Tom Cruise is probably best known for his action movies, but he gave one of his best performances in a feature film that brought him alongside a Hollywood titan, writes Far Out magazine.
“Mission: Impossible,” the “Jack Reacher” film series and his big screen blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” are among the greatest action films ever made, and Cruise's presence undoubtedly plays a major role in that.
But Cruise isn't just an action movie actor, even if that's the genre he's devoted himself to in recent years. Looking back at his career, there are numerous roles that contradict his action hero image.
Of course, he's more than happy to fly an F-50 fighter jet or jump off a cliff on his motorcycle. But he also offered very intense and elaborate interpretations, such as in “Rain Man”, “Interview with a Vampire”, “Jerry Maguire” or “Eyes Wide Shut”.
“I'll Never Stop”
The truth is, Cruise just loves cinema, as he's shared numerous times over the years. Last year, an interview he gave to THR made the media rounds after he said he wanted to make movies even after he passed the age of 100.
“I'll never stop. I'll never stop doing action movies. I'll never stop doing drama, comedy movies, I'm excited,” he stated
In a separate interview he once gave to TV host Jimmy Kimmel on his “Live!” show, Cruise explained that he watches at least one movie a day.
“I really like it, I love movies; I watch movie scenes the way some people listen to music. I just go in and look for scenes to see how they were shot,” he said.
Cruise starred in the film that gave one of the most famous lines in cinema history
The actor, now 63, continued in the interview with Kimmel: “The opening monologue in 'Trends' (1956) or the scene between Marlon Brando and Al Pacino [din ‘Nașul’]any kind of film – I just admire the structure of the scene, the acting. I watch most of the movies that come out all over the world and go back to others [mai vechi] to analyze them”.
Far Out Magazine points out that if there's a man well-placed to identify some of the world's best actors, Cruise is certainly one. And he didn't hesitate to praise one of his favorite co-stars, Jack Nicholson.
Cruise was in the presence of greatness when he starred alongside Nicholson in one of the most quotable scenes in movie history, Men of Honor, with the famous line, “You can't handle the truth!”.
A classic patriotic film about the importance of justice and freedom in the United States, the film directed by the late American filmmaker Rob Reiner follows a young military lawyer, played by Cruise, who defends Marines accused of murder.
An energetic courtroom drama featuring some of the best monologues in cinema history, the film casts Cruise in a complex role in a war story that questions the morality of the conflict. And during that legendary dialogue, Cruise saw Nicholson at his peak.
A top performance by Jack Nicholson
“I had been thinking about it for months,” Tom Cruise said in the interview for the “Live!” show. “And it was the kind of moment where you're like, 'There it is, man, I'm going to enjoy every moment of it.'”
He recounted that “people came from all over just to see us play that stage.” “They were gathering on the sidelines. So many. And when the scene ended the first time, there was a standing ovation… God, it was thrilling. It was electrifying,” he revealed.
Far Out Magazine The scene points out that the scene has become a cultural landmark and relies heavily on three-time Oscar winner Nicholson's unique and impetuous performance. Although the scene features Nicholson in a spectacular outburst, Cruise felt that he also introduced subtle details that the camera could capture.
“He understands the camera in such a way that the force had to come from stillness. So he kept his movements to a minimum,” Tom Cruise said of Jack Nicholson.
“When it comes down to it,[Nicholson's character]Jessup doesn't even realize that my character has beaten him, but you can see that glint in Jack's eye and it's not calculated. He just understands the power of the frame. That's what makes him a true master,” Cruise explained.
