Critics Club II: 23 - Steve Martin

[Neon Ignition]

"Why did you kiss my ear?"
"Why are you holding my poll?"
"Where's your other poll?"
"Between two pillows..."
"Those aren't pillows!"

Steve Martin




Vote for the movie you feel is their best whilst also discussing their other work, your reasons for voting and thoughts on what is their weakest.

Some will have very long lists so some trimming will be required to focus on the key entries but broadly the main selection will be available each time.

[Solar]

Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Thing about Steve Martin, he always plays Steve Martin. So I don't consider him a "great" actor like I would Brat Pitt or Gary Oldman. He's just, Steve Martin. But his movies are always entertaining.
It's amazing how he hasn't aged though!

[Blobcat]

I kind of have to vote for Little Shop of Horrors. It was the first film I saw him in growing up, followed up by the Father of the Bride films.
I also work with dentists which makes this my favorite performance of his.

Believe it or not, I only saw Planes, Trains and Automobiles for the first time last Christmas. He maybe at his best in that perhaps, as the movie is excellent, but as [MENTION=7637]Solar[/MENTION] said, I see him being very good at being, well, him, in his films as a lead role. I don't know the film well enough to remember his performance well enough (John Candy I remember more.)

He is just so out their crazy in LSOH I have to pick that.

[Finsbury Girl]

Highlights for me are The Jerk, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Bowfinger.

[endo]

Toss up between The Jerk and The Man With Two Brains for me. I've seen both dozens of times, but I think The Jerk just clinches it.

[Leon Retro]

Thing about Steve Martin, he always plays Steve Martin.

I definitely disagree. Watch 'The Jerk', 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and 'Little Shop of Horrors, and then say he always plays himself. I'd say his persona in all three of those films is a lot different, so he is versatile. I could list other films like 'The Man with Two Brains' and 'My Blue Heaven' where is also demonstrates how broad his range is.

Also, comedy actors can find themselves sticking to a persona that their fans expect from them. I think a lot of them like to go against type now and then though. Bill Murray is a perfect example of that. But sometimes a comedy actor has such a strong image that they can deliver the same sort of character again and again with success, such as Gene Wilder in his 80s movies.

When it comes to Steve Martin's career, highlights include:

The Jerk(Full of hilarious moments.)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles(Steve expertly plays the straight man next to John Candy's stupid character.)
Little Shop of Horrors(Steve is unforgettable as a crazy dentist.)
The Man with Two Brains(A crazy comedy with some fun scenes.)
My Blue Heaven(Another example of Steve not playing himself and doing a great job. A really fun film.)
Bowfinger(Steve's last great film. It has some really funny scenes.)

[Solar]

Also, comedy actors can find themselves sticking to a persona that their fans expect from them.

Yes that was really my point. I have watched most of his movies.
He always has the same style/persona, which as you say is to be expected from comedy actors, but he has been as good in each movie. I wasn't putting him down for it. Jim Carrey is the same.
His movies have always been consistently good watches, unlike Adam Sandlers who same old "pinochio gepetto ****" humour has been slowly getting worse with each movie he makes.
I was just saying he's not like Gary Oldman, who easily changes persona to suit the role, True romance>Leon>Fith Element>Harry Potter. A lot of people wouldn't even realize that was the same actor playing all those parts. That is what I would call a great actor.

[Leon Retro]

He always has the same style/persona, which as you say is to be expected from comedy actors, but he has been as good in each movie.

I know you weren't putting him down, so I was just pointing out why I disagree with the idea that Steve Martin always plays Steve Martin. I think that's very unfair, if not totally wrong, because he's shown he has range to his acting ability in all sorts of films. The characters he plays in The Jerk, Little Shop of Horrors, Trains, Planes and Automobiles and My Blue Heaven, are completely different. So it clearly shows that he can adopt all sorts of personas depending on what is needed for a particular role.

Maybe you're just thinking about the way Steve looks and his mannerisms, and feeling he's the same in each movie. But that is just superficial next to how wildly varied his roles and performances can be. His range is incredibly broad compared to someone like Adam Sandler and similar comedy actors who stick to a style of character.

[Solar]

I get you now. Yes his mannerisms, that was the word I think we were looking for.
They are the same in any part he plays, but as we both said that's part of his persona as a comedy actor.

[Leon Retro]

I get you now. Yes his mannerisms, that was the word I think we were looking for.
They are the same in any part he plays, but as we both said that's part of his persona as a comedy actor.

Well, most of his films were made during the 80s, so during that period he had the same sort of hairstyle and look, so it's easy to say he seemed very samey in all his films on a superficial level. If he had made some fantasy and sci-fi films, maybe he could have played really outlandish characters with a distinct look and mannerisms, but he never went down that avenue. Despite that, there are plenty of films where he plays a clearly distinct character. For example, the dentist in Little Shop is completely different to his character in The Jerk.

Anyway, there are loads of Steve Martin films to go back to and enjoy. I really need to watch The Man with Two Brains again.

[Neon Ignition]

From Three Amigos through the next several films he had a damned good run there.