The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
Times Media

.

Hollywood didn’t know exactly what to do with Donald Sutherland – so they did everything with him

  • Written by Daryl Sparkes, Senior Lecturer (Media Studies and Production), University of Southern Queensland

I don’t think Hollywood knew what to do with Donald Sutherland, who has died at age 88. He was not your classically handsome A-list actor like contemporaries Warren Beatty or Robert Redford, nor was he solely suited to the “tough guy” roles such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino or Gene Hackman. Instead, his early film career was defined by eccentric, peculiar or “quirky” roles, roles that seemed to sit well with him for the rest of his life.

Born in Canada in 1935, Sutherland began his career in television in the 1960s. His first film was a small role in The Dirty Dozen (1967) alongside Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin.

Sutherland’s breakout year was 1970, in which he took major parts in two hit films, the Clint Eastwood vehicle Kelly’s Heroes, where he played tank commander Oddball, and Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H, where he played “Hawkeye” Pierce. Both were offbeat 60s hippie-ish characters.

These idiosyncratic characters seemed to work well with Sutherland, and he take such roles time and again.

The 1970s saw Sutherland play the leading man in a range of films such as the psychological horror Don’t Look Now (1973), the second world war feature The Eagle Has Landed (1976) and one of his stand out films of this era, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978).

The last shot of this film, with a now alien Sutherland shrieking at one of the last humans left in the world, is regarded as one of the most shocking[1] and most perfect[2] endings to a film.

A masterful actor

My most loved and admired Sutherland starring film is Alan J. Pakula’s 1971 neo-noir psychological thriller Klute.

Co-starring Jane Fonda, with whom he had a brief romance during and after filming, this film stands out as a masterful piece of suspense cinema, with Sutherland as a Pennsylvanian private detective sent to New York to track down a missing company executive.

His main lead is a sex worker who has been receiving obscene letters – possibly from the executive. Sutherland plays the role of John Klute so understated, so cerebrally, you marvel at how Sutherland is able to deliver emotion and information to the audience in such subtle ways – a slight tilt of the head, a longing stare, a narrowing of the eyes.

In every scene of the film, Sutherland uses a huge range of gentle, underplayed expressions to reveal that this apparently staid and cold inscrutable detective is really an emotionally fragile and vulnerable loner. Sutherland peels the layers back slowly.

It really is a masterclass in acting.

The role of the supporting actor

From 1980 onwards, almost every film he appeared in was in a supporting role but he didn’t play second fiddle to any star.

His presence on the screen demanded as much attention as lead actors he worked with during this time including Brando, Stallone, De Niro or Eastwood.

But unlike his contemporaries, who would become strongly identified with specific characters (think Dustin Hoffman as Ratso[3], Dorothy[4] or Ray[5]), when you look back on Sutherland’s career, I can’t think of one particular character he played that audiences strongly identify him with.

Say the name “Donald Sutherland” to someone and a whole barrage of different characters come to mind, but no particular one stands out.

This was the magic of Sutherland’s acting. Unlike Hoffman, Sutherland was very comfortable playing smaller roles in films, but roles that he could own. This is perhaps why we don’t easily identify Sutherland’s characters. Hoffman developed memorable screen characters, Sutherland made screen characters appear as though they were actually real people.

Which goes to show that he wasn’t any one of his particular characters, he was all of them.

A man of versatility

Sutherland also had the skill to constantly introduce himself to younger audiences of each generation.

Films such as Animal House (1978), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) and The Hunger Games franchise (2012–15) allowed Sutherland to appear in the minds of new audiences of different eras, while staying in contact with the old ones of eras past.

It was one of Hollywood’s greatest shames that he was never nominated for an Academy Award (although he was given an honorary one[6] in 2017).

He should have won, or at least been nominated, for a number of his standout roles, including in Ordinary People (1980), Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and Disclosure (1994).

Looking back on his vast array of roles over 50 years, one thing jumps out at you about Donald Sutherland: his versatility. Perhaps this was the key to his career.

He was never pigeonholed into a certain defined type of actor, and his roles were never the same sort of character. He could play goofy, dramatic, scary, over-the-top, subtle, tough or gentle.

In the end, Hollywood didn’t know exactly what to do with Donald Sutherland, so they did everything with him.

References

  1. ^ most shocking (www.digitaltrends.com)
  2. ^ most perfect (fortemag.com.au)
  3. ^ Ratso (en.wikipedia.org)
  4. ^ Dorothy (en.wikipedia.org)
  5. ^ Ray (en.wikipedia.org)
  6. ^ honorary one (www.oscars.org)

Read more https://theconversation.com/hollywood-didnt-know-exactly-what-to-do-with-donald-sutherland-so-they-did-everything-with-him-232975

The Times Features

The Gift That Keeps Growing: Why Tinybeans+ Gift Cards are a game-changer for new parents

As new parents navigate the joys and challenges of raising a child in the digital age, one question looms large: how do you preserve and share your baby's milestones without co...

Group Adventures Made Easy: How to Coordinate Shuttle Services from DCA to IAD

Traveling as a large group can be both exciting and challenging, especially when navigating busy airports like DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) and IAD (Washington...

From Anxiety to Assurance: Proven Strategies to Support Your Child's Emotional Health

Navigating the intricate landscape of childhood emotions can be a daunting task for any parent, especially when faced with common fears and anxieties. However, transforming anxie...

The Rise of Meal Replacement Shakes in Australia: Why The Lady Shake Is Leading the Pack

Source Meal replacement shakes are having a moment in Australia, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re quick, convenient, and packed with nutrition, making them the perfect solu...

HCF’s Healthy Hearts Roadshow Wraps Up 2024 with a Final Regional Sprint

Next week marks the final leg of the HCF Healthy Hearts Roadshow for 2024, bringing free heart health checks to some of NSW’s most vibrant regional communities. As Australia’s ...

The Budget-Friendly Traveler: How Off-Airport Car Hire Can Save You Money

When planning a trip, transportation is one of the most crucial considerations. For many, the go-to option is renting a car at the airport for convenience. But what if we told ...

Times Magazine

Discover the Top 10 Dentists in Darwin, Australia for 2023

Are you on the hunt for the finest dentists in Darwin, Australia? You've landed in the right place. We've meticulously curated a list of the top 10 dental professionals in the city, taking into account patient reviews, experience, qualifications...

The ultimate guide to test driving a new car

There’s something uniquely exciting about being in the market for a new car and getting to go out on test drives. The new gadgets you’ve never had before, that feeling of getting to grips with the handling of a new machine and, of course, the new...

Property app Instarent

Property self-management soars during COVID lockdown The innovative PropTech app, Instarent, has seen exponential growth during the COVID -19 lockdown, reporting a 400 per cent increase in users during March/April 2020. These figures indicate ...

Cadbury CHOCBUSTER store opens in Sydney

Following the exciting launch of Cadbury Choc Tops in Australia, Peters Ice Cream and Cadbury are teaming up again to bring you the ultimate blast from the past, along with 8,000 FREE Choc Tops and freshly made popcorn for the perfect movie night...

Elevate Your Construction Projects with Evolve Construction's Innovative Software Suite!

Revolutionising Construction Management with Evolve Construction In the dynamic realm of construction, efficiency is paramount. Evolve Construction is a beacon of innovation, offering a suite of cutting-edge tools meticulously designed to empower ...

Unleash the Fun: Why Interactive Toys Are Essential for Your Cat

Cats are playfully inclined animals with their curiosity being heightened by their natural drive to play. However, the act of having to find ways and means of keeping them occupied indoors eventually could be a daunting task. Thus, even using frequ...