# What’s the least dignified scene you’ve ever seen a respected actor do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517 "2010-02-18T20:03:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/21 "2010-02-19T00:04:11Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > This will be next to impossible to top! > > However, Harvey Keitel deserves mentioning for displaying his shortcomings in The Piano. Didn’t he do a bit more than display them in Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant in an infamous scene ? (though I haven’t seen the film) - ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Alan\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Bird)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/22 "2010-02-19T00:16:38Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > First one who mentioned Michael Caine in “Jaws: The Revenge” gets the back of my hand. We’ve all read the quote before. At the risk of getting slapped, can someone tell me what the scene/quote is? Or is it just that he took such an undignified role? I knew MC had been in that movie but that’s all. The late Richard Jeni does a great bit about that movie. I tried to find it but couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/23 "2010-02-19T00:26:42Z")
So did Harvey Keitel or Frank Langella actually _do_ anything undignified, or was being a naked, middle-age male enough? (whereas Kathy Bates gets a Best-Supporting Actress nomination for _About Schmidt_) I remember seeing Apocalypse Now in the theater, seated behind a trio of nice, “ladies who lunch” types. Two hours of machine-gunning, imapaling, and decapitation had no effect on their composure, until Martin Sheen pulled his boat up to Colonel Kurtz’s camp where a man wearing only a shirt was hanged from a tree over the river. No problems. Until… the body slowly spun around and revealed a little button of a dick-head. **"Tcht-ugh!"** ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/24 "2010-02-19T00:32:01Z")
Helen Mirren & co- _Caligula_ The whole thing was one long undignified scene. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/25 "2010-02-19T00:33:19Z")
> [@Alan\_Bird](#): > > At the risk of getting slapped, can someone tell me what the scene/quote is? Or is it just that he took such an undignified role? I knew MC had been in that movie but that’s all. > > The late Richard Jeni does a great bit about that movie. I tried to find it but couldn’t. _Sigh._ “I have not seen it, but by all acounts, it is dreadful. I have, however, seen the house it built, and by all acounts, it is magnificiant.” - Michael Caine, on “Jaws the Revenge.” ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/26 "2010-02-19T00:54:21Z")
John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole, Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren. Caligula. I can’t _believe_ nobody mentioned this. ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/27 "2010-02-19T00:57:28Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > John Gielgud, Peter O’Toole, Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren. > > Caligula. I can’t _believe_ nobody mentioned this. I mentioned it ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/28 "2010-02-19T00:59:56Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > Not sure if this is what you’re looking for, but the first thing that came to my mind was Patrick Stewart doing a sketch about pornographic cakes on SNL. > > It was not particularly funny, which could have excused it. But he’s always such a good sport about things like that, I didn’t get any sense that he wasn’t happy about it. It was a brilliant commentary on leading vs. following public tastes! Anyway, my vote goes to Monica Bellucci in **Irreversible**. Ick! ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/29 "2010-02-19T01:32:59Z")
[Jon Voight in Karate Dog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywK7SsqE8Y). Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/30 "2010-02-19T01:46:59Z")
John Wayne in _The Conqueror._ ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/31 "2010-02-19T02:14:21Z")
Any scene with Robert DeNiro in _Rocky & Bullwinkle_. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/32 "2010-02-19T02:20:43Z")
> [@Rrose\_Selavy](#): > > Didn’t he do a bit more than display them in Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant > in an infamous scene ? (though I haven’t seen the film) > > - One of the creepiest sex scenes in cinematic history, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/33 "2010-02-19T02:26:39Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > The first example that comes to mind is Jennifer Connelly’s (in)famous scene in “Requiem for a Dream,” … > > So, have at it. Speaking of that movie, how about the incredibly moving scenes throughout the from the still amazingly beautiful Ellen Burstyn. It’s still peeves me how she lost best actress to Julia Roberts in “Erin Brokovich.” ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/34 "2010-02-19T02:44:40Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > [Jon Voight in Karate Dog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywK7SsqE8Y). Nuff said. I was about to say, “just staring in a bad movie doesn’t count!” Then I clicked the link. You win. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/35 "2010-02-19T02:47:50Z")
Deniro’s got a BUNCH of them, but for my money it’s in Stardust where he crossdresses. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/36 "2010-02-19T03:05:02Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > The first example that comes to mind is Jennifer Connelly’s (in)famous scene in “Requiem for a Dream,” > So, have at it. That wasn’t a body double? My submission: You mentionned Nicolas Cage, surely dressing up as a woman punching bear is near the top. Burn after reading: George Clooney’s contraption. John Travolta dying on the can in Pulp Fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/37 "2010-02-19T03:07:41Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > [Jon Voight in Karate Dog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywK7SsqE8Y). Nuff said. Jesus Christ. I can’t believe that’s real, but it’s on IMDB sure enough. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/38 "2010-02-19T03:48:42Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > That wasn’t a body double? Probably, now that you mention it. > [@](#): > > My submission: You mentionned Nicolas Cage, surely dressing up as a woman punching bear is near the top. Reverse that. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/39 "2010-02-19T03:55:57Z")
I don’t think it can possibly get any less dignified than Ned Beatty squealing like a pig, but I’ll throw Viggo Mortensen’s naked knife fight scene from _Eastern Promises_ onto the pile. There are some _very_ unglamorous shots and angles involved in that scene. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517/40 "2010-02-19T04:05:36Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I don’t think it can possibly get any less dignified than Ned Beatty squealing like a pig, but I’ll throw Viggo Mortensen’s naked knife fight scene from _Eastern Promises_ onto the pile. There are some _very_ unglamorous shots and angles involved in that scene. I would call it unglamorous, but NOT undignified. He was under attack, fighting for his life in a very intense scene - even if he WAS naked. It was a brave scene for any actor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-least-dignified-scene-you-ve-ever-seen-a-respected-actor-do/529517.md?page=3)