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In Praise of Jeff Daniels

posted March 17, 2007 - 10:40pm
In Praise of Jeff Daniels

Jeff Daniels is an amazing actor and I'd love to see him in one of my films one day.

When I first saw DUMB AND DUMBER, I wondered why any actor would ever agree to shoot a script that frivolous, except for the money of course.

But then I came to realize that he is actually a much better actor than he looks in that stupid little farce. He held his end pretty well, for example, in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and I think he deserved an Academy nomination which he didn't get.

Then I truly loved his work as Col. Joshua Chamberlain both in GETTYSBURG and GODS AND GENERALS.

Let's not forget his dual roles in the PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO either.

Obviously, Daniels stored a lot more in his deep well than he revealed in DUMB AND DUMBER. A while back, Daniels was one of the guests on AMC's SUNDAY Shootout to plug in his new flick, THE SQUID AND THE WHALE.

It turns out he is probably the only A-list actor who lives on a farm in Michigan. Actually I believe he owns a lumber company in Chelsea, Mich.

Daniels made it very clear that for him acting has always been just a job, not a career, and that his family life always came first.

I'm sure he paid dearly for that choice in terms of money, fame, professional recognition and interesting roles - a choice that deserves respect.

So how did he survive? He said it best:

"The producers loved me. They would put me next to an A-list actor and I was good on takes one, two and three. They didn't need to worry about me."

I always thought he was that good and then perhaps some, except for that D&D enigma which I could never decipher.

No matter how good life is back in Michigan, I hope Daniels will never quit the movie business, at least not until I get a chance to have him star in one of my own productions.
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Comments

Daniels Just Visited Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland

Well, I wouldn't be that quick to say Daniels is "not a social worker"... Of course, he is not in a literal sense. That's true. But, listen to this: Daniels has visited the wounded Iraq-vets at Walter Reed recently and it was a great morale boosting event. And almost every vet he met and talked to said DUMB AND DUMBER was actually one of their most favorite films! Daniels told the Premiere magazine: "Later, I was told that those were the first words [quotes from DUMB AND DUMBER] one guy had said in three days." I agree that if you can bring some light and hope into the lives of these brave men and women, performing their duties under tremendous pressures, then what does it matter if you did not receive an Oscar? Helping others from the heart is the best award anyone can get. And that's another reason why I really admire Jeff Daniels, a Hollywood actor who does not even live in Holywood (but in Michigan).

I can't comment on Jeff

I can't comment on Jeff Daniels' overall acting ability; I haven't seen enough of his work to form an opinion. As for his role in Dumb and Dumber, maybe he just wanted to make people laugh. It was frivolous, but what's wrong with that? He's not a doctor or social worker, he's an actor. In other words, an entertainer. He knows he has the ability to make people laugh. In this self-important world of ours, that's a precious commodity. Flyswatter Xomba Moderator

Flyswatter

Xomba Moderator

Thanks for the reference

I appreciate the reference, Idlewild. Haven't seen that one but I'll sure order it from my online subscription service. Since Daniels is in it, I'm sure I'll like it.

Something Wild

I love Daniels in this movie, and Melanie Griffiths is a hoot as Lulu.

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