When great actors make horrible films: ‘It keeps getting worse than seems possible’
Stars such as Marlon Brando, Michael Caine and John Wayne have won prestigious awards and are true legends of the screen, but there was one day when they made a misstep and accepted a role that would become an indelible stain on an otherwise (almost) perfect career
Even the most celebrated actors have their missteps. Titans of show business — Halle Berry, Marlon Brando, John Wayne, and others — aren't immune to an embarrassing blemish in their filmography, that one regrettable project that haunts them years later. We've compiled a lineup of 11 notorious films featuring legendary stars, assembling a metaphorical soccer team to reflect how even the brightest lights of Hollywood can falter.
John Wayne, a robust presence, takes the goalkeeper spot. In defense, we have Paul Newman, Colin Farrell, Marlon Brando, and Idris Elba holding the line. The midfield boasts Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, and Halle Berry, while Robert De Niro, George Clooney, and Michael Caine spearhead the attack to score the “own goal” of cinematic misjudgment.
This roster barely scratches the surface. There are plenty of benchwarmers ready to join the lineup of regrettable roles: Warren Beatty in 'Ishtar,' Matthew McConaughey in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation,' Tom Hanks in 'Cloud Atlas,' Natalie Portman in 'Star Wars: Episode II -Attack of the Clones,' Tom Hardy in 'Capone,' and Naomi Watts in 'Diana,' to name a few. But this starting 11 provides a vivid snapshot of how even the greatest talents can stumble on an off day.
(The image shows a promotional poster for 'Candy,' one of the films featured in the list.)LMPC via Getty ImagesPAUL NEWMAN IN 'THE SILVER CHALICE' – So bad it became legendary, 'The Silver Chalice' (1954) was Paul Newman’s film debut — and a source of lasting embarrassment for the actor. Newman was so horrified by the movie that, in 1963, he took the extraordinary step of purchasing newspaper ads in Los Angeles to apologize for it. His message was simple: he begged audiences not to watch the film, calling it a "sin of youth."
Ironically, Newman’s public apology had the opposite effect. The film, a Christian epic about a sculptor (played by Newman) tasked with decorating the Holy Grail, had been a box-office flop in its original release. But when Channel 9 (now KCAL-TV) aired it locally, bolstered by Newman’s notorious disavowal, it drew unexpectedly high viewership numbers. The station aired it four more times, turning a theatrical failure into a surprise TV hit.
Despite the unexpected success, Newman remained deeply embarrassed by the film for the rest of his life. Reflecting on it decades later, in 1994, Newman recalled his reaction upon seeing it for the first time:
“I was sure my acting career had begun and ended with the same picture,” he write in his autobiography. “It’s kind of a distinction to say I was in the worst film to be made in the entirety of the 1950s.
Perhaps it was Newman’s talent, humor, and honesty that helped him transcend the infamy of 'The Silver Chalice.' Still, it remains a cautionary tale — and a quirky footnote — in his otherwise stellar career.Sunset Boulevard (Corbis via Getty Images)MARLON BRANDO IN 'CANDY' – Few performances in Marlon Brando's illustrious career come close to the misstep that was his role in 'Candy' (1968), a psychedelic sex comedy that tested the limits of his immense prestige, just one year after starring in Charlie Chaplin's 'A Countess from Hong Kong.' Playing a sex guru, Brando donned a white robe, a flowing lion-tamer’s mane, flowers in his hair, and a laughable harness that suspended him midair. His piercing blue eyes seemed to plead directly with the audience — not with seduction, but for forgiveness.
Based on Terry Southern’s satirical novel, Candy aimed to ride the wave of trippy, counterculture films like 'Head' and 'Yellow Submarine.' Instead, director Christian Marquand delivered a chaotic mess.
The all-star cast, which included Richard Burton, John Huston, Walter Matthau, Ringo Starr, Charles Aznavour, Anita Pallenberg, and Florinda Bolkan, was dreadful, each performance more baffling than the last. Yet Brando managed to outdo them all. Critic Pauline Kael wrote, 'In defiance of your expectations, it keeps getting worse than seems possible."
George Rinhart (Corbis via Getty Images)
ROBERT DE NIRO IN 'DIRTY GRANDPA' – De Niro plays a raunchy, newly widowed grandfather who drags his uptight grandson (a game Zac Efron) on a wild bender through Florida. DWe already knew that De Niro was capable of delivering cinematic masterpieces ('Raging Bull,' 'Taxi Driver') as well as missteps ('Meet the Fockers,' 'The Big Wedding'), but this salacious, cringeworthy, and painfully unfunny comedy somehow managed to sink even lower than the latter, defying any previous expectations. a brave Reddit user in 2020, attempted to find a silver lining, citing Aubrey Plaza’s comedic charm and a glimmer of chemistry between Efron and De Niro. The backlash was so intense, filled with vitriol and mockery, that the poster likely regretted venturing their opinion — perhaps now taking solace in a remote Antarctic outpost far from internet ridicule.CAP/KFS (Image supplied by Capital Pictures / Cordon Press)JULIA ROBERTS IN 'MARY REILLY' – Julia Roberts, America’s sweetheart and the most sought-after actress of the 1990s, has delivered her fair share of lackluster performances — think 'Eat, Pray, Love,' 'Valentine's Day,' 'America's Sweethearts,' or the guilty pleasure 'Runaway Bride.' But 'Mary Reilly' is a misstep of an entirely different magnitude. While floundering in fluff like 'Duplicity' or 'Full Frontal' might be forgivable, undermining a film directed by Stephen Frears and co-starring John Malkovich at the height of his career feels almost sacrilegious.
Roberts is profoundly unconvincing as Mary Reilly, the loyal maid of Dr. Henry Jekyll (and reluctant object of desire for Mr. Hyde). Her performance drags down an otherwise moody and atmospheric film that, while uneven, still boasts moments of cinematic brilliance.
Ronald Siemoneit (Sygma via Getty Images)JOHN WAYNE IN 'THE CONQUERER' – Imagine stepping into John Wayne's boots for a moment. You’re on the verge of turning 50, having already done it all: starred in iconic films like 'Stagecoach' and 'The Searchers,' earned a few Oscars, bought a sprawling mansion in the Hollywood Hills, and helmed Hollywood’s leading conservative actors’ association. Life is good. Then, a trusted producer, Howard Hughes — an industry heavyweight, not some fly-by-night dreamer — approaches you with a bold proposal: play Genghis Khan, the legendary nomadic warrior of the Eurasian steppe.
Sure, you’ve never heard of him, but Hughes assures you that Khan was a monumental historical figure, a hero of the Mongols—"like the Chinese, but different." The project is an RKO action-adventure film, and the cast includes Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorhead, and the lively Pedro Armendáriz. Better yet, it’s not another western, offering a rare chance to break free from typecasting. And the paycheck? Enough to cover a couple of years of mortgage payments.
Of course, there are a few sacrifices. You’ll need to deliver laughable lines from a subpar script with a straight face, endure the inexperience of director Dick Powell—a former mediocre singer and actor turned filmmaker—apply kohl to your eyelashes to appear “vaguely oriental,” and wear one of the most ridiculous moustaches in the history of movie props.
The end result? A cinematic catastrophe, arguably the worst film of your career. But no matter—by the time The Conqueror hits theaters, you’ll have already moved on to your next projects. At least this disaster will soon be in the rearview mirror.United Archives (FilmPublicityArchive/United Arch)