Today would have been James Stewart's 111th birthday! Because of that I have been hosting a blogathon in honor of him. Make sure to check out all of the other posts HERE.
For someone to be one of my favorite actors/actresses, I need to have seen them as at least five different characters. Or as my sister likes to put it, a variety of roles. I mean, I love to see Emma Watson in movies, but she has admitted that she is very similar to the characters of Hermione Granger and Belle. She is just enjoying being herself, which I do love to see! But, acting is, well, acting.
I think that Jimmy Stewart is the actor who I have seen in the most movies. I have seen him in eleven films: You Can't Take It with You (1938), It's a Wonderful World (1939), Destry Rides Again (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), The Philadelphia Story (1940), It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Harvey (1950), Bend of the River (1952), The Man from Laramie (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), & The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
My sister says that he plays the same person every time. But that's not true! In each movie he puts himself in a different role:
The person who learns that the friend whom he is sure is "the one" if he could only meet her, turns out to be his irritating co-worker.
Someone who wants nothing more than to travel the world, but keeps sacrificing his dreams to help others, and when his world comes crashing down, the only way he can see to help is to end it.
The sweetest character you will ever come across, who has a best friend who know one can see, and will do anything to make his sister happy.
A man who learns something that he wasn't supposed to which he knows he should tell someone, but if he does, his son's life is in danger.
A former criminal who is trying to do everything to get away from his past, but it keeps chasing him.
A lawyer who wants everything to be civilized and there to be justice, but keeps being told that the only justice in the West is with a gun in your hand.
Now, for those of you who have seen those movies, I hope that you can tell which ones I am talking about. Of all of his movies, those are the characters who impacted me: they made me laugh, cry, and sit on the edge of my seat.
He made so many movies, this is just a small portion. I look forward for many years to come, watching new ones.He also is a very big inspiration to me! He had a hard time talking because he stuttered. He worked so hard to control it, and it comes out sometimes during his roles, but it only makes them more powerful. As someone who has had trouble stuttering, for me it is amazing to watch him.
Thank you for the memories, Jimmy. Happy birthday.
MovieCritic
This is a great way to celebrate his eleventy-first birthday!
ReplyDeleteI do think that all of his roles are different, but in any acting the actor makes the character their own, and puts their own personality into it. If they didn't we would never grow to love them so much. So I think in a way he does play the same type of character.
What strikes me, and why I like him, is for that very reason: he always plays a caring role, someone who puts others ahead of himself.
He must have been that way in life as well.
Thanks! ;)
DeleteHm, interesting thoughts and good points! Thanks for sharing! I hadn't thought about it that way. That's why remakes of things make me curious--I'm interested in seeing how the new actors step into the character that I already love. It works unless I absolutely love it too much, like Singin' in the Rain. ;)
Yes!! Exactly! He was so sweet. :)
Excellent reasons to choose a favorite actor!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hamlette!
DeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteBTW, I tagged you with the Fantastical and Felicitous Fictional Character Blog Tag. Play if you want to!
Yay! Thank you! I'll go check it out now. :-)
DeleteIt’s hard to think that he’d be 111... Happy birthday, Jimmy, you made many good movies
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
Right? That he did! I look forward to seeing them all.
DeleteThanks for commenting!
Very interesting to learn more about Jimmy Stewart and why he is your favorite actor!
ReplyDeleteastorydetective.blogspot.com
Thanks Rakayle! I'm glad that you enjoyed it! :)
DeleteAnd Jimmy Stewart is turning eleventy-one (111), a rather respectable age for an actor...
ReplyDeleteLove this so much!! I need to see more of these movies, the only ones I've actually watched all the way through are It's A Wonderful Life and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. You're so right, an actor needs to be able to *act.*
And his stuttering is totally charming. :)
It wasn't until afterward that I realized he would have been eleventy-one! ;)
DeleteAw, this comment made my day! Thanks, Megan! Oh, those are both so good. You definitely need to see Harvey and You Can't Take It With You (he's not the main star in this one, but I still love his role!). I'm glad that you agree. :)
It defintiely is! :)
My favorite actor as well! His emotions in the roles he plays are amazing. You should really see "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"- it's Jimmy Stewart at his finest!
ReplyDeleteYay! I love finding more of his fans! ;) They are! Oh, I've heard so much about that one, but have never had the chance. I'm going to watch it ASAP!
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