Rob Morrow miscast?
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mark-1589 — 15 years ago(June 01, 2010 08:56 AM)
Totally agree. I have thought from the first time I saw this film that he just was not right for the part and it seriously marred the film. I don't know whether he was miscast or whether he is just not that good an actor, but I was underwhelmed.
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lambiepie-2 — 15 years ago(January 01, 2011 12:50 PM)
Disagree.
He was the epitome of getting into the character role of a first in his class Harvard Graduate
of that time
so Kennedy-esque, before Kennedy. Such a feeling of closed, as many people thought Harvard was (i.e. versus the VanDoren's type whom you'd THINK should have been cast; no way the two would have been too milquetoast and canceled out each other's performances), but here was this over-achieving 'loner', Jewish guy that is so against what many of that day thought was against Harvard type (hence the ribbing by his 'white bread' Washington colleagues in the beginning. Rob's casting so works here. He's off, nervous and a trendsetter before the trend setting time. It's those little things that mean a lot.
It's not Harvard of 2000's, it's Harvard of the 1950's.
Outstanding job.
"They're NOT role models - unless you idolize greed and tramps." -
alpineinc — 15 years ago(January 04, 2011 10:27 PM)
Miscast (or it wouldn't be brought up so often), but with a caveat; as they tried to force his character (be it Redford or whomever) into an exact look and inflection (must the eyebrows be so obvious, and why would a Harvard grad have such a strong working-class Boston accent??), Morrow had no chance. A fine film, but there was no reason to fine-tune the physical and personal characteristics of Dick Goodwin, who is a relative unknown anyway. It would've been infinitely better if Morrow played it exactly straight, as himself. As done in the movie, Morrow tries valiantly but has too much to contend with for any true feeling to come through.
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lambiepie-2 — 15 years ago(January 06, 2011 03:34 PM)
A fine film, but there was no reason to fine-tune the physical and personal characteristics of Dick Goodwin,
who is a relative unknown anyway
.
I would accept this from folks outside of the USA, but for Americans who need to know their American History, it's a statement that makes me sad.
What is sadder for education in America: knowing the all the Kardasians and what they do as opposed to not or knowing the key players in the Administrations of its Presidents? (unless a scandal ensues, of course.)
"They're NOT role models - unless you idolize greed and tramps." -
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blackhawkswincup2010 — 14 years ago(September 27, 2011 07:20 AM)
I think Rob Morrow is one of the hugely underrated talents in the business. He doesn't get more work, I believe, because he doesn't have leading man looks. I find every single actor in this movie just an exceptional cast, from Paul Scofield, a huge favorite of mine, to Martin Scorsese as the slick and greasy ad executive. Morrow more than held his own with these actors.
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efs2 — 14 years ago(October 10, 2011 03:42 PM)
I just re-watched
Quiz Show
and the thought occurred to me that Morrow was just about perfect as Goodwin. And then I came here and saw this thread. I agree that the eyebrows and accent are a little distracting - and the reason I qualify "perfect" with "just about." But otherwise, I think he got the role just right. He's not really a leading man but is thoroughly believable as a gadfly with some clout.
And the rest of the cast is just as good and well-chosen. In particular, Ralph Fiennes and John Turturro are perfect as Van Doren and Stempel. That does not surprise me. Both are among the finest actors of their generation. Or any generation. I think either could have held his own with Jimmy Stewart or Frederic March.
Also, Johann Carlo - who I had to look up - was excellent in an unglamorous role as Stempel's nagging wife. And Mira Sorvino made the most out of a small but important role as Goodwin's wife.
Somedays it's just not worth chewing through the restraints. -
BullSchmidt — 14 years ago(October 12, 2011 10:45 AM)
I just re-watched Quiz Show and the thought occurred to me that Morrow was just about perfect as Goodwin. And then I came here and saw this thread. I agree that the eyebrows and accent are a little distracting - and the reason I qualify "perfect" with "just about."
I partially agree I think he probably did a great job presenting the real Richard Goodwin. And for me, the eyebrows weren't a distraction. But the accent? My God! Now, I'm not a New Englander, so I can't really judge whether he got the accent right or not (although a couple of Yankee friends of mine have shared their own less-than-positive opinions with me). Which is why I followed your example and qualified my statement with "probably."
But here's the problem there were times I couldn't even understand what he was saying. Nor is that an unusual reaction, judging from comments I've seen here and heard from others. And although, to be fair, I sometimes have trouble understanding the real Goodwin, it's not as though his occasional incomprehensibility was any sort of point of plot or characterization in this movie. So what we were left with was an actor who sometimes couldn't be understood by the audience. Morrow really should have toned down the accent a bit. -
efs2 — 14 years ago(October 12, 2011 08:31 PM)
But here's the problem there were times I couldn't even understand what he was saying. Nor is that an unusual reaction, judging from comments I've seen here and heard from others. And although, to be fair, I sometimes have trouble understanding the real Goodwin, it's not as though his occasional incomprehensibility was any sort of point of plot or characterization in this movie. So what we were left with was an actor who sometimes couldn't be understood by the audience. Morrow really should have toned down the accent a bit.
I can understand how that would diminish his performance from your point of view. I have run into the same problem a few times. However, I'm surprised that someone has trouble understanding Morrow in
Quiz Show
, although I have not looked through many of the threads here. I'm from Kentucky in the U.S. - where the prevailing accents are very different from the Boston/New England accent Morrow affected - and had no trouble understanding what he says. Although I was, as I say, a little distracted by the accent.
So where are you from, if you don't mind saying?
Somedays it's just not worth chewing through the restraints. -
BullSchmidt — 14 years ago(October 15, 2011 07:13 AM)
I'm from Kentucky in the U.S. - where the prevailing accents are very different from the Boston/New England accent Morrow affected - and had no trouble understanding what he says. Although I was, as I say, a little distracted by the accent.
So where are you from, if you don't mind saying?
Sorry for the delay, I've had a busy couple of days. By coincidence, I'm also from KY. And in all fairness, although there were a few instances where I had to rewind the VCR tape and repeat his lines a few times to get what he was saying, those were a few 99% of the time I had no problems understanding him. (Although the accent was always very noticeable.)
It's been a while since I've seen the movie, but one example I remember is the picnic scene when Goodwin is with Van Doren's extended family, and Mark Van Doren is teasing Charles about his quiz show appearances. At one point MVD says to Goodwin, "help me out here, Harvard," and Goodwin responds, "claim victory and depart the field."
That
particular line sounded as if Morrow was trying to swallow his own tongue while speaking. There were a few other cases like this, but again, it's been a while since I've watched the movie.
But I found the accent irritating for another reason. I can only guess that each actor wants to bring his or her personal interpretation of a character into the performance, but when one actor does something like a strong accent while no other performers do (and when there's no real need to point out the character's accent), it doesn't seem to jibe with the rest of the performances. Kinda like having an orchestra performing a symphony in D major, except that one of the musicians is playing his clarinet in A-flat.
All just MHO, of course.
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efs2 — 14 years ago(October 15, 2011 03:33 PM)
[A]lthough there were a few instances where I had to rewind the VCR tape and repeat his lines a few times to get what he was saying, those were a few 99% of the time I had no problems understanding him. (Although the accent was always very noticeable.)
Ah, yes. The Movie Dark Ages, or 1994 B.S. - before subtitles.
As for this:
But I found the accent irritating for another reason. I can only guess that each actor wants to bring his or her personal interpretation of a character into the performance, but when one actor does something like a strong accent while no other performers do (and when there's no real need to point out the character's accent), it doesn't seem to jibe with the rest of the performances. Kinda like having an orchestra performing a symphony in D major, except that one of the musicians is playing his clarinet in A-flat.
Well said. I think that fairly describes the way I feel about to Morrow's accent. It added nothing at the cost of distraction.
edit: I just thought of an even better (worse?) example, maybe the worst ever: Kevin Costner in
Thirteen Days
. I think that is a great movie. But Costner's accent - "repohrt caaahd" - belongs in a cartoon.
Somedays it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.
