RIP Alan Arkin :( I was too young to see Enter Laughing on Broadway in 1963 (or rather my parents mistakenly thought so!), I so wish I could have seen what super young Alan Arkin did with that role!
I DID see “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" in 1966 and recognized his comic brilliance. Just one year later he did a 180 and played a psychotic killer SO brilliantly I was convinced he WAS that person in real life! Over the next few years I watched everything he did on film (I sadly never saw his Broadway work), and although much of it was beneath him, he always shone, and one could see what attracted him to each role. It wasn't until 1979 that he found his masterpiece. He co-starred in “The In-Laws” and while Peter Falk and Richard Libertini had far flashier roles, Mr. Arkin held his own against them, most especially in the immortal "flies with beaks" dinner scene (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqKadJiNZ4s). He continued acting for decades, and gave some really fine performances in movies like “Glengarry Glen Ross” and “Little Miss Sunshine”. I selfishly wish he had made even more movies than he did, and that he done more broad comedy. But what a great body of work he left behind! See https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/movies/alan-arkin-dead.html (if you can get through their paywall). Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
