The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland List: Gene Hackman Performances

How often do you sit there thinking about what to watch? You might have an endless watchlist that keeps piling up (I certainly have one myself). Sometimes you are just in the mood for a type of film or a certain filmmaker or actor and want to take yourself into a deep dive. As someone who watches so many movies, I have people asking me for recommendations all the time. One of the best feelings as a cinephile is recommending a film and that person loves it. Take this wealth of cinematic knowledge and experience and enjoy some recommendations on me. Genre. Subgenre. Filmmaker. Actor. Composer. Writer. Genre. Story. Trope. Cliché. Any other cinematic elements or them. Here is The Wasteland List:   

Gene Hackman Performances

The French Connection (1971)

Where to start but the performance that put Hackman’s name on the map, right? Popeye Doyle is a flawed and abrasive character who Hackman injects an intensity and charisma into that it is hard to wholly hate him. The rage and drive that define this character feel so powerful in the hands of Hackman.

The Conversation (1974)

How about something completely different? The Conversation is a paranoia thriller that will put you on the edge of your seat and we feel all this paranoia through Hackman’s performance. Quiet, intense, and thoughtful, Hackman’s performance is rich and layered as he sells plenty of quiet and thrilling moments.

Superman (1978)

Hackman could truly ham it up, right? Hackman as Lex Luthor is a load of fun where his menace sits underneath a vainer of charm and pompous size. Superman is one of the first great comic book movies and Hackman’s turn as Luthor is loads of fun with plenty of energy and charisma that is hard to ignore.

Hoosiers (1986)

Who does love watching a coach do their thing in a sports movie? Hackman’s performance as Norman Dale has gone down as one of the most iconic leads in sports movies. Hackman balanced a fiery persona on the court with a distant, more enigmatic one as he attempts to hide his past.

Mississippi Burning (1988)

Hackman had a knack for adding some zest into any film, didn’t he? Mississippi Burning is a harrowing thriller about racism where Hackman’s Anderson is quite the wild card. Hackman got to lean into his more complicated and flawed character toolbox with his FBI agent character.

Unforgiven (1992)

Did Hackman earn that last Oscar for his work in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven? There are a power and intensity that Hackman brought to Little Bill Daggett that few actors could. A rogue turned sheriff, Bill is a character that Hackman got to instill more complexity and layers into (which is fresh and dynamic for a sheriff in a western).

The Firm (1993)

Hackman could just steal a film, couldn’t he? The Firm is certainly about Tom Cruise’s young and ambitious lawyer, but Hackman’s presence is magnetic and brings a grey morality into play that is quite compelling. Hackman’s Avery Tolar is not a good man, but this legendary actor finds humanity and a path to redemption with this great supporting character.

Crimson Tide (1995)

How could you resist the powerful conflict between acting powerhouses like Hackman and Denzel Washington? Crimson Tide is a thrilling and powerful film that pits two conflicting perspectives on a submarine against each other. Hackman creates a complex and dynamic character in the veteran captain of the submarine whose reckless and brash action could either save or destroy the world.

The Birdcage (1996)

Hackman just understood how to stand out as the straight man in a comedy, didn’t he? The Birdcage certainly is Robin Williams and Nathan Lane’s film, but Hackman’s conservative politician is a key piece to ground the antics. And you get to see Hackman in drag…which was a wild sight!

Enemy of the State (1998)

Is Hackman playing the same character from The Conversation in Tony Scott’s Enemy of the State? In my headcanon, 100%. Hackman’s presence changes this poignant and slick thriller as he steals the film from charismatic lightning rod Will Smith.

The Replacements (2000)

This is quite a different type of coach character for Hackman, isn’t it? The Replacements is a fun and entertaining football film that allows Hackman to portray a type of character he didn’t get too much. There is still some fire, but Hackman’s Jimmy McGinty is a warm, supportive, and resourceful man who anchors this charming film.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Why did Hackman not win an Oscar for The Royal Tenenbaums? This was a travesty as Hackman delivered his last great performance and one of the best of his career. Royal is a roguish conman who is oozing with charm because Hackman found humanity without blunting the obvious flaws of this estranged patriarch.