Posted on 05/15/2009 8:20:02 AM PDT by Bender2
JAMES MASON: THE SAD CAD
By Simon Edge
"...when the comic Eddie Izzard used to do a stream-of-consciousness ramble where he portrayed God as a bumbling figure with the voice of James Mason, it brought the house down. According deity status to this instantly recognisable British export, with his unique form of seductive caddishness, was cheeky but somehow fitting."
James Mason "...was born in Huddersfield a century ago, the son of an affluent textile manufacturer..."
"A century after his birth, that work still stands the test of time."
(Excerpt) Read more at express.co.uk ...
However, I wish to hereby proclaim Happy 100th Birthday to one of my favorite actors of all times!
Later that same year I saw his Captain Nemo in 20000 Leagues Under the Sea.
In those years my parents took me to the drive in several times a week. To you young whippersnappers, the drive in was not just for teenage lovers to get it on in 1950 period comedy films, but a place where millions of Baby Boomers parents went to actually see movies where they could smoke, drink beer and not have to pay a baby sitter as the back seat provided that. As I grew up I realized I had seen him in earlier films but just didn't recognize him.
Those were some of his best roles: Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in 1951's The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel and 1953's The Desert Rats; Capt. Paul Gilbert taskmaster over Alan Ladd in 1953's Botany Bay, the German spy code name Cicero in 1952's Five Fingers and of course, Rupert of Hentzau of in Pandro S. Berman's 1952 remake of David O. Selznick 1937 The Prisoner of Zenda.
Yes, James Mason played villains, lots of them. He was so dead gum good at it, you often found yourself secretly rooting they won as James generally acted circles around the heroes of these plots.
Or he play the 'Black Hat' and managed to keep on a par with even the best of actors who where the 'White Hats' in such fare as Julius Caesar (1953) with Marlon Brando, North by Northwest (1959) against Cary Grant, The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960) prosecuting Peter Finch, 1966's The Blue Max getting George Prepard to fly himself into the ground, for and against Greg Peck in The Boys from Brazil (1978) and taking on Paul Newman twice in The MacKintosh Man (1973) & The Verdict (1982).
Not that James Mason could not play the hero or romantic lead as in Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) and The Marriage-Go-Round (1961) to just name two or even his Prof. Humbert Humbert chasing underage Sue Lyon in Lolita (1962), it just worked out that his 'dark' side was so delicious, producers loved to cast him as the meanie you loved to hate.
Back in my salad days of youth as a starving actor, one of my infamous party bits when liquored up enough, I could do a fair James Mason impersonation of the entire Academy Award "That-that-that-that's the speech. That's the - I need a job. That's what I wanted to say. I - I need a job. It's as simple as that.!" scene from A Star Is Born (1954) followed quickly by Phillip Vandamm's line to Roger Thorhill, "Has anyone ever told you that you overplay your various roles rather severely, Mr. Kaplan?" These performances were quickly followed by scattered applause followed even quicker most times by my passing out.
So, to make a long story short, James, you are still a part of my youth as I chase you through my sixth decade hoping to make it to my 100th birthday. With the hope of several successful liver transplants to do such, I am forever in your debt for giving me such good acting to enjoy, I am
Very sincerely your fan for always!
BTW for a full look at James Mason's glorous career, go to http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000051/
Actors today think taking their clothes off is equivalent to acting, sadly, so does today's audience.
James Mason son was an advisor to Reagan who later married Belinda Carlie of “The Go-Gos”.
Given our era of Hope and Change, the film is sadly relevant today.
Excellent post. Any movie James Mason was in was instantly better because he was in it. I especially loved one of his last roles, as the lawyer in ‘The Verdict’.
.jpg)
Excellent point, z! However, when talking nude actresses... 
you know the rules!
Absolutely!
I am 38 and he is still one of my favorites. Your point is correct, however.
According to Wikipedia, he was a Conscientious Objector....not exactly the popular (or smart) thing to do during World War II.
Happy Birthday to a very memorable actor! My only regret is that he was part of that ever present English cadre in America Cinema that has now engendered such illegitimate off-spring as that invidiously English-accented GEICO Geeko.
Your hero was a Conscientious Objecter who refused to take up arms against The Axis when his homeland was being blitzed.
Later that same year I saw his Captain Nemo in 20000 Leagues Under the Sea.
I was seven also and my dad took me to see 20,000 leagues on New Years Eve . I remember walking down the aisle and glancing back at the end of the movie when the Nautilus was sinking .
ahhh...Those were the days. :-) Some of the drive-ins we used to go to (in Oklahoma City) had the BEST little playgrounds right in front of the screen so all the kiddies could go down and play before the movie started (when it was still light).
an overpowering interest in art?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.