i've seen a bunch of his movies over the years but i think that this (as well as his role in Possessed,1947) is one of his best roles. he makes Sam Masterson charismatic and he's just right between the two ladies--stanwyck and scott. i'm just wondering why he's always been overshadowed by scott whenever people discuss this film.
I was completely unfamiliar with him, but now I'm a fan. I mainly saw the movie to become more familiar with Scott, but I found myself marveling at the whole cast, especially Douglas.
=D=
I was amazed at how good the movie was bought the movie at the gocery store for dollar along on the same disc was another Kirk Douglas. Which was why I boufgr it because of Kirk but I enjoyed watching Van Heflin more then Kirk
shareVan turns in a very naturalistic performance that hasn't dated at all. I didn't realise what a good actor he was until I saw this.
Kirk Douglas is always mesmerising but I think that his performance is a bit too mannered even for the time. Perhaps his natural state was one of dynamism and he struggled to find his feet in the role of a weak, paranoid and devious alcoholic.
Still that's a minor quibble, the film is stunning.
Sam Masterson was a real man, even as a boy. I loved the relationship between him and "Toni", two lost souls needing a break.
"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne
The only thing I knew him from was the Airport movie...he was the creepy guy who had the bomb on the plane. I was pleasantly surprised by his charm in this movie.
shareVan Heflin is a completely underrated actor. You should also check him out in The Prowler. He's the bad guy there, but so sexy.
Jessica Rabbit
"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."
He was great in this film. He was very handsome and masculine too.
The Divine Genealogy Goddess
He could be very scary. I met his ex-wife Frances when she was volunteering at a school for mentally disabled children, she was a petite redhead. I believe they had a daughter named Vanna.
He was so creepy in The Prowler. A great actor from that period.
I remember his sister, also named Fran, used to be on All My Children. She played Erica's mother.
The Divine Genealogy Goddess
If you want to really see Van shine, check out "Act of Violence" in which he is toe to toe with another master actor - Robert Ryan.
I'm here, Mr. Man, I can not tell no lie and I'll be right here till the day I die
Ooo, yeah... seeing Heflin and Ryan both in one film is really cool.
I started falling in love with Heflin a few years ago. It started with my first viewing of one of my favorite westerns: the great Phil Karlson's Gunman's Walk. But then Heflin proved himself memorable in basically everything of his I've seen: Flight from Glory, That Feminine Touch, H.M. Pullman, Esq., Johnny Eager, Kid Glove Killer, TSLoMI, AoV, Madame Bovary, East Side, West Side, The Prowler, Shane, 3:10 to Yuma.
He's such a not-showy actor, but he achieves so much with his not-showy approach. Even when the role had some swagger, like in TSLoMI, his performance was all the more effective for being matter-of-fact rather than flashy.
Matthew
I thought Heflin stole the movie. He was great. So cool and tough.
shareVan Heflin was quite a natural actor, and a patriotic who served in the Army Air Force in WWII as a combat photographer. Yes, he was excellent in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, and was also very good in Possessed. He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Johnny Eager, with Robert Taylor. His death was tragic, and unusual: he had a heart attack while swimming, but managed to hold on to the pool's ladder, unconscious, for hours until found. He died 17 days later, never re-gaining consciousness.
shareI think that all the actors were perfectly cast.
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JimHutton (1934-79) & ElleryQueen
One of my favorite photos of all time is Kings Of Hollywood. Look it up online. It's a photo of Van Heflin, Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart (without his rug!), and Clark Gable. In tuxes at the bar at Romanoffs, New Years 1957. Having a drink, enjoying a laugh. Iconic. Old Hollywood, long gone. Van Heflin was that big a star in his day.
This is the best that I have seen Van Heflin play to date. I'm looking forward to seeing him with Joan Crawford in 'Possessed.' I like noirs. I usually see Heflin in 1950s westerns. A good actor.
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