Sydney Pollack acting
I find Sydney Pollack an incredible actor - very natural actor, aware of his body language. It's a shame he didn't act in the 70s alongside Redford perhaps.
shareWe just watched the scene with Pollack and Hoffman in the office. "You were a tomato!" I think I read they didn't get along so their scenes were excellent. Pollack is also good with Ben Affleck in Changing Lanes.
shareThe tomato line is hilarious. And on paper, I'm sure it's not much. The entire scene in the Russian Tea Room is a riot. I love this film, but my fave scenes are all of those involving Pollack (B Murray a very close second).
Pollack also did very good work as Will's father in "Will and Grace." I think that was some of his last screen time.
"If it is not in the frame, it does not exist!"
Great directors that are great actors
A List
1] Roman Polanski
2] Rainer Fassbinder
3] Clint Eastwood
4] Sydney Pollack
runners-up
Michael Imperioli
Steve Buscemi
Sean Penn
Penny Marshall
Gary Marshall
Tom Hanks [directed one pretty good movie]
As for other women, there are only a few & their directorial efforts really haven't amounted to much. In the early days there was Ida Lupino who was one of the first major actresses to break thru as a director. Nowadays there is Jodie Foster who is a fine actress, but her skills as a director are weak. There is also Angelina Jolie trying her hand at directing.
I agree with the original poster that Pollack was very natural in front of the camera. Not mentioned in this thread is he had a very funny cameo as a Dr. in DEATH BECOMES HER. It cracks me up every time when he tries to listen to Meryl Streeps' heart.
shareMy favorite Sydney Pollack performance is in Woody Allen's "Husbands & Wives". He should have gotten at least a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination along with Judi Davis who was nominated and played his wife. My 2nd fave of his is Tootsie.
Even his performances on TV such as "Will & Grace" and in The Sopranos were terrific.
He was such a fantastically talented man in every way. I still miss him.
RIP Sydney
Remember us, for we too have lived, loved and laughed
You can Robert Redford to the list.
Laurence Olivier was pretty good at acting sometimes. Underestimated as an actor. Never got his due.
"I slept with you and you're in love with my husband. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"
Never got his due? Not sure how you mean that. A dozen Oscar nominations, one win as Best Actor, two honoraries including one for lifetime achievement, three Golden Globes, a half-dozen Emmys, BAFTAs ...
Damn, I'd like to be that underappreciated.
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Nothing to see here, move along.
Sarcasm, darling. Sarcasm. It loses a bit on paper, doesn't it?
"Is it safe?" Just for that line alone I'll always love him.
"Victor, what are we going to do to stop this fiendish tit?"