In Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, the star is supposed to be Kevin Costner.
But pretty much every scene with a major character is stolen from him.
The Sheriff steals all his scenes with Robin. And all his other scenes too.
The Moor steals all his scenes with Robin.
The Friar just about steals his scenes with Robin.
Marion steals all her scenes with Robin.
King Richard steals his scene from everyone.
Really, the only significant characters who don’t steal their scenes with Robin are the comic relief, Little John, and Sir Guy.
I originally thought along those lines, but now I’m not so sure. Could it have been deliberate, perhaps to emphasise how much of an underdog Robin is? I’m not sure it was the original intent, mind, but perhaps after shooting a few scenes with Alan Rickman, they decided to run with it?
If any of Costner’s other roles were more emotive or otherwise memorable, I’d agree. But Robin Hood simply continued his flat, monotone style. RH was Costner at his usual blandness.
It is my opinion, Quartz, that Kevin Costner is unable to comprehend people from any culture other than modern America. I thought he did a fine job in *No Way Out *and Field of Dreams. However, *Dances with Wolves *is one of the most overrated movies I’ve ever seen and while I think Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a great movie, Costner’s performance is the weakest part of the film.
He did well in both Wyatt Earp and Open Range, but his character in Open Range was a quiet, laconic sort, and from what little I have read about the real Wyatt Earp, he wasn’t exactly a bombastic, frivolous chatter-box, either.
I don’t know that I entirely agree with this, but in some cases it was deliberate. Certainly giving the big heroic speech to Azeem (the “Moor”) was a conscious undercutting of the prior movies; people commented on it at the time. And, of course, Morgan Freeman was made to say stuff like that.
I wasn’t especially impressed with Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio’s scene-stealing, though I liked her, and she was quite a hottie.
The Friar was there for comic relief; by definition he had to steal the scene.
Nineteen years after seeing the movie, Rickman’s is the only supporting actor whose performance I remember.
Heck, 19 minutes after seeing the movie, Rickman’s is the only supporting actor whose performance I remembered, and I had no idea who he was at the time, so it wasn’t because I was a fan. I certainly knew who Freeman and Connery were, though, and can’t say that they made any distinct impression on me.
And I agree that Kevin Costner was lost in the lead role. I liked him in Field of Dreams and Silverado though.
I totally agree with you, especially about Tin Cup and Bull Durham (Costner should just sit at home until Ron Shelton writes another sports movie), though in the latter film Tim Robbins did manage to steal the leading lady…
Golfers can be 50ish without problems and baseball managers can be quite old. But there are only two really good golf movies for the general public, Caddyshack and Tin Cup, and I don’t see that number as increasing. A movie about a baseball manager wouldn’t work as the player action would overshadow a leading role type manager.
So he could do a spiritual sequel to Bull Durham in which he was playing a baseball manager envying the players who are enjoying current iteration of Susan Sarandon, no?
Agreed on all counts. No Way Out is a great movie! I liked Costner in The Untouchables, too.