Re: The Q & A with J.R. Jones about THE LIVES OF ROBERT RYAN
Posted: July 11th, 2015, 2:15 pm
Thanks to Paula! I am so glad that she brought up the underrated, almost unknown movie from Anthony Mann, Men in War (1957)*, which gave Ryan, Aldo Ray and James Edwards good roles in a spare, unvarnished story devoid of phony patriotism. I was surprised to read in your book that Philip Yordan had to convince Mann to put more dialogue back into the film after the director had pared it down---it's almost a silent as it is! Clearly, when Mann cast the actor in The Naked Spur, God's Little Acre, and Men in War, he allowed Ryan to play more varieties of characters than he was usually offered.
I realize that Ryan did not have control over who his directors were throughout his career, but could you please offer your assessment of Ryan's best directors? Which ones did he respect and like---and which ones brought out the best in him?
In his early days at Dartmouth, Ryan felt that he might be a playwright and as those who have read The Actor's Letter can attest, he expressed himself well. During his years on film sets did he ever write much of his dialogue as he grew older?
Thanks again for your insights and I hope that your book earns the widest possible audience--it is an absorbing and fascinating portrait.
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* Men in War (1957) can be seen in full here.
I realize that Ryan did not have control over who his directors were throughout his career, but could you please offer your assessment of Ryan's best directors? Which ones did he respect and like---and which ones brought out the best in him?
In his early days at Dartmouth, Ryan felt that he might be a playwright and as those who have read The Actor's Letter can attest, he expressed himself well. During his years on film sets did he ever write much of his dialogue as he grew older?
Thanks again for your insights and I hope that your book earns the widest possible audience--it is an absorbing and fascinating portrait.
___________________________________________________________
* Men in War (1957) can be seen in full here.