I just finished watching 1776 for the 1,776th time, again thinking about how definitive the performances were. While William Daniels doesn’t bear a striking resemblance to John Adams (who was so plump that he was nicknamed “his Rotundity” during the Continental Congress), he captures the essence of the man so completely that it hardly matters (though unfortunately he captures the same essence of John Adams in every role he plays, it’s just that this particular time it was relevant). Howard da Silva is to Benjamin Franklin what Hal Holbrook is to Mark Twain. So I started thinking about great and not-great historical portrayals. (Of course, those who portray living or recent historical figures have an extra hard time since video and audio exist and are often imprinted on the minds and memories of viewers and it’s hard not to just give a Rich Little stock imitation, but still some rise above or fall flat.)
My votes (just a few to get started):
Best
Kelsey Grammer as George Washington : many critics claim he just played Frasier Crane in a ponytail, but I disagree. IMO, he caught Washington’s arrogance, passion and political brilliance better than any other performer I’ve seen.
Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth R: Cate Blanchett was lovelier, but Jackson convincingly played the Virgin Queen from 14 to 70 in a tour-de-force that both let her evolve and remain steadfast in her dignity and resolve.
Jane Alexander & Edward Herrman as Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt - the definitive screen portrayals of the duo to date, imo.
Peter O’Toole as Henry II - I believed him as both a sinned against and sinning man who was above all a vibrant and brilliant ruler. (I loved Katharine Hepburn in the same movie, but I didn’t include her as she was essentially playing Katharine Hepburn.)
Stephen Fry Wilde - one of those performances when you completely forget you’re watching an actor.
Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon- the movie sucked, but he became Tricky Dick without ever doing a cheap imitation.
Holland Taylor as Nancy Reagan : she bears only a marginal resemblance (they’re both thin and regal), but she conveyed Nancy as I perceive her beautifully.
Ben Kingsley as Gandhi - what can you say? He won an Oscar and deserved it. (The latest DVD has the restored footage of his years as a gas station manager in St. Louis.)
Gary Sinise, Mare Winningham and Angelina Jolie in George Wallace - I grew up knowing the Wallace family and they were all three spectacular in their portrayals of the Dixie MacBeth and his first two queens, the “just plain folk” painted Lurleen (who happened to be brilliant and was nobody’s rubberstamp as governor regardless of what this or biographies may imply) and the beautiful and devoted but crazy Cornelia.
Sterling Hayden as John Brown - though essentially a cameo, I believed him as the man who felt he was on a mission from God but was less Moses than Berkowitz.
Two Lincolns without links: I’ve seen two truly great portrayals of Lincoln on stage, both of which were by actors hopelessly typecast by sitcoms and both of which made you forget you were watching an actor. The first was by Fred Gwynne in a performance ca. 1980 in Virginia (I forget the play), and the second was by Richard Moll (yep, Bull from Night Court) in a production of The Lincoln-Douglas Debates in Philadelphia, and he was perfect. (Who knew he could act?)
Worst
Sean Connery as Richard the Lionheart - possibly unfair since it’s a cameo, but he was way too old for the part and didn’t even try to be anything other than Sean Connery
Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw - I’ll admit to a prejudice: Tommy Lee Jones is, imho, one of the most overrated actors ever to receive an 8 figure paycheck (does anybody else think he gives the same performance in every movie?), but I particularly loathed this one. The tapes of the real Shaw show nobody that nellie or flip and essentially it’s just a more mincing than usual Tommy Lee.
Ted Neeley as URL=http://imdb.com/title/tt0070239/]Jesus- I wouldn’t pick up a cross and follow this uncharismatic loser with a voice that would get him bitchslapped even by Paula Abdul to the store to buy gum.
Barry Bostwick as George Washington - the fault may be the writing- it’s more hagiography than biography- but he portrayed the dynamic and brilliant (if deeply flawed) Washington as the Father of Snores.