# She/He Stole The Movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952 "2010-07-08T12:57:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/121 "2010-08-15T21:01:15Z")
The answer in Nicol Williamson as Merlin in Excalibur. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/122 "2010-08-15T21:32:25Z")
Did anybody mention Madeline Kahn in _Blazing Saddles?_. Her song and dance routine was a killer. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/123 "2010-08-16T05:52:58Z")
This isn’t quite stealing the movie, but in Dick Tracy, Madonna’s singing was so mediocre, that Mandy Patinkin, as her piano player, outsang her with only one line of song. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/124 "2010-08-16T06:08:00Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Did anybody mention Madeline Kahn in _Blazing Saddles?_. Her song and dance routine was a killer. Have you ever seen _Destry Rides Again_? Kahn NAILED the parody of Marlena Dietrich. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/125 "2010-08-17T01:12:48Z")
> [@SkeptiJess](#): > > Val Kilmer in _Tombstone_ is the definitive answer, I think. Yep. especially when you think about what “stealing the movie” really means. It’s not just which supporting or otherwise minor performance was the best or most memorable, it’s when that supporting performance is so fantastic that the rest of the movie virtually disappears, particularly the star, who, in case anyone forgot, was Kurt Russell. Val Kilmer IS Tombstone. And running a second so close even a high speed camera isnt’ quite sure is Heath Ledger as the Joker. These two performances are the complete definition of movie-stealing. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/126 "2010-08-17T15:50:37Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > …Josephine Hull - _Harvey_… **YES.** Favorite line: “…that awful Pooka.” ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/127 "2010-08-17T16:00:35Z")
I’d like to thank everyone in this thread. I downloaded and watched _Tombstone_ last night for the first time. Gratitude! ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/128 "2010-08-17T16:01:47Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > I’d like to thank everyone in this thread. I downloaded and watched _Tombstone_ last night for the first time. > > Gratitude! Get back to us when you’ve watched it for the fifth or sixth time. 🙂 (Seriously, though – welcome to the club!) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/129 "2010-08-17T16:58:14Z")
Jack Black in ‘High Fidelity’. Amy Adams in ‘Doubt’. Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Departed’. Thought I’d have more; guess that’s all I got. mmm ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/130 "2010-08-17T17:32:49Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > I’d like to thank everyone in this thread. I downloaded and watched _Tombstone_ last night for the first time. > > Gratitude! Little things are so cool in that movie, for example, if you watch closely, in the seen right after the marshall is shot, Cowboy: you’re so drunk you’re probably seeing double. Holliday: that’s ok, I’ve got 2 guns, 1 for each of you If you watch closely, he spins the pistols in opposite directions, too fuckin’ cool. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/131 "2010-08-17T20:57:47Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > I’d like to thank everyone in this thread. I downloaded and watched _Tombstone_ last night for the first time. > > Gratitude! Ad now you agree that Kilmer’s is the definitive movie-stealing performance, of course. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/132 "2010-08-17T22:45:30Z")
I know this is a difficult claim to support, but I’ve read that even serious students of frontier history agree that Kilmer nailed it. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/133 "2010-08-18T00:30:39Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > > [@SkeptiJess](#): > > > > Val Kilmer in _Tombstone_ is the definitive answer, I think. > > Yep. especially when you think about what “stealing the movie” really means. It’s not just which supporting or otherwise minor performance was the best or most memorable, it’s when that supporting performance is so fantastic that the rest of the movie virtually disappears, particularly the star, who, in case anyone forgot, was Kurt Russell. > > Val Kilmer IS Tombstone. Okay, I’ll go against the tide here. I like Kilmer’s Doc very much, and he certainly commanded certain scenes, but I absolutely disagree with this analysis. First, Doc is in no sense a supporting character. He’s the number-two figure in the entire story after Wyatt. Here I mean the actual true story, which I’ve studied along with all of its portrayals in film. All accounts and versions of the story assign immense importance to Holliday. _Tombstone_ itself gives shared top billing to Russell and Kilmer. Second, the rest of _Tombstone_ hardly “disappears” for me. “Skin that smoke wagon”? Ringo? The Ringo-Doc rivalry couldn’t work without great performances in both roles. And besides acting performances, a lot of this film’s value is in the meticulously researched sets and costumes, and Cosmatos’ direction. Obviously not having Kilmer in the role would be a shame, but it would still be the preeminent Wyatt Earp movie without him. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/134 "2010-08-18T00:42:49Z")
Owen Wilson in Meet the Parents? He maybe didn’t steal it from Stiller and DeNiro but he certainly burst onto the scene. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/135 "2010-08-18T00:43:47Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > > [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > > > I’d like to thank everyone in this thread. I downloaded and watched _Tombstone_ last night for the first time. > > > > Gratitude! > > Get back to us when you’ve watched it for the fifth or sixth time. 🙂 > > (Seriously, though – welcome to the club!) I don’t know if its THAT good. I’m sure I’ll watch it again, but it doesn’t quite rank up there for me as worthy of five or six viewings. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/136 "2010-08-18T05:01:43Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Second, the rest of _Tombstone_ hardly “disappears” for me. “Skin that smoke wagon”? Ringo? The Ringo-Doc rivalry couldn’t work without great performances in both roles. And besides acting performances, a lot of this film’s value is in the meticulously researched sets and costumes, and Cosmatos’ direction. Obviously not having Kilmer in the role would be a shame, but it would still be the preeminent Wyatt Earp movie without him. I remember reading somewhere that even though Cosmatos was billed as the director, Kurt Russell actually directed the movie. Also, a funny quote that someone had on Facebook was, “Smoke that skin wagon.” The girl was embarrassed when someone pointed out the mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/137 "2010-08-18T16:00:35Z")
I am going to throw the PotC debate a spin and say that Bloom, Knightly and Depp were the movie, but how did lot security not notice Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Cook carrying that whole franchise out to their car. Pintel and Ragetti made those movies. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/138 "2010-08-18T17:11:18Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > I’d like to thank everyone in this thread. I downloaded and watched _Tombstone_ last night for the first time. > > Gratitude! We’re your huckleberries. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/139 "2010-08-18T18:13:00Z")
Walter Brennan in “Rio Bravo” – no mean feat, given the strong performances by Deano and Duke Wayne. Robert Duvall in “True Grit” ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952/140 "2010-08-18T18:13:49Z")
Someone may have already mentioned these: Russell Brand saved _Forgetting Sarah Marshall_. If not for him it would have been a terrible movie. Bronson Pinchot stole a big chunk of _Beverly Hills Cop_. In fact, another actor’s lines were cut from the scene because the director thought Pinchot was so funny. Then they brought him back for the sequel, which must have required some plot gymnastics. Rupert Everett OWNED _My Best Friend’s Wedding_, although Cameron Diaz did a good job with a nothing role. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/she-he-stole-the-movie/545952.md?page=8)