Non-motoring > Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Armel Coussine Replies: 16
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 14:19 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Armel Coussine
So, farewell then, at 91. Ernest Borgnine made more films than most people, and nearly all of them were creaking turkeys. But he himself was memorable from the first time one saw him. He could act but wasn't a great actor. What he had was star quality, something wholly indefinable (although film stars tend to have big heads and big faces, good for closeups). In his case it seemed to be centred on that ambiguous gap-toothed grin, which could range from menace to soppy good nature. He played villains more often than not but his most-admired performance (not really by me) was of the lovelorn butcher in 'Marty'.

Borgnine's workaholic ethic may be the reason why he chose so many doomed disaster movies and crime B features instead of waiting snootily for a decent script to come along. He continued to work until very recently, latterly complaining that work was hard to get because everyone thought he was dead.

What showbiz people call a trooper. I'll miss him, although not those crappy disaster movies.

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New Tue 10 Jul 12 14:36 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Lygonos
He was 95.

Good innings.
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 14:40 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Armel Coussine
>> He was 95.

Aargh! I'm more gaga than he was although more than 20 years younger.
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 14:44 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - devonite
I take it he`s died then?
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 14:52 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Crankcase
One of the original Trivial Pursuit questions was "who has the numberplate BORG 9", and we all used to think it was Bjorn Borg, every time the question was asked. Every time. EVERY time.

It wasn't.

Last edited by: Crankcase on Tue 10 Jul 12 at 14:53
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 16:31 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Dutchie
From here to eternity I remember Ernest Borgnine.Good film got the DVD.
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 17:42 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - corax
>> From here to eternity I remember Ernest Borgnine.Good film got the DVD.

Same here. Played a good character in that film. I liked that pub stand off between him and Burt Lancaster (seem to remember Borgnine being called Fatso?). Burt Lancaster though was one of my favourite actors.

Last edited by: corax on Tue 10 Jul 12 at 17:43
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 20:24 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Dutchie
He looked a tough caracter Burt.So did Ernest.>:)
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 20:38 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Lygonos
One of my favourite Borgnine movies was The Wild Bunch.

Cowboy violence so graphic as to be almost as ugly as it is in 'real life'.

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New Tue 10 Jul 12 21:27 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Ted

Borgnine was married, briefly, to the great Ethel Merman. When asked, on some talk show, about the marriage, she just replied ' Who ? '

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s62MrU8mHx4

I don't think they got on !

Another old bruiser I liked was Victor McLaglan....often with the Duke in fillums like the Quiet Man and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon.
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New Tue 10 Jul 12 23:25 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Armel Coussine
>> violence so graphic as to be almost as ugly as it is in 'real life'.

Do you get much of that in medical circles north of the border Lygonos?

It's true that movie broke newish ground for westerns in its day. Sam Peckinpah never looked back.
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New Wed 11 Jul 12 06:37 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - L'escargot
>> Aargh! I'm more gaga ................

In what sense? tinyurl.com/7283zq
;-)
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New Wed 11 Jul 12 10:12 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Crankcase
A Borgnine movie I've wanted to see for ages but not been able to track down in the UK is "Pay or Die", one of those "based on a true story" Mafia things. Don't suppose anyone has seen it and can say do or don't?

I bet the US prices will be even higher now. Sigh.
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New Wed 11 Jul 12 10:51 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Dog
>>A Borgnine movie I've wanted to see for ages but not been able to track down in the UK is "Pay or Die"<<

Lovefilm doesn't appear to have it either, ere's a trailer:

www.zimbio.com/watch/ccIeE4b9cnN/Pay+Or+Die/Ernest+Borgnine
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New Wed 11 Jul 12 11:00 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Focusless
>> A Borgnine movie I've wanted to see for ages but not been able to track
>> down in the UK is "Pay or Die"

Interview where he talks about it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjyD6UMLAZ8
(going by the title, haven't actually listened to it)
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New Wed 11 Jul 12 14:56 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - zookeeper
wasnt a big fan but liked his portrayal of Stanislaus Katczinsky army sergeant in 'all quiet on the western front' remake
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New Wed 11 Jul 12 19:07 
 Ernest Borgnine. Hollywood paradox. - Alastairw
Of course, Borgnine is really known these days as the voice of Mermaidman in Spongebob Squarepants - one of my youngest's favourite cartoons.
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