Richard Widmark: 1914-2008

And just after my tenth (eleventh?) viewing of one of my favorite film noir, that daylight ménage à trois (or rather, ménage à trois by way of intimidation, which only makes the picture all the more fascinating and kinky) -- Road House -- just when I was really wrapping my head around my obsession with both the movie and that hot blonde laughing lunatic of menace and twisted sex appeal, he ups and leaves me.

One of motion pictures greatest actors, an icon of film noir and an intelligent, decent man in real life has left us. Richard Widmark died Monday at the age of 93-years-old.

An actor who stunned audiences (and earned his one and only Oscar nomination) with his film debut as the giggling psychopath Tommy Udo in Henry Hathaway's Kiss of Death, a character who, in the film's most notorious scene, pushes an old woman in a wheelchair down a flight of stairs, Widmark worked a long career filled with intriguing, daring roles that left a permanent impression on the movie-going public. So much, in fact, that Tommy Udo clubs formed around the country at various colleges, honoring the maniac for not taking any guff from women, men or life itself -- no matter how venal and self destructive he was. But that was part of Widmark's power and subversion -- you enjoyed his lunatics, you almost wanted to be near them, if only for a moment, just to witness that all that live wire insanity and bad seed evil.

But his career wasn't all about hassling little old ladies, he also helped create some of film noir's most immortal characters including, in my mind, two ultimate existential noir anti-hero icons in two ultimate film noir masterpieces --  Skip McCoy in Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street, and Harry Fabian in Jules Dassin's Night and the City. 

There was also The Street with No Name, Panic in the Streets (where he made the smart career move by playing the good guy and allowing Jack Palance the role of creepy heavy), the stunning aforementioned Road House (with Ida Lupino and Cornel Wilde), Don't Bother To Knock (with Marilyn Monroe), No Way Out (playing such a convicing racist, that the real life and very passionate liberal apologized to young Sidney Poitier after nearly every take), Judgment at Nuremberg, How the West Was Won, Madigan and more and more and more.

His presence was always missed once he stepped away from the screen but it was nice knowing the man, one of the last men standing of all the noir legends, was still alive and kicking. That he was enjoying his very non Tommy Udo-like life away from the spotlight in Connecticut, critical of  modern movies and soul baring celebrities and the general dumbing down of cinema while keeping his life in healthy perspective. I've got so much more to write about one of my absolute all-time favorite actors, but to put it simply -- he was a rare one.

Rest in Peace Mr. Widmark. We'll always have Jefty's. And, here's your famous push...for old time's sake.

Read more Kim Morgan at Sunset Gun.

Comments

[JerseyBob]

How sad. I'm glad he lived a long life. The movie I seem to remember most is Niagra with Marilyn Monroe. Rest in peace

[newworldman777]

He was one of the last of the old time stars whose career began in the 40s. We are left with a few old survivors from that era, including Karl Malden, Kirk Douglas, and Ernest Borgnine, all of whom are in their 90s. I felt sad when I heard of his passing, because even though I didn't know the man, I somehow felt that I did, after watching him in so many different films. I suppose my favorite would be "How the West was Won," which I will watch every time that it comes on. Having lived a full and productive life, he gave us all a plethora of top-notch movies to enjoy for generations to come, so may he now rest in peace.

[3fingerbrown]

"Judgment at Nuremberg" suffers from the same well-intentioned but heavy-handed treatment of social issues that hampers most of Stanley Kramer's films, but it's one of the best-acted Hollywood films of all time. That Widmark was a standout in a cast that included Spencer Tracy, Monty Clift, Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, and Max Schell in his Oscar-winning role is proof of the powerful impression he could make on the screen. He gave a memorable, complex performance.

On the other end of the spectrum, his appearance on "I Love Lucy" is a reminder that he had a nice touch for comedy, an ability that was sadly underutilized by short-sighted producers and directors.

[Grabit]

Widmark was really one of the most remarkable actors of his generation, and I mean one of the two or three most remarkable. There had been a movement afoot to get him a Special Oscar for years. Of course, he was too modest to promote himself.

But whether he liked it or not, he was truly big, a real star, very literally, as demonstrated by his popularity among both the movie public and everyone who worked with him. I lost my breath when I heard the news on the radio driving into work this morning. Even though I knew he was 93, it hit hard. But he will endure.

[Desiderata]

My favorite was the underappreciated John Wayne produced "The Alamo". Widmark's Jim Bowie was masterful.

[Grulg]

Wow he was a good one. I have a copy of Madigan, he's really fine in that, too.

[wm1066]

He was the lead in an anti nuke movie called (I think) "The Bedford Incident" At the height of the cold war. Great movie, Sidney Poiter was also in it. Big explosion. Everyone dies at the end.
He earned my respect for putting that movie together.
Rest in peace.

[Mariel]

He was one of my favorites when I was young. I guess I liked twisted people, sad to say, although he in his private life was not twisted--guess his face just lent itself to photographing twisties. And another favorite was Ida Lupino, his femme star in Roadhouse. Those were real stars. As the last poster said, RIP, Richard Widmark.

[cmdrgmh]

Thanks for posting this. Too many of our favorite true hollywood stars are leaving us. These films bring back great memories when movies were movies.