Malden Brought Depth, Morals to Film Roles
by S.T. KarnickActor Karl Malden, who died at age 97, was a fine performer who stood for good principles and conveyed a sense of moral responsibility in his performances.
Malden was instrumental in pushing the Motion Picture Academy to give a lifetime achievement award to writer-director Elia Kazan, who directed Malden in perhaps his best and most memorable role, that of Father Berry in “On the Waterfront.”
Kazan had been an outcast in Hollywood for several decades before the 1999 award, because of his opposition to communism. Malden’s support of him carried a great risk of ostracism by Hollywood’s political correctness police.
A measure of Malden’s integrity is that he was married to the same woman for seventy years and was surrounded by family members when he died.
By no means handsome or dashing, Malden was seen by critics as an Everyman type, but he did not settle for allowing his characters to be ordinary or dull. Having grown up in no privileged environment, he knew just how much strength it often took for ordinary people just to survive. Thus he invested his characters with real strength, regardless of whether the person was basically good or not. He succeeded purely on the strength of his acting ability and the availability of roles playing real adult human beings in real, dramatic stories.
Malden clearly made an effort to understand why his characters did what they did, and as a result his performances emphasize the characters’ freedom of moral choice and consequent moral responsibility for their actions. Thus his performances worked against the prevailing cultural notion that our actions are determined by our circumstances.
Malden had numerous memorable film roles, including Gen. Omar Bradley in “Patton,” the complex sheriff and former bank robber Dad Longworth in “One-Eyed Jacks,” the cuckolded husband in “Baby Doll,” the domineering father in “Fear Strikes Out” (an awful film), and of course as Lt. Mike Stone in the 1970s TV series “The Streets of San Francisco.”
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28 Comments
An actor who served his country, who stood his ground against his commie loving peers, who made quality films and delivered quality performances.
They don't make 'em like him anymore. He will be missed.
[...] I would like to commend for your attention an article about a true class act in Hollywood — Malden Brought Depth, Morals to Film Roles. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)I am as vigilant as a cat to steal cream. ~ [...]
The irony of your mentioning that Elia Kazan had been an outcast in Hollywood because of his opposition to communism is monumental. This from the land of Leo Penn, George Cloony and all the other leftists who constantly whine about Joe Mcarthy. I can't help but think of Iowahawk's great post a few months ago about how movies are still a great entertainment value where he listed ficticious movies that were either about persecution of gays or leftists.
[...] So is Karl Malden [...]
There is certainly a kind of McCarthyism in Hollywood today. And it is from the communist-minded sheltered elites that turned a great American institution into a moral cesspool.
That's why I applaud all the folks who contribute at BH who are in the business such as Dwight Schultz, Gary Graham, Victoria, Skip Press, and John Nolte who stand up for their beliefs in a town where being openly non-liberal makes you as welcome as someone with swine flu.
Ooh, bitter much?
We know he was a Republican, dumbass. We also note that his same tactics are still decried today, except when they use them. the Elia Kazan "blacklisting" is proof of that.
Oh, and the "you lost, shut up" argument – completely lame. Your hypocrisy is showing, or is dissent being the highest form of patriotism not operative anymore since "the results of the 2008 election?"
Here trolly trolly.
"it has destroyed financials around the world" What's a "financials"? How can Regan have media conglomerates from beyond the grave? What on earth is "free-from DJ's"? What's a "sychophant" or did you mean "sycophant"?
"did you happen to se the results of the 2008 election?" What does "se" mean?
But seriously, TISH. This wasn't even a good troll imitation. Too many typos. Too many run-ons. Too many non-sequiturs. We're on to you, you rascally Republican you.
Very nice tribute this morning S.T. to a fine actor and a good man.
Sorry to observe, even at the passing of Karl Malden, there are warped individuals coming here, who cannot seem to bear to put their ideological daggers away for a moment to show a bit of respect.
The difference between us and them.
Slight correction, his character in 'On the Waterfront' is Father Barry.
"Kazan had been an outcast in Hollywood for several decades before the 1999 award, because of his opposition to communism."
Heh.
Right, and Jewish Americans were mad at Mel Gibson because he was impolite to a police officer
I've always enjoyed his performance as Shooter in "The Cincinnati Kid". The character is morally weak and suffers the consequences as you suggest but Malden makes him likeable and we, the audience, understand why he is weak. I think Ann-Margaret would have that affect on me too – though Tuesday Weld is more my kinda gal. I like "The Cincinnati Kid" at least as much as "The Hustler", a minority opinion I know, and can actually view it more frequently than The Hustler. Great casts in both but for once Walter Matthau and George C. Scott get shaded, by Edward G. Robinson and Karl Malden.
I saw a montage of Malden's film roles on TCM, I think, and I don't recall seeing anything from "Patton". That's a testament, right there. That he can be memorable in so many movies that a movie as epic as "Patton" can be forgotten.
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"a minority opinion I know"
Not to besmirch Malden, but I think George C. Scott in "The Hustler" blows his "Cincinnati Kid" performance out of the water. Then again, Scott is a much scarier and more hateable person; Malden wasn't playing to his strengths there.
As for Walter Matthau, I think you have Jacki Gleason in mind.
I can't believe I made that big an error in memory! Yes, Jackie Gleason not Matthau. I had in my old befuddled head a black and white image, from that era of film making, of Matthau playing a menacing character and now can't think of which film that image comes from. Can't be "Charade" as that's in color.
WRT Cincinnati vs Hustler, I agree George C. Scott is truly scary. I think the character in Cincinnati that corresponds is the one played by Rip Torn though his character seems to be more pathetically desparate. I guess Robinson's character corresponds to the one played by Gleason. Both great.
He wasn't an outcast because he was against communism, he was hated because when he realized the error of his ways, when he turned against communism, to defend America he named names. They hated him for naming the traitors in hollywood. Malden called them on it, basically. You either realize he did good, or you stand with the traitors and keep him down. Many of the hollywood dirtbags still refused to applaude for his award, and hate him almost as much as they hate capitalist America…almost.
Ron Reale
realetybytes@yahoo.com
realetybytes.townhall.com
Malden was awesome as the police detective in Hitchcock's 1953 film "I Confess," starring Monty Clift.
On second thought, it may not be fair of me to fault Karl Malden for not being as scary as Scott, since Scott was playing the villain whereas Malden was playing a nice guy (per usual). What I meant by saying Malden wasn't playing to his strengths is that Scott was a natural fit for the types who roam the underworld of illicit gambling. I'm sure there are nice fellas among card sharps and pool sharks, but any as nice as Malden? I don't know.
I loved Karl Malden…RIP "Mike Stone".
I really liked his portrayal of Gen. Omar Bradley in Patton. He was the perfect yin to George C. Scott's yang.
Don't forget his tender portrayal of the parson on the Disney film "Pollyanna."
Malden does a great turn as a heartless killer in "Nevada Smith" which could be Steve McQueen's greatest role.
I did not realize that Malden was a defender (and a too-lonely one) of Kazan. And, naturally, that he was a spirited and serious anti-communist. That only raises the esteem in which I held him.
When I was a kid, I only knew him from the American Express commercials — which he pulled off in such a memorable way. And there was something about his bulbous nose and voice that always appealed to me.
As I grew older and viewed some of his performances, though, I see my memories of him reflected in your tribute, Mr. Karnick. The way he gave dignity and intelligence and depth to the "everyman" roles he was given by Hollywood.
What I will remember is the intensity that Malden poured into every role. Sometimes it was subtle, exactly when called for. Sometimes it was in our faces. But, always, there was a sense that an honorable and real intensity was boiling beneath the surface. And "intensity" doesn't always mean anger. In the characters Malden played, it was usually not anger, or at least not unhinged anger. If his character got heated, you knew — because of the way he played it — the anger was righteous, and not childish. It was not mindless rage. And he did not over do it (as Pacino, as great as he is, often does).
RIP to a great American actor and a great, patriotic American.
What a difference between him and his acting partner in “The Streets of San Francisco” in living, eh?
I'm glad you mentioned his role in "Pollyanna" because it such and endearing and true performance.
Yup the final seen of the movie. His acting was great. Maldan that is
Noboy seems to mention his part in "One Eyed Jacks" – as "Dad Longfellow" the one eyed jack. This was his greatest part IMHO. He played off Brando perfectly. In a movie filled with great actors, he turned in a stellar performance. I find myself watching it again every year or so. May you be in Heaven before the Devil knows you are dead, Mr. Malden.
I was a kid in the 70's and loved watching Streets of San Francisco. I loved the chemistry between Malden and Douglas. It was a sad day when I learned of his passing but he had lived a full life and lived it well. Many of his fellow Hollywood actors will NOT leave such a legacy. When Sean Penn dies I wonder who will give a damn. Hollywood is morally bankrupt and Malden was one of the last good guys left in that town. God Bless his soul and his memory.
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