Bad Company

Jeff Bridges, the immaculate afterthought. Many lesser-known actors begat offspring who far exceeded their own fame, but Bridges, along with Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, are Hollywood's greatest second-generation 'stars.' He gets virtually no credit for his bravery, which in retrospect may be what he is most fondly remembered for. He has a knack for choosing extraordinarily demanding roles in films that, for whatever reason, do not capture the public's full attention.

Since his startling debut in Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show" he has worked with some of the finest filmmakers Hollywood has to offer: John Huston ("Fat City"), Francis Ford Coppola ("Tucker: The Man and his Dream"), Bob Rafelson ("Stay Hungry"), Michael Cimino ("Heaven's Gate," "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot"), Robert Mulligan ("Kiss Me Goodbye"), Hal Ashby ("8 Million Ways to Die"), Sidney Lumet ("The Morning After"), Alan J. Pakula ("See You in the Morning"), Terry Gilliam ("The Fisher King"), Ridley Scott ("White Squall"), Barbara Streisand ("The Mirror Has Two Faces"), Albert Brooks ("The Muse"), and The Coen Brothers ("The Big Lebowski").

The trend here is not difficult to spot--many of these are terrific films and all feature excellent work by Bridges, but not one of them would be considered the director's defining work, or (with the possible exception of Gilliam) even close to their best.

Bridges' recent Oscar nomination for his small role in "The Contender" reminds us of his compelling presence and ability to transform an ordinary moment into an extraordinary revelation. Along with the chilling "Arlington Rd." and the goofy "Big Lebowski," "The Contender" has got Bridges back on a roll.

Throughout his career Bridges has shown a great commitment to the western genre and themes of the west. "Hearts of the West," "Lolly Madonna XXX," "Wild Bill," "Heaven's Gate," "Rancho Deluxe," and of course, "The Last Picture Show." Perhaps his finest contribution to the western came with Robert Benton's forgotten classic "Bad Company."

The story of two young men heading west during the civil war, "Bad Company" is a daring, complex, highly amusing piece of entertainment. Mark Twain meets John Steinbeck in Benton's directorial debut. The editing style features numerous fade-to-blacks, emphasizing the anecdotal nature of the tale. One fine moment follows another, many of which are surprisingly confrontational and grim. "Bad Company" features one of the few examples in Hollywood history of a child being shot dead on-screen--a prime example of the unrelenting attitude that carries the picture.

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