ROTTEN TOMATOES: Sydney Pollack: A Retrospective

Sydney Pollack: A Retrospective

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Sydney Pollack started out in the business as an actor, appearing in 60s television fare like The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He acted less frequently when he found his calling in directing and producing, which, in a way, made him a more fascinating actor; he found the freedom to choose roles that played to his strengths and particular style. Here, we take a look at Pollack's best roles in movies not directed by himself.

more info...	Husbands and Wives (1992) Tomatometer: 100% Husbands and Wives is arguably Woody Allen's most realized drama (that doesn't involve murder), with its cinema verite filmmaking and strong performances from Allen, Judy Davis, Mia Farrow, and Sydney Pollack. The role of Jack is vintage Pollack, a man who never lets go of his measured regality even as his life begins to crumble away.
There aren't any Pollack clips on YT, but check out this fantastic scene with Davis.

more info...	Eyes Wide Shut (1999) Tomatometer: 78% In Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Pollack portrays Victor Ziegler, the closest this infamously murky movie gets to having a "bad guy." He's a complacent figure, watching as his friend and doctor, William (Tom Cruise), goes on a nightmarish trip of sexual politics and self-discovery.

more info...

Changing Lanes (2001)
Tomatometer: 78%

Pollack made an acting career out of lawyers, businessmen, and meeting room dwellers whose moral ethics never made a sinner out of him, but never quite the innocent man, either. He delivers a speech in Changing Lanes that sums up his MO: "I can live with myself because at the end of the day I think I do more good than harm. What other standard have I got to judge by?"

more info...	Michael Clayton (2007) Tomatometer: 91% Pollack re-entered the public consciousness at large with his brawny supporting role in Michael Clayton. Working in a law firm filled with "fixers" probably means your moral compasses are slight askew, but Pollack gives his role major gravitas, becoming a voice of reason as George Clooney freefalls into a diabolical cover-up.

more info...

Made of Honor (2008)
Tomatometer: 12%

The wacky parent has long been a staple in romantic comedies Pollack gets his turn in the Patrick Dempsey-Michelle Monaghan vehicle, Made of Honor. It may not be the most glamorous final role, but at least demonstrates Pollack's willingness to continually push himself as an actor, even after a spot was reserved for him as a major movie director and producer.

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(1-16 of 16 posts) | Reply

Floor Man writes:
on May 27 2008 04:16 PM

Michael Clayton was beyond amazing...and so were nearly all his other works....

R.I.P., sir. You made and played with the best.

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tomwaitsjr writes:
on May 27 2008 05:05 PM

Um, did you HAVE to end with Made of Honor? It's like eating a nice steak and then swallowing a urinal cake afterwards.

I think you guys are missing "Out of Africa." That film won Best Picture and won him the best director oscar.

I forgot how much I liked 3 days of the Condor. That is one of the best paranoia films ever made.

His character in Eyes Wide Shut totally dominated the film. His superior acting skills worked perfectly for his character.

He was making kind of a comeback with the great "Michael Clayton" after some films that were mediocre.

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Young Turk writes:
on May 27 2008 05:13 PM

I really liked The Yakuza.

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Shmucknut writes:
on May 27 2008 06:44 PM

Lawl, Dustin Hoffman in a leather pantsuit is instant hilarity.

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Mishmerized writes:
on May 27 2008 07:59 PM

His role in Eyes Wide Shut is the only one i can remember, he brought realism and credibility to the screen and made me wonder why he hadn't appeared in more films like this...

RIP

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noir62 writes:
on May 27 2008 09:59 PM

I know his scene in Death Becomes Her is brief but it stands out. Funny stuff.

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Mr. & Mrs. B writes:
on May 28 2008 01:39 AM

Out of Africa wasn't included because it didn't get that great of reviews. Rotten Tomatoes focuses on reviews not the Oscars. Although rare it does happen that a movie that recieves mediocare reviews does win best picture.

RIP Mr. Pollack, your film making skills will be missed!

(Reply to this)

tomwaitsjr writes:
on May 28 2008 08:39 AM

In reply to this comment (#1759617)
Wow, you're right. Out of Africa only got 61%.

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Jen Yamato writes:
on May 28 2008 09:02 AM

Yup. Makes you want to take a gander at lesser known films with higher Tomatometers like They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

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Wolf of the Winter writes:
on May 28 2008 11:58 AM

RIP.
I really liked him in Michael Clayton.

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homeimp writes:
on May 28 2008 01:34 PM

In reply to this comment (#1759617)
Did you not notice that these ratings are based on a minimal number of reviews at RottenTomatoes? The leader was Jeremiah Johnson based on a whopping 13 reviews. Many of these so-called reviews are not even available anymore, so we can't even check if the ratings are accurate. I would take them with the proverbial grain of salt. I have They Shoot Horses, The Way We Were and Out Of Africa in my collection. I would not part with them.

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willpower writes:
on May 28 2008 04:32 PM

He was great. Everything was so understated and powerful. More film makers and actors could learn a lot from his movies and acting.

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dethburger writes:
on May 28 2008 10:19 PM

respect.

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thetrailblazr writes:
on May 29 2008 06:36 AM

He certainly left a supreme legacy of contemporary filmwork. He will always be an inspiration as the quintissential "Actor's director", right up there with John Huston. The results speak for themselves, as wonderfully varied as they are. From The undeniable schmaltz of 'The Way We Were' to the dynamic force that is 'The Firm', there is something that endears itself to each of us in nearly every cinematic endeavor he produced and/or directed, because it is all done so masterfully. I still marvel how Sydney Pollack directed so many great films, and that he was also such and effective actor throughout his career. His on-screen work in 'Husbands and Wives' and 'Tootsie' is among the most enjoyable acting I've seen in any film, and this from the same person who also directed the latter. One of my favorite childhood memories is of taking my mom to see 'Tootsie' late in it's original run, and how she literally fell out of her seat in laughter when Dustin Hoffmann is first seen in drag on the crowded street. To see the potential of what and actor and a director can do in their collaboration as demonstrated by Hoffmann and Pollack, or Pollack and Redford, or Pollack and Cruise, has left an indelible impression on me as an artist will forever inspire me as both an actor and an audience member.

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turnedup writes:
on Jun 01 2008 10:01 AM

His contribution as an actor in Tootsie is a performance I will never forget.
His interplay with Dustin Hoffman in his office arguing over how difficult it is to work with Hoffman's character is some of the best comedic writing in the history of film- with both actor's delivering.

(Reply to this)

cinemabon writes:
on Jun 01 2008 12:30 PM

So what happened to Out of Africa? Scalphunters! Chesh!

(Reply to this)

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