# Who's the worst actor in a truly great movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945 "2016-08-15T19:44:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/121 "2016-08-29T02:54:51Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Mickey Rooney in **Breakfast at Tiffany’s**. I don’t know which was worse, the character or the actor. That’s what came to mind too. I don’t have enough familiarity with Mickey Rooney to know if it was a bad performance, or if he’s a bad actor. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/122 "2016-08-29T03:14:57Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > That’s what came to mind too. I don’t have enough familiarity with Mickey Rooney to know if it was a bad performance, or if he’s a bad actor. He was teenage actor, a mega-star, huge Hollywood stud. As an adult he wasn’t much of anything. Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s I’d hear the stories of this man who bedded all of the hottest actresses of an earlier era, then see him appear on TV talk shows and he was a short balding pudgy old man. He was a box office draw as a teen idol, he was a competent actor, but never a great actor. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/123 "2016-08-29T17:24:16Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > That’s what came to mind too. I don’t have enough familiarity with Mickey Rooney to know if it was a bad performance, or if he’s a bad actor. Bad casting, not his fault. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/124 "2016-08-29T18:27:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Bad casting, not his fault. It was worse than bad casting. Almost any actor would have looked terrible in that role, because it was a terrible idea. If they had cast an Asian actor and made the role something other than a ridiculous stereotype it probably would have been OK. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/125 "2016-08-29T18:38:03Z")
I never was a big fan of Mickey Rooney; I tend to prefer fare a little darker than _Andy Hardy_. But he was alright in _Erik the Viking_. And yeah, the over-the-top character in _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_ was awful. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/126 "2016-08-29T20:16:55Z")
Mickey Rooney was a very fine actor at times. He was also a complete and total zonked out jerk at other times. He was very volatile. Note that he did get a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for _The Black Stallion_ in 1980 at age 59. This was considered reasonable if a bit of a career nod. _Sugar Babies_ on Broadway was also considered quite good in that same era. Also a Tony nomination there. He was sufficiently reliable and considered a decent actor to get many roles right up until the end. E.g., three _Night at the Museum_ movies. Plus he was also in _Evil Roy Slade_! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/127 "2016-08-29T22:50:39Z")
My wife says: _The Lion In Winter_ is a fantastic movie, but Nigel Terrys sucks! _The Great Escape_ is a classic, but the Gestapo guys are a little cartoony. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/128 "2016-08-29T23:28:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > My wife says: _The Lion In Winter_ is a fantastic movie, but Nigel Terrys sucks! > > _The Great Escape_ is a classic, but the Gestapo guys are a little cartoony. I take exception with your missus: Nigel Terry is terrific, the character is a total putz and NT plays it perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/129 "2016-08-30T01:58:23Z")
Labyrinth is one of my favorite movies. It’s Jennifer Connelly’s breakout role. And oh, did David Bowie ever suck pond water in that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/130 "2016-08-30T02:19:49Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I don’t know that Watchmen is a “truly great movie,” but I think it aspires to be… and is held back by Malin Akerman’s inept, wooden performance. I was thinking about saying this myself, and in almost exactly the same words. I admit being amused by her indignant “Are you working in here while we’re in bed together?!” but I’m a sucker for dialog that is utterly nonsensical outside of its unusual context. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/131 "2016-08-30T02:32:38Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Labyrinth is one of my favorite movies. It’s Jennifer Connelly’s breakout role. And oh, did David Bowie ever suck pond water in that movie. I think the ladies and a few of the men loved him for another reason :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/132 "2016-08-30T04:56:43Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > He was teenage actor, a mega-star, huge Hollywood stud. As an adult he wasn’t much of anything. Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s I’d hear the stories of this man who bedded all of the hottest actresses of an earlier era, then see him appear on TV talk shows and he was a short balding pudgy old man. He was a box office draw as a teen idol, he was a competent actor, but never a great actor. The one time that I remember my mother being excited about anything was when she came home from seeing Mickey Rooney on Broadway in “Sugar Babies” circa 1979. She was usually a level, calm woman but that night telling me and her mother about how great Rooney was on stage, she was absolutely beaming. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/133 "2016-08-30T05:00:00Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Dorothy Comingore in _Citizen Kane_. Part of it may be her character, but her performance just doesn’t fit in with everyone else. Ruth Warrick, who played the first wife Emily, said Welles treated Comingore very badly on the set. When Warrick asked why, Welles replied that she was going to end up in the gutter so she might as well get used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/134 "2016-08-30T12:31:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I have to say I liked Pitt in _12 Monkeys_ (which is one of may favorite movies). His character was supposed to be over-the-top crazy so there wasn’t a need for subtlety and Pitt delivered. _12 Monkeys_ was where I saw that Pitt wasn’t just a pretty boy and could act. Still probably my favorite role of his. Or maybe _A River Runs Through it._ > [@buddha\_david](#): > > Sophia Coppola in _The Godfather III._ While debatable whether or not that’s a “great” film, the Acting Quality to Movie Quality ratio is probably the lowest among all examples mentioned so far. I maintain the GF3 wasn’t nearly as bad as people say but suffers because it is compared to two of the greatest movies of all time. Coppola’s performance is so glaringly bad because she is plays against Andy Garcia who is the best part of the movie. > [@RickJay](#): > > I have to admit I’ve never minded Tarantino’s acting in Pulp Fiction. He looks and acts like an ordinary doofus, which is what he’s supposed to be. I didn’t think he was great but I didn’t mind him too much. The one that is wooden and annoying is Maria de Medeiros as Fabienne. Just awful. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I liked Matthew Broderick in _Glory_, if for no other reason that the reminder that prior to WWI, military commanders in battle were often very young men, because it was mostly about social standing and college, and less about experience. You have to go a bit further than WWI. A lot of the commanders in WWII were quite young. They had to be with the rapid expansion of the military. In _The Longest Day_ John Wayne was 55 and played LTC Benjamin Vandervoort. Vandervoort was 27 on D-Day. From _Band of Brothers_ Maj Dick Winters commanded a battalion and was only 27 in 1945. By the end of the war many battalion and brigade commanders were in their late 20s early 30s. John Gavin was only 37 when he commanded the entire 82nd Airborne Division. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/135 "2016-08-30T12:36:57Z")
John Gavin maybe commanded Roman Legions in movies. James Gavin was the actual general. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/136 "2016-08-30T18:41:10Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I don’t know that Watchmen is a “truly great movie,” but I think it aspires to be… and is held back by Malin Akerman’s inept, wooden performance. It’s held back by Alan Moore , who writes very different and intriguing comics, which appeal to those jaded by mass comics. However, it’s a subset of a subset and that makes crappy movies. Every movie from a Alan Moore writing has been bad. Nor can Moore do anything really original…he takes other authors original ideas and pees all over them. Dont get we wrong, his deconstructions can border on the brilliant. But that’s all they are- dark parodies. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/137 "2016-08-30T18:46:59Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > I take exception with your missus:… Back of the line, pal! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/138 "2016-08-30T23:20:13Z")
Even though he was the lead, I would nominate Kevin Costner in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. I thought it was a great movie, but his performance was annoying as hell. The rest of the cast is great, but Costner isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/139 "2016-08-30T23:35:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Nor can Moore do anything really original…he takes other authors original ideas and pees all over them. Promethea? Tom Strong? V For Vendetta? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2016, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945/140 "2016-09-01T10:35:10Z")
I thought Akerman was fine as Silk Spectre; it was Matthew Goode as Veidt that really annoyed me, although I’m not sure whether it was Goode himself or the fact that they made him vaguely creepy throughout that bothered me more. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Promethea? Tom Strong? V For Vendetta? V for Vendetta and Tom Strong are excellent writing. Promethea is a hodgepodge of Kabbala, Tarot and other myths stitched together - there are many excellent bits but also a lot of self-indulgent garbage (particularly at the end). And I’d argue that From Hell is basically “Jack the Ripper theories” + “Real and rumored Masonic practices” + “great swathes of Iain Sinclair’s work”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-worst-actor-in-a-truly-great-movie/762945.md?page=8)