Kirk Douglas, Legend, R.I.P.
“People are composed of many things, and in my work, what influences me is the complexity of people — the chiaroscuro of dark and light. When I play a strong guy, I try to find, where is he weak? And, conversely, when I play a weak guy, where is he strong?”
Kirk Douglas (9 December 1916 – 5 February 2020) was one of the last living legends of Hollywood's Golden Age. Sharing the same birth year with Olivia de Havilland (who is still alive and hopefully kicking), he held his position as a centenarian for a little over three years. Though I've never really been a fan, I have always liked Douglas and have a high opinion of him as an actor. Also binge-watching his films this month made me like him a whole lot more. So it seems only fitting to do a little tribute post here and list the films I've seen of him so far.
When I think of Douglas as an actor, the first thing that comes to mind is the intensity he brings to his play. This is also what he is known for, an explosive acting style, according to Wikipedia. His line delivery is most noteworthy too, the way he utters words through gritted teeth and with clenched jaws. When it comes to his physique, the most significant thing about him is his chin. The dimple or cleft simply doesn't go unnoticed and it lends something unique to his face. Douglas mostly played strong characters and was less seen as the romantic lead or in a comedy role. He was not always likeable, he played plenty of heels, but he was always watchable and believable — whether he was performing the role of a boxer in Champion or a trumpet player in Young Man with a Horn.
Douglas was not only an actor, but also a producer, director, philanthropist and writer. I recently learned about his writing career, he even wrote novels. (You can find a list of his books here.) Born Issur Danielovitch, he was the only son of immigrant parents and had six sisters. His childhood was unhappy and poor, living with an alcoholic and physically abusive father. To help his family cope financially Douglas took on odd jobs during his youth. In school he excelled in sports and academics and after appearing in plays he knew he wanted to become a professional actor. He graduated from high school in 1934 and during his studies at St. Lawrence University he wrestled professionally to pay for his tuition. He then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City on a special scholarship where he met Betty Joan Perske, later known as Lauren Bacall. Aspiring actress Diana Dill was another of his classmates, and a friend of Lauren Bacall's. Douglas and Dill would marry in 1943 and divorce in 1951. Diana Douglas was the mother of Michael and Joel Douglas.
Douglas' budding acting career was interrupted by World War II when he joined the United States Navy in 1941. He was discharged in 1944 on medical grounds and returned to the theater and also did some radio work. He made his first screen appearance in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Douglas soon became a box-office star throughout the 1950s, playing in dramas and westerns. He appeared in more than 90 films during his long career and was nominated three times for an Oscar for Best Actor — for Champion (1949), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and Lust for Life (1956).
During the filming of the 1953's Act of Love Douglas met his second wife Anne Buydens. In an article published by the Los Angeles Times, Douglas describes their meeting: "She came in to help me with press and translation during the filming of Act of Love. I offered her a job, and she said, 'No, I can recommend someone else, but I will be going to New York soon,'" he remembered. "Okay, I thought, I'll take this young beauty to dinner at the most romantic (and expensive) restaurant in Paris, La Tour d'Argent. She's sure to approve of my taste and my ability to get a last-minute reservation. Once again, she turned me down. 'No, I think I'll stay in and have some scrambled eggs,' she said." Anne was married at the time and divorcé Kirk was "secretly engaged" to actress Pier Angeli. They eventually tied the knot in 1954 and stayed married until Kirk's death. He had two more sons with Anne, Peter Douglas and Eric Douglas.
Douglas was not only an actor, but also a producer, director, philanthropist and writer. I recently learned about his writing career, he even wrote novels. (You can find a list of his books here.) Born Issur Danielovitch, he was the only son of immigrant parents and had six sisters. His childhood was unhappy and poor, living with an alcoholic and physically abusive father. To help his family cope financially Douglas took on odd jobs during his youth. In school he excelled in sports and academics and after appearing in plays he knew he wanted to become a professional actor. He graduated from high school in 1934 and during his studies at St. Lawrence University he wrestled professionally to pay for his tuition. He then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City on a special scholarship where he met Betty Joan Perske, later known as Lauren Bacall. Aspiring actress Diana Dill was another of his classmates, and a friend of Lauren Bacall's. Douglas and Dill would marry in 1943 and divorce in 1951. Diana Douglas was the mother of Michael and Joel Douglas.
During the filming of the 1953's Act of Love Douglas met his second wife Anne Buydens. In an article published by the Los Angeles Times, Douglas describes their meeting: "She came in to help me with press and translation during the filming of Act of Love. I offered her a job, and she said, 'No, I can recommend someone else, but I will be going to New York soon,'" he remembered. "Okay, I thought, I'll take this young beauty to dinner at the most romantic (and expensive) restaurant in Paris, La Tour d'Argent. She's sure to approve of my taste and my ability to get a last-minute reservation. Once again, she turned me down. 'No, I think I'll stay in and have some scrambled eggs,' she said." Anne was married at the time and divorcé Kirk was "secretly engaged" to actress Pier Angeli. They eventually tied the knot in 1954 and stayed married until Kirk's death. He had two more sons with Anne, Peter Douglas and Eric Douglas.
Two of Douglas' most famous and acclaimed films, Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960), were produced by his own company Bryna Productions (named after his mother) which he set up in 1955. In both films he worked with director Stanley Kubrick. Douglas has been praised for helping to end the Hollywood blacklist by having writer Dalton Trumbo rewrite the script for Spartacus and for insisting that Trumbo would receive on-screen credit. Trumbo also wrote the screenplay for Lonely Are the Brave (1962), a personal favourite of Douglas.
So far the little bio on Kirk.
Now I will list the Kirk Douglas films seen up till now, in watching order (a total of 20 films):
*Spartacus (seen in childhood)
*The Glass Menagerie (seen in childhood)
*Out of the Past (July 2015)
*Lonely Are the Brave (August 2015)
*The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (February 2016)
*Young Man with a Horn (February 2016)
*A Letter to Three Wives (March 2016)
*Champion (April 2016)
*Ace in the Hole (July 2016)
*Seven Days in May (April 2017 and rewatched on the big screen in July 2019)
*Strangers When We Meet (August 2018, seen on the big screen)
*Paths of Glory (November 2018, seen on the big screen)
*I Walk Alone (June 2019)
*My Dear Secretary (February 2020)
*Along the Great Divide (February 2020)
*The Juggler (February 2020)
*Man Without a Star (February 2020)
*Top Secret Affair (February 2020)
*Act of Love (February 2020)
*The Big Trees (February 2020)
*The Juggler (February 2020)
*Man Without a Star (February 2020)
*Top Secret Affair (February 2020)
*Act of Love (February 2020)
*The Big Trees (February 2020)
Spartacus, first watched in childhood, I'm sure I've seen later as well. I think the first time I saw it was before The Glass Menagerie and thus the first-ever Douglas film I've seen. Most of Douglas' films I've only seen once, with the exception of Spartacus and Seven Days in May which I rewatched on the big screen last year. My favourite films are Ace in the Hole, Lonely Are the Brave, Out of the Past, Young Man with a Horn and Champion.
There are a couple of essential films I still need to see but I have been putting them off since I'm hoping they will be shown at the Filmoteca on the big screen some day. Especially now with Douglas' passing I kind of expect/hope they will do a retrospective of his work very soon and hopefully they will show The Bad and the Beautiful, Lust for Life and Detective Story, all of which I'm dying to see. For the remainder of this month I might still explore more of Douglas' filmography so be sure to check out my February round-up to see what else I watched and to read my thoughts on the films seen.
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Kirk Douglas;
*Diana Dill and Kirk Douglas with their second son Joel, 1947;
*Kirk Douglas and son Michael; (2 photos)
*The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) with Kirk Douglas and Barbara Stanwyck; (gif by me)
*Kirk Douglas and second wife Anne Buydens; (2 photos)
*Ace in the Hole (1951) with Kirk Douglas;
*Ace in the Hole (1951) with Kirk Douglas; (gif by me)
*Ace in the Hole (1951) with Kirk Douglas;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Kirk Douglas;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Kirk Douglas;
*Spartacus (1960) with Kirk Douglas; (gif by me)
*Paths of Glory (1957) with Kirk Douglas; (gif by me)
*Olivia de Havilland and Kirk Douglas attend a film premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, 1953; both were born in the same year (1916), with Olivia now outliving Kirk.