The Silver Screen Oasis

Whoa, no thread devoted to Rod Taylor here? Criminy, this guy deserves one and since it's the lad's 84th birthday today, it seems like high time for the man to get his own thread. Besides, we have been hijacking perfectly innocent threads for too long whenever we get ourselves into a tizzy over this fellow. For us gals there is a hubba-hubba factor for young Rod as well as those of us who relished his great work in action films (Dark of the Sun, The Time Machine, among others).

To kick things off, what is your favorite Rod Taylor movie? Mine's linked below, but I would love to know yours.

Right with you on Mr. Taylor, Moira. Seems I kinda grew up with him in the 60s, watching him on the silver screen (back in the day when movie theaters were truly "movie theaters" and not glorified shoeboxes) in such films as THE BIRDS, THE TIME MACHINE, HOTEL and THE GLASS-BOTTOM BOAT. Always a guy I enjoyed and it always struck me odd that given the many "big" films he made that he never became a bigger star. Recently saw him on our Space channel in a THE BIRDS-like movie called . . . KAW. Not much of a movie (as you can probably guess), but always a treat to watch Rod. Nice to see he's still active. And a very Happy Birthday to this fine actor.

And I'd name THE BIRDS as my favorite Rod Taylor movie.

BTW: Moira, keep a watch on your mailbox.

Rod Taylor is one of those actors that I wished he had a better career - and because of that he was good in SEPARATE TABLES as Charles and again in A GATHERING OF EAGLES as Col Hollis Farr and I wished TCM will show this outstanding war movie someday because he was excellent in this enduring classic that came out in 1963.

I like him in THE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT in 1966 as Bruce Templeton, THE HELL WITH HEROES in 1968 as Brynie MacKay, and again in TRADER HORN as Trader Horn ... he's one of those rare actors that speaks so well on film and I have no problems enjoying him and he was fabulous in the THE BIRDS, THE TIME MACHINE, and SUNDAY IN NEW YORK as Mike Mitchell.

I wished that he did more MOVIES than in TELEVISION and during the 70's, 80's, and again in the early 90's ... he seems to be on TELEVISION pretty much on a weekly basis here in EMERALD CITY, SEATTLE and I was told that many fans here in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST have a great respect for him. We have a large number of folks that are SCIENCE FICTION FANS and believe me his name is RESPECTED here and because of his work on the THE TIME MACHINE and among others like the crazed KAW that Western Guy just mentioned on this thread. I always loved him and glad he is still around and looking good on Joe's CANDIDS thread.

We do need a thread devoted to this fine, and I believe, under-appreciated, actor. He was a handsome man, but that shouldn't distract from the sensitive portrayals he brought to YOUNG CASSIDY, SEPARATE TABLES and my favorite fantasy, George Pal's thrilling THE TIME MACHINE.

How scary is it that I remember him as a "rising young star"? Now he's 84? Where is that time machine when you need it? The Ford/Cardiff drama is gentle and literate, helped enormously by the interpretation of the players. THE VIPs is not as good as the similarly structured SEPARATE TABLES. But it features some challenging characters, well played. In the late 1960s, Mr. Taylor stumbled into some forgettable (being kind) action films. THE LIQUIDATOR is a secret agent parody that doesn't deliver. CHUKA a solemn western that rivals root canal for a pleasant time. The man has had a successful career. But one wonders why it wasn't even more so.

The Hitchcock film is a high point. 36 HOURS is good. Rod was always good in support. TV saw him as Travis McGee, John D. Macdonald's detective, in DARKER THAN AMBER. Unlike the stars of old, it's hard to compile a list of the great Rod Taylor movies. But who's to say how long a list should be? There's the old argument about quality vs. quantity!

Happy Birthday, Rod!

Before Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman, there was Rod Taylor:



He was a handsome, rugged, good solid believable actor ( with a dreamy accent. ) What’s not to like. I’ll probably pick some of the same films you all have already listed. But what can I say...when he’s good, he’s << Sigh! >> good.

I’m not too crazy about him in comedies, but I’ve enjoyed him in ”The Birds” “The V.I.P.s” “The Time Machine” “Dark of the Sun” “Fate Is the Hunter” and “36 Hours.”

After THE TIME MACHINE, this is my favorite Rod Taylor movie:

http://www.rodtaylorsite.com/cateredaffair.shtml

Finally.

Thank you, Bronxsie. As one who is neither a Debbie Reynolds nor a Bette Davis nor a Barry Fitzgerald fan, I still like THE CATERED AFFAIR.

Must be Rod & Ernie (and Richard Brooks and John Alton).

DARK OF THE SUN has come up more than once. I don't remember that one.

RedRiver wrote:DARK OF THE SUN has come up more than once. I don't remember that one.

Reunites him with Yvette Mimieux (The Time Machine) but a totally different scene. It's very violent but exciting.

ChiO, my all-time favorite performances of Debbie, Bette (a tie with JEZEBEL for me though) and Barry are in THE CATERED AFFAIR.

Say, classic film fans, having seen and been very impressed with Denzel Washington's characterization of the pilot in the movie "Flight" (2012), it occurs to me that in some ways that movie is a 21st century take on "Fate Is the Hunter" (1964) without the survival of the passengers (mostly), psychological intervention, or the conscience-stricken pilot living to tell the tale. Of course, in the '64 version of the movie, it wasn't hungover pilot error either, but it was Rod Taylor!!



Do you see any similarities in these movies?

So glad that I skipped the news and relished Hotel (1967) instead this evening...especially the scenes with the wonderful jazz singer Carmen McRae and Rod Taylor. I remember hotels like this when I was a little kid. They were a dying breed then, but what a pleasure to visit one again...at least on film. Here's a nifty Rod Taylor interview talking about this time in his life:
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I LOVE Rod Taylor. I too watched him in Hotel today. A double whammie for me. That hotel lobby was almost an exact copy of the long ago St. Francis in San Francisco. (not anymore though)
I really liked him in Fate Is the Hunter. Of course I thoroughly enjoy Ernest Gann's stories. He was a real air line pilot and most of his stories were from true events. So great.
Thanks for thinking of Rod. What a treasure he was.

Fate Is the Hunter...Why don't I know this movie?