# "You're too good for this": good actors in bad movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189 "2006-12-31T04:33:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/81 "2008-02-19T14:19:21Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] One of the classic bad movies with great casts is **[The Madwoman of Chaillot](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064621/)**. Cast included Katherine Hepburn, Danny Kaye, Paul Heinreid, Yul Brenner, Oscar Holmuka, Richard Chamberlain, Donald Pleasance, Dame Edith Evans, Guilietta Massena, Charles Boyer, and John Gavin. [/QUOTE] In October 1980, my freshman year, I was the Baron in the college production. We all loved the play & thoroughly enjoyed doing it. Spring 1981, the movie was all TV so we all had a party to watch it… and were appalled how bad it was. ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/82 "2008-02-19T14:24:14Z")
[Mission to Mars.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183523/) Sinise, Robbins, Cheadle in what is close to the worst movie ever made. Braaaaiinns!!! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/83 "2008-02-19T14:28:27Z")
A very young george Clooney in “Return of the Killer Tomatoes.” ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/84 "2008-02-19T15:05:29Z")
[QUOTE=Romola Des Loups] …Orlando Bloom in ‘Troy’. Although i’m not an Orlando fan, i can’t understand why he signed up for a part which made him look like such a pussy. “Come with me, i know a safe place.” - Yeah, of course you do, you big girl! [/QUOTE] Let’s not forget that **Peter O’Toole** played King Priam in that same mess. (At least Young Orlando got to put Brad Pitt out of his misery.) O’Toole also has a role in the as yet unreleased [Thomas Kinkade’s Home For Christmas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kinkade%27s_Home_for_Christmas). _My Favorite Year_ was on TCM last weekend. “'With Swann, you forgive a lot, you know?” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/85 "2008-02-19T15:21:32Z")
**Donald Sutherland** , like Donald Pleasance, Laurence Olivier (at the end of his life), John Carradine, Michael Caine, and others, apparently never saw a film script he didn’t mind appearing in. So he’s been in a lot of excellent films, and a lot of mediocre films, and some appallingly bad ones. There’s no other way to explain **Gas** or **The Trouble with Spies** (both of which I got talked into seeing because they had Donald Sutherland in them) > **[Gas (1981) ⭐ 3.2 | Comedy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082440/)** > > 1h 34m | R > **[The Trouble with Spies (1987) ⭐ 4.3 | Action, Adventure, Comedy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094188/)** > > 1h 31m | PG-13 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/86 "2008-02-19T17:01:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] **Jeremy Irons** isn’t just in Dungeons and Dragons and Eragon, but also The Time Machine. From watching him in Dungeons and Dragons, personally I think he accepts stupid movies every once in a while just so he can get out and really chew some scenery. In D&D he really looks like he’s having a good time, totally knowing that the movie and his part was total cheeseball. Personally, I thought watching his sheer glee rather made up for the movie–though admittedly not enough that I have any desire to watch it again, or ever watch Eragon. [/QUOTE] I recall reading an interview where he said he’d done _Eragon_ and\* D&D\* because his son was a fan and thought it would be cool. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/87 "2008-02-19T18:01:41Z")
Well, what about someone who’s near total body of works was in the cheese section of the movies? But who was still a good technical actor, and in the words of one reviewer, “Was often the best of many a bad movie.” I’m talking John Candy. He made some movies that I think one could call good, but most of the films he was in were doog. Still fun to watch, but guilty pleasures all along. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/88 "2008-02-19T18:07:39Z")
Charles Bronson in the “Death Wish” series. I know, Bronson wasn’t anybody’s idea of a great actor. But “Mr. Majestic,” “St. Ives” and “Once Upon A Time In The West” were good movies worthy of his tough guy posturing. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/89 "2008-02-19T18:08:14Z")
Every single person associated with the film [1941](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941_(film)). What were they thinking? ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/90 "2008-02-20T00:05:53Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Borgia] Sarah Polley in _Dawn of the Dead_? 😃 [/QUOTE] Wait, she acted in something other than _Road to Avonlea_? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/91 "2008-02-20T01:52:09Z")
Robert De Niro in [Rocky & Bullwinkle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0131704/) Oh. My. Og. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/92 "2008-02-20T12:24:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Robert De Niro in Rocky & Bullwinkle > > Oh. My. Og. Oh, it goes WAYYYY beyond “Good Actor in Bad Movie”. De Niro was the **Producer** of that film. In other words, he’s responsible for the thing even existing: [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0131704/fullcredits#cast](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0131704/fullcredits#cast) While I think that de Niro had excellent taste in reviving a classic show (and while I would’ve cast him as Fearless Leader – heck, he looks more like the Pottsylvanian leader than any other actor I could name), it wasn’t well done, overall. If they’d lived up to the show, I would’ve applauded it. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/93 "2008-02-20T17:37:38Z")
Jack Black, Nicole Kidman, and Jennifer Jason Leigh in the unwatchable **Margot at the Wedding**. Great cast–completely wasted. I should have known better, since I hated the director’s earlier work, **The Squid and the Whale** ,too. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/94 "2008-02-27T21:01:32Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Have you never seen O Brother Where Art Thou? I love this movie more every time I watch it … and already it’s like 8 gazillion. Yes, I have. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/95 "2008-02-27T21:45:15Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] I recall reading an interview where he said he’d done Eragon and D&D because his son was a fan and thought it would be cool. [/QUOTE] What was his excuse for **The Time Machine**? How about \*\*Sir Anthony Hopkins \*\* in **Freejack**? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/96 "2008-03-03T09:49:10Z")
Every single thing **Dustin Hoffman** has done in the last twenty years, and a lot of the things before that too. Take away the high points and his career is a series of suck. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/97 "2008-03-03T10:31:28Z")
I despair when I see an actor of Vincent D’Onofrio’s calibre squandering his talents doing a third-rate Columbo impersonation on _Criminal Intent_ ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/98 "2008-03-03T23:14:11Z")
Jeffrey Combs. Ok, he’s not a marquee name, but he’s just too talented to be stuck in horror movies! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/99 "2008-03-04T06:04:38Z")
[QUOTE=mamboman] I despair when I see an actor of Vincent D’Onofrio’s calibre squandering his talents doing a third-rate Columbo impersonation on _Criminal Intent_ [/QUOTE] Especially when he can be an intergalactic cockroach. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189/100 "2008-03-04T06:07:27Z")
Kelli Maroney was very good in Night Of The Comet. I thought she was going to do well. She spent her entire career being the b movie scream queen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-too-good-for-this-good-actors-in-bad-movies/386189.md?page=6)