Badass Emeritus: Gene Hackman

GENE HACKMAN NEVER SUCKS

What you are about to read is a forceful and emphatic examination of why, no matter what movie you’re watching, no matter what era of performance you’re seeing, Gene Hackman never fucking sucks.

Ever.

This isn’t a debate. This is not an argument. We are not inviting your insight. This is a fact. This is a maxim statement of undeniable veracity – Gene Hackman never sucks.

Official Designation: BADASS EMERITUS

We don’t know Mr. Hackman and have never met him before. We doubt he would want to meet us, or even gives a shit what we think. In part, that’s what makes him a badass. It is Mr. Hackman’s sheer badassery and excellence in acting which is why we praise him.

He was never ‘Too Good’

Now, this requires some clarification. Gene Hackman, we’re certain, turned down roles. He was never a whore, doing any movie for a paycheck (at least ostensibly).

Mainly, Gene Hackman didn’t ever appear uncomfortable in his role – not as a rigid, Right-wing Senator forced to cross-dress his way out of a drag club in The Birdcage.

Somewhere is a reader who would hit that

In fact, it was Gene Hackman’s willingness to laugh at himself and be silly as hell that was always endearing. I remember the first time I saw Young Frankenstein as a boy, and refusing to accept that it was Gene Hackman (he of dramatic roles and Lex Luthor) playing this silly character.

I was so thrown for a loop, that his character of blind hermit made me legitimately sad and I almost couldn’t sit through the rest of the movie. That’s right – he almost killed Young Frankenstein for me, just by being an amazing actor. That’s how good Gene Hackman is.

We’ve all heard tales of how hardcore Marines are. Imagine how much worse it was back in the 1940s, when there weren’t rules forcing drill instructors to be nice (and that’s a relative term).

Gene Hackman left home at 16 for a 3-year hitch with the Marines. That’s hardcore.

And Fucking Smiled about it

But, his most badass feat may have been something considered fairly unheard of today – he didn’t start his career as an actor until he was 30, by enrolling at the Pasadena Playhouse. Ever feel like you’re having a shitty day and getting nowhere in your career?

Remember that Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman, acting classmates, were voted least likely to succeed.

I’m not afraid of death, and I’m not afraid to commit murder when needed.

It would do Mr. Hackman disservice to try and dissect his entire career – he spent more than 30 years as one of the most sought-after, and reliable actors of his or any other generation.

He played everything from murderous cowboys to noble generals, to tyrannical admirals, mad scientists and kindly father figures.

Hackman always seemed at home with the role of the dedicated, or even obsessed – the duty bound soldier. But, he always seemed to light up more whenever he was in a comedy, playing a rogue or merely just hamming it up – like in Get Shorty.

He struck me as the kind of actor, who – like Gary Oldman – would love to have been in more comedies if he’d been asked.

To that end, my personal, all-time favorite Gene Hackman was one of his last, and finest –

The Royal Tenenbaums.

In my opinion, no other movie perfectly captured what Hackman’s believability, intuition and natural charisma can do in the hands of a younger director. It’s a touching story about family, and Hackman seems to effortlessly portray a character who is equal parts scoundrel, con-man and selfish bastard as he is doting, loving, and protective dad and grandfather… It just took him a while to realize he wanted to be the latter.

Gene Hackman retired from making motion pictures after 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport. I haven’t seen that, but I’m told the less said of it, the better. If any actor has deserved a rest from the insanity of the film industry, it’s Mr. Hackman.

Sadly, like fellow badass actor Sean Connery, he’s reported as saying he doesn’t get the movies anymore. In this age of remakes and revamps, sparkling vampires and superheroes, I’m not surprised.

But for we’ve still got Little Bill, and Popeye Doyle, and Royal and a host of other infinitely badass characters he gave us.

Here’s to Gene Hackman – An Actor Who Never Sucks.

Fucking Ever.

MAY HIS LOVE OF PRODIGIOUS MUSTACHES LONG OUTLIVE US ALL!!!