Curio: Smart Alec
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 9:01AM Alexa here. Alec Baldwin, newly-engaged and soon-to-be-upstaged by Benigni antics in Woody's "To Rome With Love" (if the poster is any indication) turns 54 today. Hearing him deliver a deliciously clever line of dialogue is truly one of lie's great pleasures, no? I've thought so as far back as Married to the Mob ("Tony, I had no idea you was puttin' the stones to Karen"), but his performance in Glengarry Glen Ross may still be his high water mark in scene-stealing. Here's praying Woody has written him enough quality dialogue that even Begnini's arm waving won't matter. If not, well, he still has Tina. Here are a few arty celebrations of Alec's best lines.
Poster by Amy McAdams.
Glengarry closers mug, available here.
Click for some Jack Donaghy gems...
Donaghy wisdom by Two Poodle Prints.
Donaghy greetings by Goat Cards.
30 Rock, Alec Baldwin, Curio, Glengarry Glen Ross
Reader Comments (6)
Oh my god. I am so getting that mug.
Nothing from Malice? It wasn't a comedy but his "Doctors are god" monologue was the only thing worth keeping from that movie. The man can definitely deliver a line.
Always Be Cobbling.
LOVE that performance in Glengarry. Better than Ricky Roma? Not quite, but, personally, the Academy's final decision was staggeringly misjudged. 1. The Category as is should have been an obvious get for Pacino and a phenomenal symbolic gesture (your first nomination and loss was for a lead performance placed in supporting, so guess what, your win is for a leading performance placed in supporting.) 2. Pacino should have been pitched as lead for Glengarry anyway, especially because he dominated the second half of the film (First half is dominated by Jack Lemmon). That might have cleared way for an actual SUPPORTING performance like Baldwin or Madsen to pick up some heat for a nomination.
1992 Lead Actor (haven't seen Chaplin, Malcolm X or The Crying Game):
Al Pacino, Glengarry Glen Ross - winner
Tim Roth, Reservoir Dogs - Silver
Danny DeVito, Batman Returns - 4th
Jack Lemmon, Glengarry Glen Ross - Bronze
Harvey Keitel, Reservoir Dogs - 5th
1992 Supporting Actor:
Alec Baldwin, Glengarry Glen Ross - Bronze
Michael Keaton, Batman Returns - 4th
Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs - Winner
Gene Hackman, Unforgiven - Silver
Kevin Spacey, Glengarry Glen Ross - 5th
I think this was just about the time he gave his steamy spin on Stanley Kowalski on Broadway...sigh.
Janice: Just watched the scene from Malice. WOW. He sure can deliver a line and Sorkin can write one. But the ending line of the speech and the beginning 3/4 don't really match up. His implication for most of it is "All doctors are like God" while the ending is a macho display of arrogance. I'd end with, "As far as I'm concerned, a hospital is like a modern Mount Olympus in people's backyards. If you can't realize that, this farce is over."