Model-turned-actress-turned Humphrey Bogart's young wife-turned legend Lauren Bacall, 81, has been around, and in her ever-deepening voice she spoke with Time magazine in conjunction with Private Screenings: Lauren Bacall, an interview show which debuts tonight on TMC, and a marathon of her films throughout the month on the same channel.
Some of the former Betty Joan Perske's thoughts:
Does having the kind of romance you did with Bogie so young set you up for disappointment later in life?
When everything happens to you when you're so young, you're very lucky, but by the same token, you're never going to have that same feeling again. The first time anything happens to you--your first love, your first success--the second one is never the same.
Why did you object to a journalist's use of the word legend to describe Nicole Kidman?
A legend involves the past. And I don't like categories. This one is great, and that one is great. I mean, the word great stands for something. When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise.
So you don't think Tom Cruise is a great actor?
No, I don't. His whole behavior is so shocking. It's inappropriate and vulgar and absolutely unacceptable to use your private life to sell anything commercially, but I think it's kind of a sickness.
Well, there you have it, the great Bacall joins the list of Cruise-crunchers. While I agree with her entirely about Cruise's oddly manic, erratic discussion of his private life being "inappropriate and vulgar," and even pathological, I'm not sure what this has to do with his acting. I think there is some generational prejudice at play here.
Article comments
1 - Chris Evans
No, actually I completely agree with her. Honestly, what films have you seen Tom Cruise in where he's really shown some serious acting chops? Acting chops like that of his ex-wife. The only performance I think is even notable is Jerry Maguire (the only of Tom's films that I love) and MAYBE Magnolia. The problem with Tom Cruise is that he rarely challenges himself, and continues to do overly commercial films like Mission Impossible crap, Minority Report, and War of the Worlds type shit. Nicole, although she has had some mis-steps along the way (Bewitched), takes great risks in her career and in her art and they usually pay off (The Hours, Moulin Rouge, Cold Mountain).
2 - sonny
right, he's a movie star, not an actor, tho a rare few have been both.
but i'd say 'born on the 4th of july' was a worthy effort.
3 - Alicatte
Tom Cruise is not that bright. "A" for effort; you can really see him trying. But there is something dead behind his eyes. That's why you're never really affected by his screen presence. Bacall, on the other hand, wow.
4 - Mark Sahm
While you always see older generations blasting the younger ones for not being as good, I think this is a case where the blast is on target. Cruise's legacy as an actor is no greater than action stars like Schwarzenegger or Stallone. Sure they have the box office, but nary an individual acting award to show for it.
But I suppose if you're Cruise and still getting filthy rich off of millions of movergoers, you can live with all the character bashing.
Maybe Katie will rub his shoulders and say "I think you're the best, Tommy. Even better than Goofy."
5 - Dragonfly
Bacall is a dried up memory, trying to remake a name for herself, and virtually unknown to my generation. Quite frankly, she looks like she'd bite the head off a parakeet. I'll stick with Tom Cruise.
6 - Tan The Man
She tells it like it is. Remember when she lambasted reporters who called Nicole Kidman a legend. Fun stuff...
7 - Brady
Not gonna get much Tom Cruise support here except to say that he was fine as Ron Kovic in Oliver Stone's "Born On the Fourth of July," Magnolia ("How did you like the nachos?") and "Rain Man." Other than that he just, well, cruises. And of course he can't fucking touch Lauren Bacall.
8 - Brent McKee
I knew there was a reason I loved Lauren Bacall. I don't even think that Cruise is a very good actor. He has his moments but for every Born On The Fourth Of July or Magnolia there's a couple of films like Days of Thunder or Far And Away. And that's without touching on his personal life.
9 - Lauren Bacall is a fucking whore and bitch
Lauren Bacall is a old jealous bitchy whore, she has no right to judge his private life or even his professional life for that matter, she has to realise times are changing and people arent in her old fucking fantasy world, shes a thing of the past, face it!
Times are changing, either get over it, or fucking die already.
10 - Alan Bonney
I think the cheese has slipped off of Tom Cruise's cracker, when he launches into humorless arrogant diatribes about Psychiatry and Psychology it makes me wish some actors would just shut up and stick to their craft thank you.
11 - Eric Olsen
#9, Tom is that you?
and Alan, I'd also like TC a lot better if he would focus on acting and keep the private private. Not to mention Scientology - please
12 - noname
You can't help but wonder if this lady is being so hard on Tom's acting skills because she doesn't like his behavior off-screen.
Not be shallow, but she looks like a witch on her book cover. It kinda looks like she let herself go.
13 - Ramsey
Ok, you people are just silly with all the negative feedback you are giving about Tom Cruise you are all collectively giving him props for almost every film he has been in. He's not a good actor but well he was good in Jerry Maguire, Born on The Fourth of July, Magnolia, Rain Man, Days of Thunder and Far Away, and Magnolia, not to mention Vanilla Sky...you have just done his acting reputation a favor. The problem is you have summed up his personality and acting skills into one image given to you by the media. He may be eccentric but who the hell isn't...you're all a bunch of haters with nothing to do but gossip about a celebrity. But one thing is for sure without the bitter the sweet aint sweet enough.
14 - Alexandria Jackson
We could start a list of famous actors who can't act.
I'd put Demi Moore right up there. She's gorgeous, but couldn't sell me a bar of soap. But preferences are so subjective. I prefer the older generation of actors who didn't have botox that ruined their facial expressions. I like it when people are able to act with their faces and not actors who have to rely on their beauty to carry the day. I'd put Angelina in this category as well as Adam Sandler. Anyone else want to list some?