Jack Nicholson then and now is considered one of the best actors in Hollywood history. He owned a respectable film career including 3 Oscars, 6 Golden Globes, with thorny roles which can make viewers unforgettable. Let’s take a look at the 5 most memorable roles of him.
5. Joker in Batman (1989)
In this movie, Jack Nicholson depicted the rival of Batman. The role Joker was attached to the praise for actor Heath Ledger in the episode “The Dark Knight” in 2009. It was no doubt about the excellent acting of Heath Ledger; however, it did not overshadow Nicholson, who used to play the role Joker since 1989.
Nicholson had brought something a little detached from the rigorous task of being the villain just like in the storybooks. Nicholson handled the role himself in such a way that his Joker character sparked the argument that it was the craziest character ever. He attracted the audience in every scene with his movements and his Joker was also very humorous.
4. Walter Schmidt in About Schmidt (2002)
“About Schmidt” is one of the movies directed by Alexander Payne. In the movie, Nicholson played the role of a retired insurance seller who tried to stop his daughter’s marriage to someone he felt disproportionate.
Many people were upset when he failed to get the Oscar for Best Actor in 2003. When joining in About Schmidt, Nicholson played his role so well that the audience could not imagine what the movie would be without Nicholson. He made the movie slow but brought authentic emotion.
3. Jack Torrance in The Shining
How did Nicholson handle when the writer turned the character Jack Torrance in the horror film into a psychopath? The image of Nicholson staring at the door destroyed by an ax had become his symbol which was duplicated many times. Nicholson’s performance in the movie marked one of his best roles. Even though the movie was a bit rigid like a drama, he still knew how to acted in a rebellious manner.
2. Jake Gittes in Chinatown (1974)
“Chinatown” was considered one of the best films of all time. Director Roman Polanski’s, and the spotless screenplay by Robert Towne got a lot of compliments. But we also need to mention the main man in the movie that led us through visual events that show every level: confidence, prestige, sleazy, and tragedy.
The movie “Chinatown” staged a post-modern setting, the detective role of character Jake Gittes became more complicated when the case unfolded. I made viewers gradually sympathize with the character although the court ruling was not satisfied. Nicholson appeared attractive in every scene, throughout the movie, which was not easy for any actor. The audience was fascinated by the actor until the end of the film, which worthy of the Oscar for Best Actor in 1974.
1. R.P. McMurphy in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Undoubtedly, this was the best role of Jack Nicholson in a movie that was rated as one of the 3 best movies in Oscar history. “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was perfectly adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Ken Kesey by director Milos Forman. Jack Nicholson was born to act as the charismatic offender R.P. McMurphy. He was a crazy fake prisoner who went to a mental institution to escape a prison sentence. Nicholson performed as well as possible when combining all the qualities to show off his charisma and slackness perfectly.
McMurphy was not a good person. Nicholson acted the role reasonably. He illustrated McMurphy to become a real person despite full of crimes in a strange re-education camp. Since McMurphy entered the camp, he became a thorn in the eyes of nurse Ratched who managed patients with strict rules like prisons. But the actions of McMurphy aroused awareness of patients’ values of life. They began to realize that they were healthy enough to have a normal life, and began to protest to free themselves. The psychological progress shown by Jack Nicholson’s face really made the audience obsessed later. This was the best role in Nicholson’s career, deserving of an Oscar Award for Best Actor in 1975.
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