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Dana Andrews acting style in this film

posted 13 years ago by paul-273-129025
6 replies | jump to latest

Now I admit I haven't seen many Dana Andrews films of the Forties but I've seen quite a few later ones from the Fifties. I was really struck by his incredibly understated moodiness in this film which was different to what I'd seen him do before. He seemed like a totally different actor to what I'd known. I was wondering if this was normal for his films of this period and then it dawned on me.
He's doing a Humphrey Bogart impression. Bogart was massive at the time and it was only two years after Casablanca.

Watch it again and imagine Bogie and the way he talks. I'm sure he's imitating Bogie's style of talking. It wouldn't be the first time a successful formula had been copied. He's still great in this film though.

What do you think of this theory?

[–] Gubbio 13 years ago

Not sure he was trying to channel Bogart.

Although I like his acting, Dana always sounded to me like he was mumbling or had a mouth full of marbles. I think it became more pronounced in the 50's -- and I wonder if his battle with the bottle had anything to do with it.

[–] deeveed 12 years ago

I've always thought Dana Andrews an underrated actor from the 40's. He kind of typified the guy who's calm on the surface but underneath thetre's alot going on. You can get an idea of that in 'Laura'. One thing about him and that was he noted that he had feelings of self doubt, "Fear, fear, fear, I'm all tied up inside'. Not sure if it was because he had that alcohol battle but it's said it didn't affect his work in getting acting jobs or doing scenes. Don Ameche said about him, 'Drunk or sober, he never misses a word'. And , in fact, in 1969 he became sober which was a great accomplishment for him.

[–] joedonato234 11 years ago

An early co-starring role in THE OX BOW INCIDENT has Andrews playing quite a different character: an emotionally charged guy who's anything but calm on the outside as one of three men accused of wrong doing and in danger of being lynched by a posse. In this it's a young Anthony Quinn who has the "Dana Andrews role". Quite impressive, and unlike anything Andrews did later on.

[–] viaggio1 10 years ago

THE OX BOW INCIDENT has Andrews playing quite a different character

Right --- I saw him in an earlier role, that of a gangster in "Ball of Fire," (1939), and in that movie he plays very much a different personality. I couldn't believe that he was the same actor as in "Laura" !

Apparently, quite versatile, and perhaps largely underrated and overlooked !

J'ai l'œil AMÉRICAIN !

[–] Etruscan_Shores 12 years ago

He gives a similar performance in Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950), another film noir he did with Gene Tierney and Otto Preminger. I don't feel like he's imitating Bogart so much as being the typical hard-boiled detective. But I've only seen each of these noirs once so far.

The only other thing Ive seen Andrews in is The Best Years of Our Lives, and I'd say that's his best performance of the three I've mentioned.

[–] glasshull 11 years ago

I think he sounds like Leslie Nielson.