best film: The Godfather. This is the category for Cazale. He can match “best films” with almost any actor. He was in both early Godfather films; both masterpieces. He was in Dog Day Afternoon, The Deer Hunter and The Conversation as well—all of them were masterpieces. Let me repeat, every single film he was in was a masterpiece. With that as a prologue here, it almost doesn’t matter that The Godfather edges out the others as the best single film. His worst film may be The Deer Hunter or The Conversation and there are many years that they would be the best film of the year.
best performance: The Godfather Part II. He’s a larger part of the 1974 sequel masterpiece. If you combine the two films it equates to nearly a lead in a smaller film. I think like Hopkins is in 28-30 minutes of Silence of the Lambs and Cazale is probably close to that here. More importantly, he’s in the big scenes. The famous kiss scene with Pacino is one of the greatest actor-led moments in the history of cinema and his “I’m not dumb, I’m smart” scene and speech is immeasurably well done. Cazale makes Fredo an all-time great tragic character.
stylistic innovations/traits: What Cazale did with Fredo is nothing short of genius. I don’t through that word around and there are actors who simply accomplished more during their longer careers (Cazale’s ran 6 years and 5 films of course) who are not as talented as Cazale and who I would not call geniuses (sorry to pick on him but I’ll say Gary Cooper—who had an unarguably better career). Cazale is a supporting actor (mostly with Pacino- a close friend) but stole scenes and added great color and nuance to excellent films and scenes (and actors). He was sick with cancer during The Deer Hunter and died, tragically, at age 42. He’s an unforgettable part of the 1970’s American cinema.
directors worked with: Francis Ford Coppola (3) and then Lumet and Cimino once. He’s in three best picture winners, 5 best picture nominees, two films in my top 100, five masterpieces,
Top 5 Performances:
- The Godfather Part II
- Dog Day Afternoon
- The Godfather
- The Deer Hunter
- The Conversation
Archiveable films
| 1972- The Godfather |
| 1974- The Conversation |
| 1974- The Godfather Part II |
| 1975- Dog Day Afternoon |
| 1978- The Deer Hunter |
James Caan is a top 100 actor.Top 3 performances. 1)Thief 2)The Godfather 3)The Gambler .Caan is an unforgettable part of American Cinema too.He is very good in Attenborough’s Bridge Too Far.Strong as a lead in one of the best Stephen King adaptations Misery(1990).Has the leading role in the Science-fiction classic Rollerball(1975)
@Janith– so are you moving Cazale off the list to make room for Caan?
No.Cazale should definitely be on the list.I especially love his performance in Dog Day Afternoon.Caan can compete with anybody outside the top 20 with that remarkable top 3.Seriously Caan should be in the top 100.
@Janith- gotcha. Well I always ask who someone would move off. It is easy to suggest a name I don’t have on one of my listsbest, it’s another thing to compare with them with someone else and say “Caan should be here in place of ____”… but actors outside of my top 20 includes actors like von Sydow, Clift, Denzel, Christian Bale… There’s just not a serious case to compare Caan with these actors.
O.K.If you are asking me I could name a few.Michael Caine(He doesn’t have a performance that top Godfather and Thief),Bruce Willis(He is very good in Die Hard but seriously Willis above Caan),Matt Damon,George Clooney(Don’t say to me Clooney ever did anything in his career to top the Godfather).These are all actors in the top 80.Caan should be above them.
@Janith – thanks for the feedback and sharing… strong disagree and I think the filmography and resume for each show Caan to be pretty far behind these actors- but thanks for sharing
0)His career slumped after Thief(1981) if you leave out Misery(1990).Most people believe he has only two great performances The Godfather and Thief.But he is seriously good in The Gambler and Brian’s Song(One of the most emotional movies I have ever seen).James Dean(No Caan shouldn’t be above Dean)only have 3 films in his filmography but what you did in that filmography is what matters.None of the actors I mentioned above don’t have a tour-de force performance like Caan has in one of the best films of all time.But to add to that he gives 2 of the best performances of the year(certainly in contention) in Thief and The Gambler.You should seriously consider putting Caan in the top 100 and watch his superb interpretation of Brian Piccolo in Brian’s Song as well.
@Chris- Yep, I have 14 films with Caan in them in the archives. I just haven’t heard anyone come to his defense like this before. I don’t think he has a reputation as being an overly talented actor.
I forgot to mention he stood out amongst a dream cast in Attenborough’s A Bridge Too Far.He’s very good in Coppola’s Rain People.And he does a complete turn around from his usual tough guy parts and gives a beautiful understated performance in The Cinderella Liberty(1973).Stole scenes from John Wayne in El Dorado.Definitely the most underrated actor of his generation.Oh he made an impression in his brief appearance in Godfather Part 2 as well.
Although I haven’t seen the film heard Caan is terrific in Coppola’s spiritual successor to Apocalypse Now called Gardens Of Stone as well..Even though it has 47 on RT apparently 4 of the last 5 reviews are highly positive.
Both Cinderella Liberty and Gardens of Stone are improving in reputation over the years and his performance in both films are getting acknowledged.Both are worth a look I think.Sad he didn’t revive his career like Pacino in the 90’s.
@Chris- Thanks for sharing your defense of James Caan. Interesting. I still don’t think he has much of a case as a top 100 actor but fun to discuss.
You gotta be joking if you think Willis is a better actor than Caan.None of his performances can match Caan’s top 3.Furthermore Caan gives very good performances in Rain People,Cinderella Liberty,Gardens of Stone and Brians Song.None of which are shockingly in the archives.You should put Caan in place of Willis.Watch the above 4 films and you will realize what a great and versatile actor he is.
@Chris— I am not joking. I would have Caan around 150-175 I think
So Willis in Die Hard is better than Caan in The Godfather(Top 15 film)Hahaha.Willis in Pulp Fiction is better than Caan in Thief(one of Michael Mann’s best film),Willis in 12 Monkeys is better than Caan in The Gambler(The most overlooked film in 1970).He gave three best performances of the year mate.Does Willis have a subtle performance like Caan has in Cinderella Liberty.Does Willis have a emotional tearjerking performance like Caan has in Brian’s Song.Did willis stood out among legends in A Bridge Too Far and El Dorado.Did Willis demanded our empathy so much like Caan in Misery.Just because he has been doing crap for the last 27 years doesn’t mean he is a top 100 actor.I’m not joking when I say he should be put in here in place of Willis.
@Chris- I don’t see a convincing argument here for Caan
One of the things that makes Cazale so impressive is that the majority of the scenes in his short career were scenes where he sharing the screen with some of the greatest actors of all time. His best scenes in GF, GF2, and Dog Day Afternoon were scenes with Pacino. The “I was passed over” scene in GF2 is probably my favorite of the entire series, it’s so emotionally devestating.
In Deer Hunter many of best scenes were with De Niro. And in The Conversation (which I agree should be #5 in ranking his performances) the majority of his scenes are with Gene Hackman. Thus he spent the majority of the scenes in his career sharing the screen with 3 of the top 20 actors of all time including two in the top 5. And yet he more than held his own and certainly was never blown off the screen by any of these legends.
@James Trapp- Great point here- if it were a lesser actor we’d be talking about how it is a shame that Pacino, Hackman, De Niro at the height of their powers were not given a better to play off of– and certainly with Cazale- that is not the case.