Gene Hackman Gave Us 1 of the Best Action Movies (And Nobody Talks About It)
Gene Hackman was one of the best actors of his generation and he appeared in one of the best action movies ever. Hackman is a major reason why the movie is so great. Despite this, the world doesn’t give the film enough credit.
Gene Hackman was in a great action movie that couldn’t get made today
Hackman was in some classic movies, including Bonnie and Clyde, The French Connection, and Unforgiven. All of those movies get the acclaim they deserve. Despite that, one of his most successful movies has fallen by the wayside: The Poseidon Adventure. While Bonnie and Clyde is Hackman’s best action movie, The Poseidon Adventure is the best action movie with him in the starring role.
The film is about a cruise ship called the Poseidon that gets hit by a massive wave and capsizes. People on board the Poseidon now have to make their way up the upside-down boat in order to try and save themselves. It’s a simple premise that provided the basis for one of the best action movies ever made.
The Poseidon Adventure is fantastic for two reasons. Firstly, the superb cast gave their all bring so much to the project. Hackman, Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine, and Stella Stevens all treat the material like they’re in a Shakespearean play, and it gives The Poseidon Adventure so much life.
On top of that, The Poseidon Adventure was made in the 1970s. The technology to craft a CGI laden blockbuster didn’t exist yet. The crew of The Poseidon Adventure had to create numerous upside-down sets to make the film. You can’t recreate that kind of immediacy with computer graphics.
Why doesn’t ‘The Poseidon Adventure’ get credit for being such a great action movie?
So why has The Poseidon Adventure mostly been forgotten? Sometimes, a famous director does a lot for a flick. How many people discovered Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography because his reputation precedes him? The Poseidon Adventure was helmed by Ronald Neame, who is obscure even among film buffs.
On top of that, The Poseidon Adventure has been eclipsed by another blockbuster about a sinking ship: James Cameron’s Titanic. Despite the superficial similarities, The Poseidon Adventure is ultimately an action thriller, while Titanic is a romance. They’re both some of the best films in their respective genres.
What Gene Hackman thought about acting
During a 2020 interview with Empire, Hackman discussed his feelings about acting. “When I’m actually on the set or on a stage, actually doing the work, I loved that process and I loved the creative process of trying to bring a character to life,” he said. “And then, when you’re actually shooting or performing, there is a kind of a feeling that comes over you, a confidence and kind of a wonderful, washed-over feeling of wellbeing, if you will. When it’s going well!
“Whereas the business part of show business is kinda wicked,” he added. “You jump from trying to be a sponge, if you will, in terms of input from other actors and the director and everything that’s surrounding you, you jump from that to a luncheon meeting with an agent and a producer on another film, or something that’s gone on on the film that you’re doing. It’s kind of a frying pan. It was jarring and at my age and with my health, I decided I didn’t want to do that any longer.”
While Hackman eventually left the industry, he gave us some classics along the way.
