Charlton Heston RIP

[SSO Admins]

My initial reaction was pretty much the same as Ollie's, but he did have a few good movies. I liked Will Penny, Planet of the Apes, and a couple others.

I can't see mentioning him in the same breath as Burt Lancaster though.

He's probably known to more people today for his role as a doddering old fool in Bowling for Columbine than any of his others though.

[mrsl]

Klondike:

Just wait until your senior moments start!!!

I went back in and fixed it.

Anne

[Ann Harding]

I am not a great fan of Charlton Heston, but there are a few films which I enjoyed particularly. First there is Touch of Evil; ChiO has already said it all. But, another film which impressed me deeply is The War Lord (1965) by Franklin J. Schaffner. It takes place in the middle ages and deals with forbidden love between a young girl and the feudal lord. A really fascinating film, out of the ordinary.

[movieman1957]

Here is a very nice appreciation written by Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post. The end is especially poignant.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01272.html

[MikeBSG]

Heston made "Touch of Evil" possible, so I am in his debt. His autobiography, "In the Arena" is very interesting.

I also like "Major Dundee" and "Planet of the Apes." I need to see "Will Penny" some time and see "Soylent Green" again.

[feaito]

Along with Tyrone Power, Charlton Heston was my mother's favorite actor from all time. She liked him as an actor and also he found him the handsomest actor ever (along with Ty). She liked him so much that I gave her as a gift a book issued in Spain titled "The Films of Charlton Heston".

I liked Heston as an actor and I wasn't aware about his politic views until recently. I tend not to judge actors by their private lives or private views. I only care about their acting ability, skills, screen persona, etc.

Christine, thanks for mentioning "The War Lord". I saw that atmospheric film long ago and it impressed me quite a lot. I was very young then and I was very moved by its subject; a young girl who could not spend her wedding night with her husband, because the Lord of the place exercised his right of having her on that particular night...

[charliechaplinfan]

I enjoyed him in A Touch Of Evil apart from that I haven't seen many of his films. I've never been into the big epics like El Cid and Ben Hur.

[cinemalover]

I thought he was close to perfect in Ben Hur, one of the few remakes that holds water. 11 Oscars may be overstating its merits, but a solid piece of entertainment.

[raftfan]

One of the things I always found most appealing about Mr. Heston was that he genuinely seemed to enjoy being a movie star - and he wore his success well. Like Kirk Douglas (until recently, owing to his health), he never refused an autograph either in person or through the mail. even from his home address (I have several).

Funny - one thing I remember about him, though, was how he always had stock answers when he appeared on a television talk show. He rarely varied from form.

[knitwit45]

Raftfan, I just watched the Private Screenings he did in 1993 (?) He said he created a persona for the public, and kept his private life private. He looked at RO, and stated that the public persona was speaking. I admire him for not telling us his personal information. Some people think the public really wants to know what brand of toothpaste they use. To me, the "real" movie stars had a mystique about them that made them even more fascinating.

[raftfan]

I agree with you you, knitwit45, which is another reason why I said he wore his success well. He did keep his personal life private (which a lot of today's stars would do well to observe).

I just remember watching those TV interviews and Heston basically repeating the same things. Like when he did the talk show circuit to promote "Gray Lady Down" and telling Carson and Griffin that it was the first time he had actually grown a beard for a role, despite playing many bearded historical figures in films and on the stage. But hey -- I'd rather watch a legend like Heston repeating stories than tune in to most of what's offered on today's talk shows. Those people had class!

[Ollie]

I was glad to see the Osborne Interview again where Heston delighted in telling us he loved using his celebrity to promote his politics. That, and seeing the CNN clips from his NRA convention speeches where he claimed the 2nd Amendment (right to buy guns to kill people) "should be more important than the Constitution's guarantee of Life, Liberty..." Yes, just a wonderful human being.

Actually, seeing the clips of him, drooling and incoherent in a wheelchair last year made me think he probably WOULD have preferred a gun-death to that wasting away.

[knitwit45]

I believe he said he felt anyone has the right to voice their opinion. Just like here, right? Since I lost my beloved mother to Alzheimers', I agree, I'm sure she would have preferred a quick death to the lingering one she had to endure. Maybe someday soon we will have an answer to this horrible disease.

[mahlerii]

I have to say that I certainly admire Charlton Heston for his films. Ben Hur certainly is one of my favorite films. Others I have seen that I liked are The Greatest Show on Earth and El Cid but I think the film is rather long. Miklos Rosza's music is exquisite, as always. Heston's voice is certainly unforgettable. I will follow his earlier career like I am with Kirk Douglas, Dirk Bogarde and Burt Lancaster.

"Hut-Sut Rawlson on the Rillera and the brawla bralwa sewit"-song sung in "Ace In The Hole"