12 fotos

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

Miquel Echarri

Dec 25, 2024 - 05:00CET

PAUL 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)

First, it was a collection of whimsical T.S. Eliot poems transformed into a Broadway sensation by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Then, it became this infamous cinematic fever dream — a film that critics shredded, audiences fled, and the Razzies gleefully crowned with half a dozen awards. 'Cats' deserves its own ignoble chapter in the annals of Hollywood disasters. Judi Dench, James Corden, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson, Idris Elba, and even Taylor Swift lent their star power to this misstep, yet none could salvage an ounce of credibility or coherence from the spectacle. A parade of horrifying CGI felines pranced through a story that was, at best, perplexing and, at worst, excruciating. Nearly everything about this film was overwrought, absurd, or unintentionally hilarious. Director Tom Hooper, who had just delivered acclaimed films like 'The King’s Speech,' 'Les Misérables', and 'The Danish Girl,' shocked the industry with this colossal miscalculation. Universal Pictures had sunk more than $95 million into the project, so the cast, including a visibly uncomfortable Judi Dench, had no choice but to promote the film with forced enthusiasm. One notable exception was Idris Elba. When Stephen Colbert asked him about the film’s plot in a 2019 interview, Elba squirmed before admitting, “Wow what a way to throw me under the bus. I guess it's about a cat.”©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection / Cordon Press

GEORGE CLOONEY IN 'BATMAN & ROBIN' – George Clooney has often reflected on the lessons learned from his turn as the Caped Crusader in 'Batman & Robin.' Chief among them: stepping out of your comfort zone is fine — but not too far. The warning signs were there from the start. The infamous bat suit, complete with anatomically inexplicable rubber nipples, should have been the first clue. The script, initially promising when Clooney's agent pitched it, morphed into something unrecognizable during filming. The film's director, Joel Schumacher, appeared more weary than enthusiastic, treating the material with a palpable lack of passion. Meanwhile, on set, Clooney's co-stars — Uma Thurman, a scene-stealing Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Chris O’Donnell — seemed united in their unease. O'Donnell insisted that the movie would be a disaster. Clooney rebounded with critically lauded films like 'The Thin Red Line' and 'Three Kings,' and Schumacher later apologized for what many consider one of the most over-the-top, campy messes in superhero movie history. But for moviegoers, memories of Clooney’s unfortunate foray into Gotham remain vivid.Sunset Boulevard (Corbis via Getty Images)

COLIN FARRELL IN 'ALEXANDER THE GREAT' - The case of Colin Farrell in 'Alexander the Great' is an odd one. The film itself, directed by Oliver Stone, isn't necessarily awful — at times, it's even quite decent. However, Farrell's performance as the legendary Macedonian king is widely regarded as a major misstep in his career. What went wrong? The root of the issue seems to lie in a misalignment between Farrell's abilities and Stone's direction. Stone, known for his fascination with "providential men" — characters driven by destiny and often propelled by internal demons — had a vision of Alexander as more of a lustful, narcissistic psychopath than the strategic genius history often portrays him to be. This characterization, while intriguing, doesn't quite mesh with the actor's strengths. Stone's direction was reportedly vague and contradictory. Beyond the questionable order to wear a platinum blonde wig that looked more like something made from otter fur, it seems that Farrell was left to his own devices to find the character. Instead of a fully realized portrayal, what we see is a confused, uneven performance — a far cry from the commanding presence required for the role. Photo:MPTV.net (-)

MICHELLE PFEIFFER IN 'GREASE 2' – What had a mere 23-year-old Michelle Pfeiffer done to deserve such a disastrous debut as a leading lady? Probably nothing. The success and cultural impact of 'Grease' were so immense that its sequel was bound to carry the weight of high expectations—and inevitably, it faltered. With Olivia Newton-John’s (understandably) departure, someone had to step into the role, and it fell to Pfeiffer. At the time, she was fresh from TV movies and soap commercials, but she had beauty, charm, and a certain angelic quality that suggested potential. Unfortunately, 'Grease 2' was not the vehicle to showcase it, but she could at least take solace in the fact that her co-star, Maxwell Caulfield, fared even worse. Despite the misstep, Pfeiffer’s career quickly rebounded with her iconic role in 'Scarface,' marking the start of a trajectory that would allow her to fully display the magnificent actress she was destined to become.IFA Film (United Archives / Cordon Press)

HALLE BERRY IN 'CATWOMAN' – A word to the wise: having an iconic character that the public adores isn’t always enough. To make a lasting impact, you also need a solid fictional universe, strong narrative and aesthetic direction, a competent script, and, above all, cinematic craftsmanship. DC Comics' 'Catwoman' had been brought to life by actresses like Julie Newmar, Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, and Michelle Pfeiffer, all of whom carried the character with remarkable dignity. The 2004 attempt to resurrect Catwoman, however, ended up, as director Pitof described, a puzzle whose pieces simply didn’t fit together — starting with the centerpiece. Halle Berry, an actress at the peak of her craft, seemed oddly disconnected from the character. She lacked the necessary conviction, was out of sync with the script, and appeared visibly uncomfortable with the film's shallow, voyeuristic shots of her half-naked body. To make matters worse, she wasn’t supported by her co-stars. Photo:MPTV.net (Doane Gregory)

MICHAEL CAINE IN 'JAWS: THE REVENGE' - Fernando Fernán Gómez once said that movies are like poker cards: unless you’re dealt a better hand, you have to play with the one you have. From this perspective, it’s likely that the best card Michael Caine was dealt in 1987 was a 4 of clubs, part of the umpteenth installment of a franchise that had already shaken the foundations of the film industry 13 years earlier. Despite this, Caine decided to play along (after all, he was shooting on a paradise beach and getting paid well) and did his best to mask the fact that he was bluffing. The original 'Jaws' benefited from Steven Spielberg's magic and all the great ideas, while the second film had John Williams' iconic score and some returning cast members. The third had the novelty of 3-D. But the fourth installment, 'Jaws: The Revenge,' had little to offer beyond Michael Caine's presence. It’s painful to see a man of Caine's stature reduced to such a project. With some leniency, we could say that he ran out of character and material, doing what he could in what remains the darkest hour of his otherwise illustrious career.Universal Pictures (Getty Images)