James Mason was an Amazing Actor.
I really liked him in the Movies "
A JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
", "
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
", and "
SALEM's LOT
".

Mason's box office popularity shows that he was highly regarded. He was the number one box office star in England from 1944-1947. His longevity and three Oscar nominations also show that he was a well respected actor.

James Mason is definitely not overrated or underrated. He is rated just right as an amazing actor.

These polar opposite scales of tagging his acting abilities do not really apply to Mason. He was one of the greats and compared to the drek we see paraded before us now, many millennial and zoomer acting clowns are the over-rated ones. It would be hard to find someone under-rated today.
Norman! What did you put in my tea?

As a driver?

James Mason is highly regarded as a wonderful and talented actor. He's not overrated or underrated. I think Mason is rated just right.

I've not seen anything other than Salem's Lot but he's held in high esteem that I know.
Tell you what…When I send my ex-wife her money…you can lick the stamps.

Underrated
He was an Amazing Actor.

no one will ever have a voice quite like his in movies.
–
Mason was the first classic actor that I wanted to sound like.

"no one will ever have a voice quite like his in movies."
—————————————
Agreed!
When it comes to Acting, He was definitely 1 of the Best.

no one will ever have a voice quite like his in movies.
Odd Man Out: Republic of Ireland's favourite film

Thank You! What a Treat!!!
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night!

Here's a special Halloween treat for you, Miss Margo. Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart as perfectly narrated by James Mason.
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything.

Anything Mason said just seems to roll off the tongue.
What a lot of people don't mention is that Mason was the most popular box office star in British cinema in the 1940s. From 1944-1947 he ranked number 1. It seems that this is overlooked quite often.
Mason also helped change the image of the leading man in English cinema. Before he came along the leading men were more cerebral [Ivor Novello, Robert Donat], but Mason was sexy, sinister and dangerous. The credit usually goes to Anthony Steel for making English men virile, but there were others before that, but I think Mason started that trend.

About the only Burton movie performance I ever actually enjoyed was him as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. He let Liz do most of the screeching.
I loved him in North Sea Hijack. Excellent line!
Mason: "No, I'm afraid that thought didn't occur to us."
That was great.
He was just so controlled, and yet, entertaining… even when you knew he was deadly.
The art of survival…
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night!

For some reason Burton's voice gets on my nerves. He yells too much or his voice is just too wooden. Sometimes he is so hammy I get indigestion. He had everything to make him great [looks, acting, etc], but somehow just lacks that something extra [in my view].
I cannot say the same about James Mason though. He is beyond reproach [again in my view]. I love what he does with his voice. You gave one great moment in LOLITA. I think Mason delivers that line flawlessly.
I'll add two more.
I like how Mason says to Gregory Peck in THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL "May I call you away from surgery for one moment?"
In NORTH SEA HIJACK, Anthony Perkins says "It has occurred to us that you may try to booby trap the ransom and blow us all to pieces."
Mason: "No, I'm afraid that thought didn't occur to us."
His delivery is flawless.

Whenever I watch Lolita, I always laugh when he and Shelly Winters are there on the bed and she tells him she gets limp like a noodle whenever she's near him, and he says, "Yes. I know the feeling."
No matter how many times I have seen it, his delivery of that line never fails to make me laugh.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night!

Those are my two favorite Mason performances.

As for Burton, I like him, but I think you're right. He isn't everyone's cup of tea.
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night!

I think the majority I have comes across think highly of Mason. I think Richard Burton is the one people would be mixed about.

I say neither. You either like him or you don't.
Personally, I like him in every movie and TV show I have ever seen him in.
I have said it before, and I'll say it again. I could have listened to him read the phone book when he was alive, and I'd be entertained.
Just a couple of great performances, IMHO….
You asked a pretty question; I've given you the ugly answer.
Fasten Your Seatbelts….
It's Going To Be A Bumpy Night!

"If he were rich…"
Condition contrary to fact rule, Bubba.
MAGA! FAFO! Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. Dumbocraps: evil people who celebrate murder.

Even without fb I doubt actors sit around worrying about their rated status.
"Gee. I wish I was more popular! Wait. I got millions! Never mind."
"Please vote to preserve the unique character of Warren…" - Robert Duvall

right, because otherwise he would be so interested in filmboards
the logic!
This message has been brought to you by The Deep State.