Gene Hackman's Best Performance

What do you all consider to be Gene Hackman's finest performance? Nearly every movie I've seen him in, the man has been nothing short of amazing. For me, his best performances were as Royal Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums and as Lex Luthor in the original Superman. Hackman was also pretty fantastic in Unforgiven...

My favs are....

Lex Luthor - Superman
Harry Caul - The Conversation
Little Bill Dagget - Unforgiven

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Gene Hackman is one of my all-time favorite actors. Favorite performances...


1. The Conversation (1974 - Francis Ford Coppola)
2. Night Moves (1975 - Arthur Penn)
3. The French Connection (1971 - William Friedkin)
4. Scarecrow (1973 - Jerry Schatzberg)
5. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001 - Wes Anderson)
6. Unforgiven (1992 - Clint Eastwood)
7. The French Connection II (1975 - John Frankenheimer)
8. I Never Sang for My Father (1970 - Gilbert Cates)
9. Mississippi Burning (1988 - Alan Parker)
10. Twice in a Lifetime (1985 - Bud Yorkin)
11. Bonnie & Clyde (1967 - Arthur Penn)
12. Young Frankenstein (1974 - Mel Brooks)
13. Get Shorty (1995 - Barry Sonnenfeld)
14. Zandy's Bride (1974 - Jan Troell)
15. Cisco Pike (1972 - Bill Norton)
16. Hoosiers (1986 - David Anspaugh)
17. Prime Cut (1972 - Michael Ricthie)
18. Bite the Bullet (1975 - Richard Brooks)
19. Under Fire (1983 - Roger Spottiswoode)
20. Under Suspicion (2000 - Stephen Hopkins)

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

i will always love him as harold in young frankenstein

BLIND HERMIT
Wait, where are you going?!? I was
going to make espresso.

I don't feel the need to make my own list after seeing Holden's, so I'll just add that he's one of my all time favorites too. Regardless of what pile of crap, or what masterpiece he is associated with; you can always count on him giving a good show.

I think my favorite, and truly believe to be his abso-friggin-lutely best performance, is his turn as Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle in The French Connection. If you’re a fan of his and have yet to see this great, great flick…do yourself a favor and rent it soon. Hell, blind buy the bad boy, you won’t be disappointed. Not only does Hackman prove that he’s one of the best, but it also has one of the most memorable car chase sequences ever caught on film.

DO IT NOW!!!

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I love Hackman… especially when he is playing a bastard… which is why one of my guilty pleasures is The Quick and the Dead… but I agree with Slay... The French Connection is his best...

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Bill Daggett from Unforgiven for me, which tops The French Connection only because of the following lines -

Hell, I even thought I was dead 'til I found out it I was in Nebraska.

I suppose you know, Bob, if I ever see you again I'm just going to start shooting and figure it was self-defense.

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Gene Hackman has one of the most convincing voices in acting. He is one of my top guns.

Like several others I thought his best work was in The French Connection (1971). Amazing work

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Concert Tab!! MOFO poetry Been Dreaming Lately?

I still haven't seen that one but now my interest in it is renewed.

I have gone one better I bought it a few weeks ago, I love it.

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

maybe bonnie and clyde?

The French Connection's not only one of my favourite films, but it's also one of my favourite DVD packages - excellent docs and commentary by Friedkin (the least said about the Hackman and Scheider commentary the better. "I'm in this?").

Resurrecting this thread because Mr. Hackman turns eighty today! Happy birthday, fella.

One of my favorite actors, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GENE!

best for me - The Conversation, absolutely brilliant

Gene is an amazing actor. I don't think I've seen enough of his work yet though to pick a favorite. Out of the ones I've seen, I'd have to go with No Way Out

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Top 3:
1. The Conversation
2. The French Connection
3. Unforgiven

It's a shame he's now retired. I'm sure he still has a few more great performances within him.

It would be a shame if the totally forgettable would-be comedy Welcome to Mooseport were to be his last credit. I bet one of his friends like Eastwood, Freeman or Beatty will get him to do something else one of these days. Hopefully, anyway.