best of early Nicholson

After about a decade of scraping by in drive-in level flicks for the likes of Roger Corman, Jack Nicholson became an instant star-on-the-rise after his film-stealing supporting role in the phenomenal hit Easy Rider (1969). Over the next six years he exploded in a series of starring roles, culminating with being named Oscar's Best Actor for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which was already his fifth nomination (he has eleven to date, and three statues).

Of those impressive years, 1970-1975, which Nicholson performance do you think is the best of the bunch, and why?

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I'm a huge detective movie fan and I'd say his performance was off the charts cool. but I have to say that I haven't seen these yet Five Easy Pieces (1970), The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), The Last Detail (1973) and I've haven't seen all of The Passanger I also really dug him in The Missouri Breaks but that movie was made in (1976) and kind of dissapointment for me all around.

I can buy Five Easy Pieces on DVD for 14.99 what do you think Holden should I get it.

Five Easy Pieces is a great example of the kind of personal, thought-provoking, character-driven filmmaking that was taking over the mainstream in the early '70s. I love it. If nothing else, everybody on the planet should see the famous "no substitutions" scene in the diner. Actually, I'll bet lots of people have seen that scene, they just don't realize it was from Five Easy Pieces. But the movie is much more than that one bit, of course, and for my money, the moment at the beginning where he jumps on the back of a truck in a traffic jam is just as good.



By the way, for the record, Jack's Oscar nominations from the awards of 1970 through 1976 were for Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail, Chinatown, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

I think all seven of the performance listed in the poll are uniformly excellent. I chose his intensely still work in Antonioni's existential The Passenger, but it's really a toss-up for me.

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is always going to be a favorite of mine. We had to watch it in class, after we read the book...and I'll never forget the way we all just sat there after the bell rang...completely drawn in. None of us wanted to leave and continue the movie the next day. So we stayed and finished watching it. Brilliant body of work.

I voted for Chinatown, though ...Cuckoo's Nest would be a close second (of course, those are the only two I've seen from that list).

He's my Outstanding Lead Actor of 1970 for FIVE EASY PIECES...I think it's a brilliant performance. I've heard a lot of amazing things about THE LAST DETAIL, but I've never seen it.

You should see The Last Detail, he's great in it.

I know Gideon has revived a very old thread here, but might as well carry on the discussion. Five Easy Pieces and Chinatown are both fantastic films, and he gives fantastic performances in both. It's hard to decide between them so I chose the first as it had less votes

I've seen all of those films, except The King of Marvin Gardens (which I should watch immediately!) and I like them all a lot.

My three favorites are Five Easy Pieces, Carnal Knowledge and of course Chinatown.

I voted for the latter one, because it's the most subtle and yet effective performance of them all.

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I've only seen Chinatown and Cuckoos Nest and loved them both. I'll try to see more.

I just saw The King of Marvin Gardens today. Pretty solid film actually.

I probably should have initially made the poll, Besides Chinatown and Cuckoo's Nest, which is your favorite...?, but, alas.

Five Easy Pieces for me.

I still havent seen The Last Detail or The Passenger though.

I voted Chinatown, but it pains me that Carnal Knowledge has zero votes.

All seven are very good to excellent, which makes it impossible to vote, really.

The centerpiece of Carnal Knowledge is this fantastic scene, below. That piece and the ending are rather perfect, but for me it takes too long to get there, and the college stuff in the beginning is nowhere near as good. Nicholson and especially Ann-Margret do some bravura acting throughout, and she really should have won the Oscar. Overall, a very good film, definitely underseen in the twenty-first century. But I expect it'll get some MoFo votes on our '70s list, as well it should.

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The Shining. Hands down.

I'm raising my hand. It doesn't fit the time frame.

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1970-1975...?


Batman. Hands down.

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his best role of all time imo is ''The Shining'' but between all of the movie in the poll it's definitely One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest follow near by Chinatown .

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I think his best overall performance was in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", but the "no substitutions" scene in "Five Easy Pieces" is my favorite scene of his.