The other night my friend and I were talking about movies, as we often do. Eventually, the talk turned to certain actresses we wish we could see more of. You know, the ones who can steal an entire scene with a knowing glance or an impeccably timed delivery, but can't land a starring role.
They're called character actresses. But whereas many character actors, such as Joe Pesci and John Goodman, have been called on to carry a film, character actresses are almost always stuck in the background. Oh, sure - some land plumb roles on TV shows or in the theater, but big screen success eludes them.
Well, as author of this column, I'm making it the duty to recognize these women. Before you is a list - more like a plea, really - of actresses I'd like to see more of onscreen, complete with career highlights, and their chances of ever becoming the big movie stars they deserve to be (unfortunately, the news isn't good).
1. Bonnie Hunt: You've no doubt seen the ever-talented Hunt in supporting roles in blockbusters like "Jerry Maguire," "Jumanji" and "The Green Mile." The dry-witted, genial Hunt is always a pleasure and no one delivers a tart one-liner better. Who could blame Tom Cruise for being terrified of her in "Jerry Maguire," when toasted his marriage to her sister with the words "You f--- this up, I'll kill you."
Hunt is also a pal of late-night talk show David Letterman and one of the best guests on his show (Ironically, her attempts at having her own series failed).
Recently, she wrote and directed the funny, charming romantic comedy "Return to Me." The cruel irony? She was relegated to a secondary role in her own movie! Please, someone give this woman the showcase she deserves!
2. Mercedes Reuhl: Remember her? She won an Oscar in 1992 for her work in "The Fisher King" and no one does raw emotion better. As Jeff Bridges' girlfriend, she delivers one of the most devastating scenes I've seen on screen. In the scene, she's sitting at a dinner table set for two lecturing her boyfriend about the way he treats her. Then the camera pulls back to show that she's there alone, pouring her heart out to no one. If that scene doesn't tear you up, you have no soul. Ditto for her performance in "Lost in Yonkers" - her only big-screen leading role. In the movie version of Neil Simon's play (which she also starred in on-stage), she plays a mildly retarded woman struggling against her domineering mother for control over her life. But Reuhl is a versatile actress, as adept at comedy as she is at drama. Her grand comic performance as a brassy gangster's wife in "Married to the Mob" was a hoot. So what happened to her? Occasionally she pops up in a TV movie, but otherwise, nothing.
