Glen Ford underrated actor

[stuart.uk]

if i had to say who i thought was the screens most underrated actor, the chances are i'd say Glen Ford

to me the two greatest spoof westerns were James Stewart's Destrey Rides Again and Glen Ford's The Sheepman, where Glen mixed comedy with Shirley Maclaine, Edgar Buchanan, but showed a darker side in scenes with Leslie Neilson and Parnel Roberts. (i wonder what the younger generation would make of Neilson's serious image when younger, compared to his later Naked Gun films)

in The Violent Men he wanted to sell his land and return East, only for a hired gun to kill one of his men inorder for him to sell at the price he was offered. the result was Ford changing his mind and taking on the big cattle empire, owned by Edward G Robinson, but really ran by Brain Keith and Barbara Stanwyck in one of her great evil roles

he played a shy retiring store keeper, who felt fear, but was also as the title of the film suggests The Fastest Gun Alive

in Blackboard Jungle he played a School teacher in a rough neigbourhood, who when pushed could resort to fists, like in the scene where he stopped a pupil from molesting a female teacher. (he'd get the jail if he did that now)

in Heaven Without A Gun, he played an ex gunfighting jailbird, who while in jail coverts and becomes a minister. in one scene he guns down three men who try to stop him opening his church, then he beats up David Caradine for trying to rape an Indian girl.

in the 70s he made a brief, but succesful transition into television with modern western Cade's County, as sherif Sam Cade with old 79-yr-old Edgar Buchanan as one of his deputies

[movieman1957]

I think Ford is similar to the recently departed Richard Widmark. Were they exceptional actors? Maybe not but they always did good solid work.

You mention one of my favorites "The Fastest Gun Alive." Ford's part is better than the film. The part where the lady returns the dress to his store is first rate as he does this really slow burn. His frustration at the ridiculousness (as he sees it) of it against the backdrop of his "reduced" to being a store owner. The scene in the church telling them he is really not what they think. He's a bundle of contradictions.

"Jubal" is another favorite. "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" really gives him a chance to show his range. He and little Ron Howard really did well together. Even saw him recently in "The Sacketts" with Selleck and Elliot.

He was very enjoyable in most everything he did.

[jdb1]

And it just goes to show how differently we perceive.

I've never been reticent in voicing my complete indifference bordering on dislike for Glenn Ford as an actor. I find him the biggest nothing on the big screen. It's not a question of my finding him merely understated: I get absolutely nothing from him -- no connection, no emotion, no undercurrent, no testosterone, not even any estrogen. I rarely watch any movies that have him in them, and I can't bear to see him in any "love" scenes -- it's like seeing the scene being played with your least favorite brother.

There are many actors whose appeal escape me, but at least I get something from them, even if I don't care for what I do get. William Holden would be a case in point: I don't care for him, but he sends something out from the screen, no matter how negative I may find it. From Ford, I get a void on celluloid, and I say: "Why bother?"