Nicholson in the Early ‘70s
Here’s the thing about Jack (from the eyes of a film neophyte): there isn’t an idiosyncratic string that ties his performances together. What do I mean by that? A lot of actors can’t disguise their eccentric tics. For instance, Jack Lemmon’s nervous energy frequently pops up; Clooney acts with his eyes; Matt Damon’s boyish grin; Pacino yells a lot; James Caan is cocky; Tommy Lee Jones is unaffected. They’re world-class actors, but they have undeniable peculiarities that can be distracting. Sometimes they’re subtle and sometimes they’re not, but when they happen, it’s just enough to remind the viewer they’re watching ____ (insert actor’s name) and not the character they’re playing.
Jack doesn’t fall into that category. Each character he plays is so unique that you forget it’s Jack Nicholson (which is a TALL order). Other actors in his league include Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix, Tom Hanks, and Sean Penn. If the proof is in the pudding, these four actors and Jack have won 14 Academy Awards out of 33 nominations. Unbelievable.
Take away his floor seats at the Lakers, a $150,000,000 collection of 20th century art, and the fact that he prefers National Golf Links over Shinnecock because winds pick up too much by the time he wakes up (who says that?!), he’s an actor, and one of the all-time greats.
Like most kids of the ‘80s, I was introduced to Jack through his portrayal of The Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman. He was larger than life, colorfully evil, and delivered some classic lines, such as “Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?”
He eased into the ‘90s with an unforgettable performance in A Few Good Men and brilliantly played a neurotic peckerhead in As Good as It Gets. The 2000s came with an equal number of duds and successes, the latter of which was his portrayal of a psychotic gangster in The Departed: “May I remind you; in this archdiocese, God don’t run the bingo.” But the early ‘70s — my God did he deliver.
I am not a film critic. My credentials are limited—nonexistent to any USC film student. And that’s fair. I don’t pretend to be what I’m not; I just love movies. My objective is to keep this simple and introduce you to a film or two you may not be familiar with. So here goes: these are my favorite Jack Nicholson films, in order from the early ‘70s:
1. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest – 1975
Ranked 33rd Best Film of All Time by the American Film Institute. Written by none other than Ken Kesey, directed by Michael Douglas, and one of only three films to take home the “Big Five” at the Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay). Brilliant–art at its finest.
2. Five Easy Pieces – 1970
As a writer, a film like this leaves you wondering just how the hell did someone dream up the plot. A rough neck on an oil rig running from his true identity of being a piano prodigy from a well to do family. Fabulous film. One of my favorites. Jack is so damn good.
3. Chinatown – 1974
Ranked 12th Best Film of All Time by the American Film Institute. Another classic. Nothing else to say. This film left an indelible mark on many directors, writers, and actors.
4. The Last Detail – 1973
Talk about the perfect cast. Jack is at an all-time high, Otis Young delivers a memorable performance, and Randy Quaid earns every bit of his Oscar nomination. It’s not categorized as a road trip movie, but it is.
5. The King of Marvin Gardens – 1972
It’s an odd flick the first time around. Jack plays a depressive who’s approaching middle-age with an unscrupulous brother who ropes him into a real estate scheme. Jack shows he can play any role convincingly.
6. Carnal Knowledge – 1971.
Art Garfunkel plays Jack’s best friend, Candace Bergan and Ann-Margret and Rita Moreno play his love interests. Powerhouse cast, exceptional script, and Jack is superb. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a sucker for movies filmed on college campuses (especially during the fall and winter) and anything in New York before the 1980s. This film has both.
Jack was a force to be reckoned with in the early ‘70s, which isn’t a surprise as most actors are in their prime in their 30s. Jack knocked out the aforementioned films in succession between the ages of 33 and 38. Unbelievable.
Again, I’m neither a film critic nor a film historian. I’m just a guy who loves movies.
*Written in Atlanta, GA and Highlands, NC
