The Way of the Future: Howard Hughes

My favorite director is Martin Scorsese, I am captivated by every film he makes, every actor he casts and every frame on screen. One of his films which captivates me the most, not necessarily his greatest work, is "The Aviator". It is a biopic about the life eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. The film features many phenomenal performances, but three stick out in particular. The three I'm referring to are, Hughes, who is brilliantly portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, Katharine Hepburn played by Cate Blanchett and Maine Senator Brewster played by Alan Alda. In this blog we will briefly examine the performances by these three actors.




Senator Brewster, who serves as one of the main antagonist in the film, has competing interests in Howard's airline, TWA, as he wants Pan Am to be the dominant airline. Howard see's through him, and tries to expose him for his corruption, with Pan Am head Juan Trippe. Howard is called to a Senate hearing to investigate how he spent the money that the government gave him to build planes during WWII. Below is that scene in the movie.




This is a great scene for both Howard and Senator Brewster. In this scene the real thing that is on display is the character's motivations. We see dramatic irony with Brewster's character because Howard and the audience know of his intentions, but nobody else in the room does. Additionally, Howard slowly lets it leak out that he put his own money forward in order to follow his dream of making these planes fly. Howard is motivated by exposing Brewster, clearing himself and in the process gaining support for his new planes. Since these motivations conflict with one another, tension is created. While the scene is fast paced, the tension rises as the acceleration of the scene picks up initially and slows down for the slow reveal. It is a very well thought out pace, because it alludes to the motivations, using their Senate hearing as the spark. One of my favorite scenes in the film is between Katharine and Howard, on the golf course. Cate Blanchett is pitch perfect, and in this scene, the use of character intent is brilliantly orchestrated.



This scene is very well directed because it uses some very nice elements from old fashion romantic movies to introduce their relationship. When Howard pulls up in the plane and whisks Katharine off, it is a grand fantastical romantic gesture. While technically it isn't simple, the idea of whisking a girl away is a simple one, it's just Howard's unique way of doing things. While the two are on the golf course, Katharine talks a mile a minute while explaining the differences between men and women. Additionally, she is providing Howard with some vital golf tips. Howard's intent is to woo Katharine, and she is aware of this. Katharine, essentially, is shaking him down as a man, a sort of dating interrogation. The moment Katharine points out that Howard is deaf, and, by her own admission, that she sweats, is the moment that their characters are on an even plane. It is the moment that the characters both have the same goal, the same intent and same motivation, it is also the realization that they both have a lot in common. It is in Katharine's words "Aren't we a fine pair of misfits?". It is the first time they are referenced as a pair, and right after wards, Katharine says, "I suppose you're wooing me now?". In this short scene the characters are doing so much, without actually having to say too much. The acting helps mask this scene very nicely. This film has many more great scenes, but for our purposes it is these two display the acting brilliance of three legendary names.

The Corleones

Hello and welcome to my first post on this blog. This blog is dedicated to examining some of the finest acting performances of some of the most premiere names in Hollywood. In this blog I will be examining Al Pacino, as Michael, in "The Godfather", while comparing him to the late, great, John Cazale as Fredo in the same film. In this film the two are brothers. Fredo is older than Michael but doesn't have the mental capacity to be a real leader for the family. Families always have their leaders and this one is no different, but what does make this family unique is that they are one of the five mafia families of New York. They are led by their father, Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). The film starts with Michael returning home for his sister's wedding a war hero in WWII.





After an attempt on their father's life, the oldest and hot tempered, Sonny, takes over the family. Michael, always the quiet well meaning brother, shifts as a character. He offers to kill those who tried to kill his father. Once he goes through with it he is sent to Italy for protection. Upon the assassination of Sonny, Michael comes back to lead the family. We will examine one specific scene today. The clip is from the sequel, but we will use this clip and reflect on the evolution of the characters from the first film. In the first film Michael shifts more and more toward pure evil, which will be on full display in the sequel. Unexpectedly, in the first film you have a set up for the inner struggle between brothers seen in the second film. In this first clip we see Fredo is trying to explain himself for going against the family and helping those who tried to have Michael assassinated.



This scene summarizes what made John Cazale so good. Additionally, this scene illustrates the fundamental differences in the leadership styles of Fredo and Michael. First, we notice how much Fredo is trying to rationalize his actions, first it's about not knowing there was a hit, to just getting a piece for himself to being passed over. Fredo isn't accountable anymore, and that is at the heart of his character, and his character's flaw: weakness. It is a weakness of mind and of heart, earthly passions are everything. However, Fredo is often the symbol of weakness in the first two films. John Cazale, as an actor, plays this scene beautifully. One of the first things that stands out is his use of movement. His right arm tells you everything his character is feeling, it lacks strength and intent, similarly to his character. It is motivated in the moment and incensed by anger, frustration and sadness.

Michael, on the other hand, represents strength. He is calm throughout the scene, actually it becomes a bit eerie. He shows rage in so many other scenes, but this scene is an illustration of why one brother is the leader of the family and the other isn't. When it comes to business Michael isn't emotionally effected, you're either doing something for the family or against the family. In this scene Michael's pulse doesn't go above 20, and when you put that in the same room as Cazale, you have one of the greatest contrasts in characters you could ask for. Later in the film, Michael will have Fredo killed, and he will make this decision with the same emotion he makes all of his business decisions, ice cold calculation. Great films provide great characters that contrast one another and this scene is just a microcosm of that contrast.