tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014874020674080213.post5473335421710083440..comments2024-03-22T11:43:15.466-07:00Comments on Oscargasms: Paul Muni, The Life of Emile ZolaAllenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11964977693763983338noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014874020674080213.post-52164295463695312422015-10-14T11:39:17.994-07:002015-10-14T11:39:17.994-07:00While I enjoy much of Muni's work, I appreciat...While I enjoy much of Muni's work, I appreciate your reservations. He could be a calm, naturalistic center to a scene and then an over-the-top ham. I believe film acting was his 'avocation' and that his real dedication was to theater. Unfortunately, film acting must be smaller than theatrical acting because the screen is big and there are those damn close-ups. Muni never quite made the shift and it shows in his performances. I find him entertaining and at times quite moving in his role here as Zola. At the same time, those mannerisms you've mentioned are all too apparent and would probably read as 'subtle' from the 10th row of a theater but are just too much in a film close-up. Still, I've seen enough of his work to have gotten use to the mannerisms and can appreciate his finer virtues as an actor. <br /><br />His final film performance, 1959's "The Last Man", is very good indeed.Frank/click5https://www.blogger.com/profile/03605293626729520817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014874020674080213.post-22935821950246682332014-04-08T23:00:42.885-07:002014-04-08T23:00:42.885-07:00I hope so too! I've liked a lot of his thirtie...I hope so too! I've liked a lot of his thirties work thus far!Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11964977693763983338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014874020674080213.post-44619102113089319582014-04-07T12:33:53.452-07:002014-04-07T12:33:53.452-07:00I can't remember a thing. Except that he was i...I can't remember a thing. Except that he was indeed slightly better than the film. Hope you'll like March.Alex Constantinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09940311552608814201noreply@blogger.com