It’s a sad day for film fans today as legendary thespian Gene Hackman has passed away at the age of 95. Hackman, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog, was discovered deceased in their home in New Mexico. The manner of his death is now ruled as ‘suspicious.’ An investigation is still ongoing as I’m writing this piece.
I was just saying on a comment to my friend and FC collaborator Ted recently that I miss seeing Hackman on screen. I’ve been a huge fan of his work for ages, as his career spanned four decades. He’s won numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, and four Golden Globe Awards. I first saw Hackman as Lex Luthor in the first Superman movie, then in the spy thriller No Way Out in my teens, one of the few of his movies I saw on the big screen. I caught up with his earlier works, The French Connection and The Conversation, years later.
I always find him believable in any role and any genre; he’s also got one of those voices that’s instantly recognizable. I’ve seen a bunch of his movies he made in the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s, though I still need to see a few essentials of his, like Unforgiven and Mississippi Burning. He knew how to dive into a variety of characters, from a paranoid surveillance expert, a cruel mayor of a western town to a ruthless supervillain. He seemed to gravitate towards darker roles, and he nails them every time. But I’ve also loved his comedic performances, especially in The Birdcage.
He was an actor’s actor, and a prolific one as well; he did nearly 20 films in the 90s! But as he grew older, he leaned into his other talents and interests, like painting and writing. It turns out he had plenty of other interests and talents beyond just acting. Hackman wrote and co-wrote five books, covering everything from historical fiction to tales of the Old West.
His most recent book, Pursuit, came out in 2013. According to GoodReads, it’s a thrilling read about a dedicated police sergeant facing off against a dangerous predator who could take away everything she holds dear. I have a feeling someone might acquire the rights and turn that into a movie one day.
Though he hasn’t been acting for 20 years (his last movie was the political comedy Welcome to Mooseport, which I haven’t seen yet), he was a true Hollywood legend who has done so many iconic roles in his illustrious career. As another cinema great, Viola Davis, said in her social media tribute… he was ‘tough yet vulnerable. You were one of the greats.’ Hear, hear!
I feel ill-equipped to do a thorough tribute like Rolling Stones did here, but I still want to highlight some of my favorite Gene Hackman roles. So, here they are in order of the film’s release:
The French Connection (1971)
Hackman delivered one of his most memorable performances as the relentless, tough-as-nails narcotics detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in William Friedkin’s thriller, which earned him his first Oscar in 1972. The film is also known for having some of the greatest foot and car chases ever captured on screen.
Check out this appreciation guest post on The French Connection.
The Conversation (1974)
His character really stands out compared to the loud and confrontational Detective Doyle. Harry Caul is a deeply private and solitary figure, both in his personal life and at work. Most of his struggles are internal, and it’s captivating to see Hackman’s subtle yet powerful performance. The feeling of paranoia is so strong that I definitely want to rewatch this film to pick up on all the little details. I’d say this is one of Francis Ford Coppola’s finest films.
Superman (1977) + Superman II (1980)
Hackman’s performance as Lex Luthor sets the bar high for superhero villains. His Luthor is as iconic as Christopher Reeve’s Superman/Clark Kent. I’ve rewatched the first two Superman movies so many times that I could practically quote every line. Hackman plays Luthor as an unapologetic egomaniac with a wicked sense of humor. It’s fun to watch Superman squirm when he interacts with him.
Actors frequently mention that portraying villains is way more enjoyable than being the good guy, and Hackman definitely enjoys it. His clever trick to get Superman to open the Kryptonite box is both brilliant and cruel, and his shout of ‘Miss Teschmacher!!’ never fails to crack me up.
No Way Out (1987)
I saw this film with my older brother in my teens, and I remember absolutely loathing his character! As a high-ranking politician who accidentally murdered his lover, Hackman’s David Brice is as unscrupulous as they come. This is one of Kevin Costner’s star-making turns, who’s pretty great as a man on the run. These two thespians make for an exciting screen partner.
The Firm (1993)
The Firm is one of the best legal thrillers of the 90s, directed by Sydney Pollack. Tom Cruise was the leading man, but the supporting cast is absolutely top-notch here. Hackman is fantastic as a jaded ‘ambulance chaser’ senior partner who becomes Cruise’s mentor. While legal thrillers often rely on cliché characters, Hackman’s Avery Tolar stands out as a multi-dimensional figure that defies my expectations. Having played so many villainous roles, I automatically assume Tolar is a crook, but he’s turns out to be a decent guy.
Crimson Tide (1995)
After doing three Westerns in a row (Geronimo, Wyatt Earp, The Quick and the Dead), Hackman opted to do a submarine film. Directed by the late Tony Scott, apparently screenwriter Michael Schiffer wrote the role of Captain Ramsey with Gene Hackman as his top pick for the role. Denzel Washington plays a young naval officer who sparks a mutiny to stop his captain (Hackman) from launching nuclear missiles too soon. 25 years his junior, Denzel holds his own here, but it marks one of Hackman’s most powerful and menacing performances ever, even amongst the plethora of tough guy roles he’s done.
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
This is one of my favorite Westerns, with an all-star cast. I saw this movie for Russell Crowe, as I had such a massive crush on him at the time. It’s amusing to see young Leo DiCaprio here as well, but it’s Gene Hackman who really makes your skin crawl as an outlaw-turned-tyrannical-mayor, John Herrod. It’s chilling to see him portray such a sadist who always takes the opportunity to torment and torture his enemies before delivering the final blow.
The Birdcage (1996)
One of my favorite comedies of all time. I feel like this is the kind of movie that likely won’t be able to get made in today’s hyper-sensitive climate. It’s tough to stand out in a comedy with the venerable comic Robin Williams, but Hackman manages to do so as the polar opposite of Williams’ character, a gay man who owns a popular drag nightlub in Miami. Hackman plays ultra-conservative senator Kevin Keeley, co-founder of the Committee for Moral Order, to have dinner with the family his daughter is marrying. Hard to pick a favorite scene from this movie, but the dinner scene takes the cake for me… never has so many things go wrong in a single night, ha!
Enemy of the State (1998)
Three years after Crimson Tide, Hackman worked with Tony Scott once again in this conspiracy thriller. He’s also starring with another black movie star, Will Smith, who plays a lawyer who finds himself in the crosshairs of a crooked politician and his NSA henchmen after he unintentionally comes into possession of crucial evidence related to a politically charged crime. Took a while before Hackman showed up, but he’s terrific as always. I love the scene outside an elevator when Hackman scrambles all the bugs the NSA had on Smith with a bag of chips, and the scene on the rooftop: You have something they want!! Hackman really nails his best lines when he’s yelling.
The Royal Tenenbaum (2001)
Hackman did this Wes Anderson film just a few years before his eventual retirement. Wes wrote the part with Hackman in mind, and I read that he was a bit unsure about taking the role because he realized he hadn’t always been the most considerate towards his family at times. He checked in with them to see if they would feel weird about him playing this character, and they all encouraged him to go for it.
Perhaps the role became cathartic for him, as his character Royal ended up strengthening his bond with his kids by the end. I particularly love this scene where naughty grandpa Royal takes his grandsons out for a mischievous good time.
RIP, Mr. Hackman. Thank you for giving us so many iconic and memorable acting roles we’ll cherish forever. You will be missed but not forgotten.
What are some of your favorite Gene Hackman movies?
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This one hurts. Given his age, I wouldn’t be as sad as he had lived a great life but the circumstances of how he, his wife, and their dog died makes this even sadder.
I put him in a class of actors where you could put him in a bad movie or something unwatchable yet he will best thing in that film because he always gives 100% into a performance. He’s someone who can’t suck.
The films you mentioned in that list are essential as I own one of them on DVD (that needs to be upgraded to Blu-Ray) in The Royal Tenenbaums and The French Connection on Blu-Ray which I bought last year as it was on sale.
Some of my favorite films that he did include Hoosiers as it is one of the greatest sports films ever as he is just this great high school basketball coach as I love the every man quality to him. Another film that he did that I like a lot is his small cameo in Young Frankenstein. It is a small bit but he is so funny. Welcome to Mooseport is not a great film. It’s mediocre at best but he is great in the film. Another sports movie that he did that I like is The Replacements with Keanu Reeves as a football coach as he never half-asses a performance as he just knows how to make us care for his character and to coach a bunch of players people see as losers but he doesn’t see them as losers.
With this, David Lynch, and Michelle Trachtenberg who died yesterday at 39. This year is a fucking bummer. R.I.P. Gene, Betsy, and their dog.
I totally agree he’s always watchable even in subpar movies, he just never phoned it in. I remember Christopher Reeve said that Brando was phoning it in when he did Superman, but I don’t think Hackman would’ve done that. Despite his name, he certainly was no hack!
I kind of want to see his last film Welcome to Mooseport as I think he played a president there right? I know I’d be sad watching it though, as he never acted anymore after that. Still need to see Hoosiers but I love him in the other sports movie, The Replacements.
I’m not familiar with Michelle Trachtenberg, never seen anything she’s been in, but still sad about the manner of her death and she was so young.
Yes, he plays a president who tries to run for mayor against Ray Romano as it is over a woman. The premise is mediocre but Hackman is in top form.
You had never seen Harriet the Spy? Mysterious Skin, Ice Princess, EuroTrip, or the TV shows she had been in like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl? I hadn’t seen those TV shows but she was always fun to watch.
Since Hackman is one of my all time favorite actors, the news of his death hit me a bit harder than most celebrity deaths. Let’s hope we find out what really happened to him and his wife.
I haven’t seen all of his films but I think I saw 95% of them. While I enjoyed his role in The Quick and the Dead, I didn’t really like the film. It was supposed to be the first real female led western film but Sharon Stone’s character was so badly written that she was overshadowed my her male characters in the film. I do love the unofficial sequel to The Conversation, Enemy of the State is still my favorite film of Tony Scott’s.
I can list all of Hackman’s great performances but to add to your list, these are the highlights for me: Bonnie and Clyde, Scarecrow (co-starring with Al Pacino and a film that made him stopped working for indie film productions), Target, Unforgiven, Absolute Power, Knight Moves, Heist, The Chamber, Get Shorty, Geronimo, Class Action, Narrow Margin, The Package, Uncommon Valor and Under Fire.
He was such a great performer that even a silly buddy cop action comedy like Loose Cannon was watchable. I wish he didn’t retire and kept working like other older actors but glad to have seen his great performances. May he rest in peace.
I love that you’ve seen most of his films, Ted!! I’d love for you to do an ‘off the beaten path’ list of Hackman movies. I’d love to see more of his earlier movies and of course the essentials, esp Unforgiven!! I’m kicking myself that I STILL haven’t seen that film, sheesh!
Are you saying Enemy of the State is the unofficial sequel to The Conversation?? I suppose it deals with NSA stuff and paranoia 😀
I enjoyed The Quick and the Dead mostly because of Russell Crowe (he’s just so charismatic), but yeah, Stone wasn’t all that convincing to me in that film.
Now you got me curious about Loose Cannon! A silly buddy cop comedy with Gene Hackman? Sign me up!
I’ll list the lesser known roles that Hackman did and send it over to you this weekend. Especially Scarecrow, a film that he said it’s his favorite. But that film failed so badly that he decided to only work on studio financed and big budget films.
Enemy of State not only dealt with paranoia and other things that happened in The Conversation. One of the characters in the film, Barry Pepper’s character, wore the same jacket that Hackman wore in the 70s film. Tony Scott want to wink to the audience who knew about The Conversation. Also, it was supposed to be a reunion between Hackman and Tom Cruise. But Cruise was stuck shooting Eyes Wide Shut and had to back out and they got Smith as his replacement.
I think you can watch Loose Cannons on Tubi for free. The film was so badly received that I think both Hackman and Dan Aykroyd wanted it erased from their resume. Lol! But I enjoyed it. It came out during height the buddy cop action genre of the 80s and 90s.
Awesome Ted! I will post it after the Oscars sometime next week once I’ve got the list. Never even heard of Scarecrow. Ivan and I are starting to make a list of his films we still need to see.
Oh wow, that is an interesting easter egg there in Enemy of The State, I didn’t know that! Scott must’ve been a huge fan of the Coppola film. Ah, interesting to see that Smith replaced Cruise but I think having a black lawyer in the role might’ve been better in the end.
I just saw the Tomato meter on Loose Cannons but y’know what, I’d still watch that, ahah.
Wonderful list of some extraordinary work by a legendary actor, Ruth. And what a career it was. Certainly, his work as the main character of a film is on everybody’s lists, but I my favorites were his supporting characters (both good and evil — more than a few already on your list) in…
Unforgiven
Bonnie and Clyde
Young Frankenstein
The Quick and the Dead
Get Shorty
Twilight
Enemy of the State
The Birdcage
The Royal Tennebaums
And I also really enjoyed his work in some not so prestigious movies like…
All Night Long
Night Moves
BAT*21
The Package
Narrow Margin
Prime Cut
Heartbreakers
Absolute Power
May he rest in peace.
Hey Michael! It’s truly a sign of greatness when an actor is just as memorable in playing supporting characters as he is in leading roles. He just never phoned it in, and that’s what made him so great.
Thanks for sending all those recommendations! I’m gonna try to watch some of his films I’ve missed, esp. Unforgiven that my pal Ted has recommended me for years. I want to see another Clint Eastwood-directed film Absolute Power as well as there’s also Ed Harris, another actor I love. Heartbreakers with Sigourney Weaver looks like fun too, thank you!!
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Lovely tribute to one of the best, Gene was just so watchable in everything he appeared in. I class Mississippi Burning as one of my favourites, as well as Unforgiven, The French Connection, Narrow Margin, Bat-21 and Prime Cut… I could go on and on.
Hey there Paul! Hope all is well. I still need to see Unforgiven and Mississippi Burning, hopefully soon now that award season is over. Btw, are you happy to see Meg Ryan at the Oscars on Sunday? I’d love to see her in another rom-com, though I wasn’t crazy about the last one she did with David Duchovny.
Hi Ruth, yes it was nice to see Meg at the oscars on Sunday. Like you I’d love to see her in another rom-com, an ensemble with the likes of Clooney, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett and Michelle of course.
Oh yeah, Meg and Michelle together would be so wonderful!! I’d imagine with THAT cast it’d be very expensive to make but I’m sure it’ll also make tons of $$$, so here’s hoping!
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