BY TAYLOR MARSH
I’m going to ask you to set politics aside for a moment and celebrate the world
of film. Specifically the
genius of Sydney Pollock.
HBO’s Recount will likely land the man a posthumous
award, or certainly should. I’ve been a fan of Mr. Pollock’s for decades, maybe
you were too. His genius was illustrated in Out of Africa, a film that
screamed Oscar(r) the minute it began to roll, for which he won that award for best director, as he did for Tootsie, and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? But it was likely his crafting of relationships on the screen
that riveted me the most. Whether directing The Way We Were, and laugh
riots like Tootsie, Pollock’s crafting of the dynamics between the
sexes was a marvel to watch on the screen, even sometimes when the movie wasn’t
a rave. Producing The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Talented Mr. Ripley,
and Michael Clayton and many more, Pollock had a hand in so many remarkable films.
Havana, which many ignored, but I simply loved. As a character actor
in Random Hearts, Husbands and Wives, and others, Pollock made
his mark in Hollywood in every way an artist can. There is a void in that world
tonight, though his work lives on. In fact, his work spanned so many different roles in films it’s hard to keep straight when he was directing, producing, or acting in the many films in which he was involved.
So forget politics for awhile. Give a nod to a man who gave
his life to the magic of the cinema. Share your favorite movies with each other.
Sydney Pollock leaves an indelible mark on the film industry. Because on any given day someone will likely be watching a film that Sydney Pollock had a hand in producing,
acting in, directing, or maybe even inspiring. What a great run he had.
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