I love this film and have seen it many times, but I couldn't help thinking that perhaps Albert Finney was a little too long in the tooth for a thriller like this. He's still good, but someone more like William Hurt or even Harrison Ford may have helped it's box office. Perhaps the low budget couldn't stretch to 'stars' such as these; Ford was busy with Raiders, and Hurt hit the bigtime with Body Heat, all in the same year.
shareFinney can act circles around both of them. Anyway, a successful plastic surgeon would be in his 40s at least. Ford and Hurt would have been too young and completely unbelieveable in the role.
share[deleted]
no he definitley was not. in fact I think it made the film slightly more credible as the male lead was not supposed to be some great hero type, but a very unassuming doctor who gets in way over his head. I like that he is not some ex-cia, green beret, black ops soldier, mercenary or whatnot. (thought I like those types of films also and the 80's were full of them) I love the film. seen it 50 times and will see it 50 more. finney was great sort of playing against type, susan dey was truly never more beautiful(everyone talks about the nude scene, but what about the beach? sexiest woman in a one-piece I have ever seen)leigh taylor young was stunning, couburn was carismatic. criton's direction was spot on and I love the way he did the time compression(like the fountain). it was obviously not a big budget movie but I think they certainly did the best with what they had. 20 years and I still can't think of a better stunt fall than when the model is thrown off the balcony of the building. IMHO a stronger more dominating lead like hurt or ford would have weakened the film.
shareAlso, if the doctor had been played by a younger actor, to be believable he would have had no sympathy for his patients. He would have only been interested in his reputation and making the big bucks. Finney comes across as old school, care for the patient at all costs type of doctor.
shareThe whole reason I like this movie is because of Finney. Sure it's quite cheesy at times, but it's a good cheesy.
Jeesh, people are SO used to plastic surgery nowadays, they look back on older movies and suddenly people are "too old" for the roles they played. What is the fascination with looking young to the point where it becomes disfiguring? I actually miss the attitude of the 70s and 80s because people actually looked like they looked. We didn't have 60-something year old actors trying to act like and play the part of a 40 year old character. Like Al Pacino ~ I love the guy, but just grow old gracefully, y'know? Stop trying to act like you're 40-something forever!
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I can't understand your crazy moon language.
44 is too old and long in the tooth?
shareAlbery Finney was perfect in this movie. Not too old. Just believable.
shareOn a somewhat different note but I think worth pointing out . . .
A recent poster on this Thread mentioned Al Pacino and if someone was too old to play a certain role remember that in the 1980 film 'CRUISING' Pacino was either 39 or 40 when it was filmed and he was playing a 28-year-old wet-behind-the-ears cop.
Not very convincing (and not a good movie, either). Ugh!