Twenty-five years ago on this day, January 8th 1993, two actors would seek Oscar glory as Al Pacino and Robert Downey Jr. saw their films SCENT OF A WOMAN and CHAPLIN go into wide release across the country. Ultimately Pacino would claim an Academy Award for his role as Lt. Col. Frank Slade and some would argue that he would become defined by this character in future roles, continuing to play bombastic and brash, much to filmgoers pleasure or dismay. For Downey Jr. he attempted to define a man already famous from his work on the silver screen in this Richard Attenborough biopic of Charlie Chaplin. Looking back we lament the loss of Robert Downey Jr. the actor slipping into his role as opposed to playing a version of himself, and wonder if we've become far too comfortable as an audience with Al Pacino playing characters who make others uncomfortable.
Comments