Favorite Van Heflin Performance?
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gbennett5 — 22 years ago(February 02, 2004 12:13 AM)
How GREAT to see a board for Heflin, one of the more sadly forgotten actors.
He was a TERRIFIC actor masculine, sexy, and an actor of great depth
and range.
My fave? I loved him in "Presenting Lily Mars" (1943) with the GREAT
Judy Garland. They had great chemistry together, and his sense of comedy
was quite winning.
Best of all: "Johnny Eager" 1941), for which he won his academy award.
He was touching, winning and marvelous.
I love Van Helfin!!! -
bkoganbing — 21 years ago(June 03, 2004 02:46 AM)
Amen,to all you say about Van Heflin. I suppose among his best performances
would be in Johnny Eager, Shane, Sante Fe Trail.
But my favorite would have to be 3:10 to Yuma. One of the most tender scenes
I've ever seen is Heflin as the rancher comforting his wife Leora Dana after
Henry Jones was brutally murdered by Glenn Ford's gang. Him explaining to her
why he had to carry on because the town drunk had given his life for law and
order was one of the most moving things I've seen in cinema.
Interesting in that he had essentially two shots at a career in Hollywood. You
notice his first film was A Woman Rebels with Katherine Hepburn. He didn't get
much notice then and he went back east and he was cast as McCauley Conner with
Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story.
When Hepburn bought the rights to the play herself and peddled it to MGM they
insisted on some box office names. Heflin wasn't one yet and neither was the
guy who played C.K. Dexter-Haven, Joseph Cotten. So she did it with Cary
Grant and Jimmy Stewart. But she didn't forget Heflin. It was at her insistence that MGM signed him to a contract and his first film I believe was
Johnny Eager. And the rest as they say was history. -
dcurry-1 — 21 years ago(July 29, 2004 04:36 PM)
Mine is Shane.
I read where he played on stage in the Philadelphia Story. Howard Hughes brought the rights to The Philadelphia Story & gave them to his girlfriend (Hepburn) as a gift. Hepburn left Hollywood after being labeled box office poison in 1938.She went to Broadway for a comeback. She asked for GABLE/TRACY in the screen rights.I think she wanted Gable to prove something to David Selznick. He turned her down for Gone With The Wind. He told her I couldn't imagine Clark Gable chasing you. She replied David some men have different taste than you do.
His debut was in 1936 with Katherine Hepburn in A Woman Rebels. -
bkoganbing — 21 years ago(August 04, 2004 02:40 PM)
Very true about A Woman Rebels, Kate probably got Van Heflin in the Broadway
cast of The Philadelphia Story.
What's amazing to me is that he had that first stint in Hollywood and didn't
set the world on fire. Even with that peformance as the traitor Rader in
Santa Fe Trail.
So few of us get that second chance. -
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PatriotsSpyGate — 18 years ago(August 27, 2007 09:44 PM)
Just watched "Martha Ivers" last nite. He was terrific. I only knew him as the older desparate bomber in Airport. Cool to see him as a younger dapper leading man from the 1940's. Kind of young to pass away at 60?
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BERGDORF — 21 years ago(August 05, 2004 10:58 AM)
VAN HEFLIN in THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS is definitely his bestin my opinion he not only blew away Kirk Douglas, he made Stanwyck squirm in her panties and made LIZBETH SCOTT's "Toni Maracheck" want to be all the woman she could be for him!
And don't forget him and Stanwyck in BF'S DAUGHTER, not a5b4 great movie but, his understated portrayal of a principled man was very good.the last scene when Stanwyck finally tells him she needs him and he says "That's all I wanted to hear" makes the whole movie worthwile.
Lastly, I have to mention Mr. Heflin's performance in POSSESSED with Joan Crawford.he was a real jerk that drove JC crazy.he was a cad and still you wanted to see what was going to happen to him!
"WE DON'T LIVE IN THAT KIND OF A WORLD THELMA" -
rclements3-2 — 20 years ago(August 24, 2005 11:29 PM)
Having seen almost all of Heflin's movies, and being in agreement with the favorable comments of his work in all of the above posts, my favorite performance is one he gave in a little-seen spaghetti western called "The Ruthless Four" (1968). It was one of his last films and he is absolutely superb as a broken-down gold prospector who finally strikes it rich.
Other performances I liked were in The Prowler (1951, as a crooked detective), Gunman's Walk (1958, as a retired gunfighter), They Came to Cordura (1959, as a heavy), Cry of Battle (1963, as a rapist) and Patterns (1956, one of his best films).
I've never seen him give a less-than-convincing performance even in films that weren't that good. He was known as the "poor man's Spencer Tracy", and has not gotten the critical acclaim he deserves.
In real life, he was known as a very private man, almost reclusive. This complexity comes through in many of his roles. -
morphytal — 20 years ago(September 09, 2005 04:23 PM)
He is an actor I really like; viril, talented and sympathetic.
My favorite Van Heflin movie is Act of Violence. I also enjoyed his performance in Shane, the Three Musketeers, Battle Cry, 3:10 to Yuma and the Santa F Trail.
In need to see Johnny Eager, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers and The Prowler. -
rclements3-2 — 20 years ago(September 19, 2005 11:03 AM)
I forgot to mention "Act of Violence". One of his best performances.
I automatically watch anything with Heflin in it. Even mediocre films improve with his presence.
I saw "The Prowler" about 35 years ago on the "Late, Late Show" and haven't seen it since. It apparently is not available on VHS or DVD, but if it is I would appreciate any leads. -
Kar595 — 20 years ago(September 23, 2005 06:26 PM)
Love Van Heflin. My favorite performance is in Johnny Eager. Not just because he won the 'Oscar'but because it is just plain 'good'.
Has any one checked out his performance in the comedy The Feminine Touch? It is an early role but he gives a fine comic performance.
Sorry I never saw his Broadway performances. -
sorrywrongnumber — 20 years ago(October 10, 2005 03:39 PM)
Dear Kar 595,
Hello there. I believe that Van Heflin's best roles was in the films,'The Pr5b4owler', and 'Act Of Violence'.
The scene where he runs into a tunnel whilst being chased by another fine actor, Robert Ryan, and shouts out,"Joe!" in anger is superb!
Good to see there are Heflin fans out there.
Glenn