msladysoul Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Who are some of classic Hollywood actors and actresses who are over-rated, who are overly talked about, considered more talented then they were. When I first started watching classic movies of course I was drawn to the names of the legends of Golden Era Hollywood, because they were more known and considered more talented, so I watched them first and enjoyed them, but I never thought of them as great as their considered, especially when I got to know other stars of the time who are just as good but under-rated. I think some of the stars who are over-rated are more talked about because of their wild, reckless, lives, instead of their career. So that's the way to be remembered in this business. Who do you all think are over-rated and why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaneboop Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Grace Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimbo3200 Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 I think Grace Kelly is, though I like many of her films (especially The Country Girl, for which she won an Oscar), but she only made about 12 or 13 films and was in the business only a few years. Another one that I also like a lot, but is a bit over-rated is Katharine Hepburn. I love her films, but she was given just a little too much attention as an actress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaneboop Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 I agree with Katharine Hepburn. 4 Oscars please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappy3500 Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 I'd have to say "Doodles Weaver". Not half as funny as any ONE of the Ritz Brothers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Victor Mature Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackenhe Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 I really don't care for Carole Lombard. I've only seen her in about 3 films but she doesn't impress me. And I have to agree with two others mentioned here--Grace Kelly and Katharine Hepburn. I didn't used to like Audrey Hepburn but she's grown on me. I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan either but these are my classic films choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moviejoe79 Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 I agree with Victor Mature and Grace Kelly. I would also say Audrey Hepburn - everyone thinks she was so amazing as an actress, but I really don't think she was that good. Just look at "My Fair Lady" - she overacts, and couldn't even do the singing - so why did she get the role? Because she was "Audrey Hepburn" - meanwhile, Julie Andrews could've done a fabulous job in the role, just like she did on Broadway. And I don't even want to get started on "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - Mickey Rooney and Patricia Neal give the only good performances. All Hepburn does is play a flighty wannabe model/richgirl, and to me there was no meat in her performance. Perhaps if a "better" actress was in it, the character would've been more developed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movieslover1000 Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Gene Kelly - just don't like him, can't really explain it. I've taken to steering clear of his movies. Lon Chaney Sr. - again, I can't explain it, I just don't like his movies, although I always try to watch them when they are on. Katherine Hepburn - Good actress, but the "greatest". I do watch her movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bansi4 Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Heck, Victor Mature was never over-rated in his whole career. He was beefcake for the ladies and supported some of the most beautiful actresses in the movies. Wanna know something? I liked him and thought he was outstanding in the crime dramas "Kiss of Death", "I Wake Up Screaming" and "Cry of the City". Also very good in "My Darling Clementine" and "Affair with a Stranger". He also grew on me as Samson in "Samson and Delilah". Trouble is TCM don't have the rights to many of his films made at 20th. Century-Fox. Out of sight, out of mind. Mongo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Just a note on Audrey Hepburn and her singing in My Fair Lady. I saw versions of her doing the singing before the over dub and she did a really good job - I was shocked she could sing so well. I agree with Breakfast at Tiffany's but I'm not sure if it was her, or the story. Never cared for that film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harlowkeatongirl Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 For one, I totally disagree with the sentiments on Katharine Hepburn. I think she deserved all four Oscars and twice as many after that. I had to shut off "My Fair Lady" because I couldn't stand the sound of Audrey Hepburn's singing OR speaking voice. Although I usually am very fond of her otherwise. lol I can only think of one specifically who is very overrated, I think, and that is Marlon Brando. I saw him on TV briefly just last night and I think he's nasty. I don't get how some people say he was soooo good looking. Whatever. And his acting leaves a buttload to be desired. About the size of what his is today, actually. Sorry, that was mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arslongavitabrev Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 i don't agree with most of the replies so far, especially Gene Kelly! but i'm in agreement on Audrey Hepburn. I'm thinking about Wait Until Dark and what a one-dimensional performance she gave in that. OTOH, i simply enjoy looking at her. lol, i dunno why, but i'm thinking of Tony Curtis. someone remind me what he did worth a hoot aside from Some Like it Hot, although he was marvelous in that. what irks me more is when i see actors whom i know to have talent just walking through a movie (or movie after movie) to collect a paycheck -- Elizabeth Taylor springs immediately to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bansi4 Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Did you ever see Tont Curtis in "The Defiant Ones" or "The Boston Strangler"? He is quite outstanding in both films. Mongo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrobella Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Although I liked Katharine Hepburn in "Stage Door", "Woman of the Year" and other films, she still receives my vote for most overrated. I think the fact that she was born of privilege allowed her certain opportunities that she would not have had otherwise. Plus, as a writer mentioned a few months ago, living a long life and being of sound mind allowed her to schedule interviews aimed at legacy building. I mention the legacy building not as a criticism, though. I wish my favorite actor and actress had done the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 I'm on the fence with Tony Curtis. I liked him The Defiant Ones, Some Like It Hot, and The Great Race but not much more than that. (Some recommendations of his stuff i might want to see - would be appreciated). I thought he could not handle historical parts that well (Spatacus, The Vikings, etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaneboop Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Doodles Weaver. I agree. He was so painful in Road to Nashville. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappy3500 Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Yes kane, and if he hadn't rented that boat to Melanie Daniels so she could leave the love birds for Mitch Brenner's sister in "The Birds", Bodega Bay would not have been attacked. I blame Doodles for that, I really do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moviejoe79 Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Another over-rated actor that I really can't stand is Cliff Robertson - he's a total bore, and can't even begin to figure out how to act. I never saw him in anything that I thought was good. Meanwhile he won an Academy Award, and as far as I know, he was up against some pretty good actors in the year that he won. You have to wonder sometimes how these people become famous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Keeping with my Anti-Marx stance I gotta go with the horrible comedy trio of The Marx Brothers. "Do you rubber?", "I rubber!" Just one example of bad comedy. I also think Elizabeth Taylor is way overrated. I liked her in A Place in the Sun but her ego nearly bankrupted a Studio when making Cleopatra. Last but not least Wallace Beery. Here's a guy that won an Oscar, married Gloria Swanson, and was a favorite of Mr. Mayer's. Pretty good for a guy that started out his carrer as a transvestite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stellabluegrl Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 James Dean. He had major roles in only three movies and in my opinion he wasn't that great in any of them. From the IMDb: His very brief career, violent death and highly publicized funeral transformed James Dean into a cult object of apparently timeless fascination. Ooookay. I don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 As far as Dean goes I think it was the the fact that he did three impactful roles then suddenly died that has brought his legendary/cult status - not great actor. As far as his star/acting status it seems to be rated on what could have been after the performance in Giant not on what he had done. Just my thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgm80s Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Bggalaxy, you might want to try "Operation Petticoat" with Tony Curtis and Cary Grant. Its a fun movie and I enjoy it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Thanks 80, I will. I have heard of this film but have not seen it yet. I think Curtis is well suited for comedies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bansi4 Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Also try "Houdini" (although not totally factual) its a good flick with then-wife Janet Leigh, "The Boston Strangler", "The Rat Race" quite good with Debbie Reynolds, "Trapeze" with Burt Lancaster, "Sweet Smell of Success" excellent performance, "The Defiant Ones" (I mentioned in prior Post), "The Great Imposter", "The Outsider", "Sex and the Single Girl" and "Lepke". I think you'll be surprised. Mongo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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