Melvyn Douglas, rediscovered

[norasta]

I taped and finally watched Too Many Husbands and The Amazing Mr. Williams and while I was a bit disappointed in both films (not the acting) it re-opened my eyes to Douglas. I think he was terriffic in everything he ever did.

He reminds me a bit of William Powell, physically.

I wanted to group him in with MacMurray, Young, Cummings and Ameche but this guy was better than all of them. And they were very good.

I love how he can take a character and just show you every side. In Husbands he easily went from confident big shot to whiney, grovelling, childish husband.
Then as an older, indeed, elderly man he gave these Oscar winning dramatic portrayals in I Never Sang for My Father and Hud.
I think if he had been a drop dead gorgeous guy like Cary Grant, he would've been one of the big, bright stars of Hollywood.

[vienna]

I agree Melvyn Douglas was a superb leading man - one only has to look at him opposite Garbo in NINOTCHKA. He was a match for all the great leading ladies - Joan Crawford, Irene Dunne, Claudette Colbert,Norma Shearer.