What Is The Most Overacted Performance In Film History?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 10:05pm

Title asks all.

I think Tommy Lee Jones in BATMAN FOREVER is definitely up there.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 10:12pm

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in both movies.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 10:17pm

THANK YOU!

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 10:29pm

Max Shreck in Nosferatu.


Only kidding! I can't think of one right now.

[cturtle]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 10:36pm

at least you don't have such a short-sited view of film history, jane. that's to be commended!

[kjklo]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 10:45pm

Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar? Just a guess.

[roquat]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 11:30pm

Contenders:

Sally Elise in DEMENTED
Jodi Thelen in FOUR FRIENDS
Elizabeth Berkley in SHOWGIRLS


Oh, who am I kidding? It's Faye Dunaway in MOMMIE DEAREST, of course! I can't believe I was the first on this thread to bring that up!

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 11:31pm

cturtle, I guess it's one of the perks of being old. oy.

[kjklo]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 11:32pm

But Faye was playing JOAN CRAWFORD. That wasn't overacting.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 12/14/06 at 11:43pm

Jean Marais - La Belle et la Bete

prepare to be wowed

[fflagg]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 7:49am

I get the feeling Jennifer Hudson can be added to the list.

How about Diana Ross in MAHOGANY?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 9:23am

Matthew Broderick - The Producers (Even though I loved his performance)

many others..

[lildogs]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 9:41am

Diane Verona in THE INSIDER
Damon (I think) Wayans in BAMBOOZLED
Pacino in SCENT OF A WOMAN or DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 10:01am

Bette Davis - Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

I mean, there's psycho and scary or there's just plain silly. Bette (whom I adore) was just too ridiculous, which I why I never liked that film. Even as camp, it is just tiring.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 2:06pm

What does it mean to "overact"? I think what you mean by it probably makes it a misnomer.

Do you mean too big? As if life doesn't have characters FAR bigger than we see on screen...I mean, have you ridden a subway lately?

Do you mean poorly acted? If so, then it is a misnomer.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 2:11pm

Steve Martin - The Jerk and Pink Panther (even though I think he was great in both)

David Hyde Pierce - Isn't She Great

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 2:21pm

I'm sure there are worse, but Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice is baaaaaaad.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 5:11pm

You gotta see Rod Steiger in the original AMITYVILLE HORROR...where was the director?

And, of course, Patty Duke in VALLEY OF THE DOLLS

[roquat]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 5:16pm

How about every single Jim Carrey performance?

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 5:29pm

Some others:

Angela Bassett in WAITING TO EXHALE...she acts like she's playing Electra or something.
Robert DeNiro in WE'RE NO ANGELS...his personal worst, trying so hard to be funny he's practically retarded.
The entire cast of the movie of THE CRUCIBLE
Kim Stanley in THE GODDESS
Richard Burton and Liz Taylor in BOOM!
Michael Douglas in A CHORUS LINE (he plays it like he's doing a Scorcese movie)
Ms. Ross in THE WIZ (sniff, sniffle..)

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 7:02pm

Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard, she was just so wierd and dramatic, terrible performance.

(wink wink)

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 7:16pm

Richard Burton in The Exorcist 2

He had to have done it for the money

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 7:23pm

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 7:24pm

Johnny Depp in anything.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 12/15/06 at 7:38pm

MYB, that comment is just ignorant.

My vote goes for Betty Hutton in the awful Annie Get Your Gun film.