MovieChat Forums > Manhunter (1986) Discussion > Tom Noonan

Tom Noonan

posted 8 years ago by Edward_de_Vere
4 replies | jump to latest

I'm surprised that Tom Noonan didn't have a stronger film career after his performance as Dollarhyde in Manhunter. While I wouldn't expect Noonan to get too many leading man roles on account of his rather strange appearance,you'd think that he would have carved out a niche as a character actor with bigger roles in more films than what he had. Instead, Noonan's post-Manhunter career came down to a very small roles in a handful of good films like Heat and The Pledge, some arthouse projects of his own like The Wife, but other than that, not much other than some B-pictures.

[–] guigui-paul 8 years ago

He is so impressive in "Manhunter"...very strong performance, he is creepy and moving.
All the scenes between him and Joan Allen are probably the best parts of "Manhunter".

[–] Edward_de_Vere 8 years ago

I agree - one of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Dollarhyde takes Reba to see the sedated tiger.

Dollarhyde's performance as Dollarhyde reminds me of another great performance that managed to make a cold-blooded murderer sympathetic: Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty in Blade Runner. As with Tom Noonan after Manhunter, Hauer's career after Blade Runner didn't really live up to its early promise (plenty of movie credits, the vast majority of which are in films that range from mediocre to unwatchable).

[–] Rocky15 (509) 5 years ago

I agree, he’s a a good actor and he’s brilliant in this, he’s been solid in pretty much anything I’ve seen him in

[–] noveltylibrary65 (200) 5 years ago

What Happened Was is my very favorite, another he wrote and directed. Somehow I think he prefers doing personal projects, hope so anyway just love him.