"What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "Blood Diamond" are my favorites of Leo's films although "Aviator wasn't that bad and he gave a terrific performnace. Since I have a passion for stories about ship disasters, I like Titanic but the British versiuon made in the 1950's, "A Night To Remember" based on the Walter Lord book is by far the best version.
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agree- "remember" is on our site.
I agree with you about "A Night To Remember" being a supurb film, and very accurate to the actual history, but I don't compare it to "Titanic."
For me it would be a little like comparing Ken Burns' "Civil War" to "Gone With The Wind."
It is nice to find a fellow "Titanic" fan, and I think you hit on why it's more enjoyable to folks like us who are interested in the history of the Titanic, and hated by some others. James Cameron put me on that friggin' ship, and I will always be grateful to him for it.
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