Gene Hackman was Everything

Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in their home in Santa Fe. He was 95. She was 63.

No will cover this better than John Nolte, whose obit begins, There is no such thing as a bad Gene Hackman movie.

The Mighty Gene Hackman was found dead in his home in New Mexico Wednesday night, along with his wife and dog. The former U.S. Marine and two-time Oscar winner’s cause of death is not yet known, though the local authorities have so far ruled outfoul play. He was 95.

Hackman’s movie career began 61 years ago with Lilith (1964) and ended exactly 40 years later with Welcome to Mooseport (2004). In-between he racked up over 70 credits, which made him one of our busiest actors. Most years, he appeared in more than one movie. In 2001, he starred in five. Still, we never tired of him. He was too talented and too relatable to ever become over-exposed. He was also smart enough to keep his private life private and to stay off of television. If you wanted to see Gene Hackman, you had to go to the movies.

Everything Gene Hackman did he elevated. His presence reassured us that no matter how bad the movie, you knew he’d turn it around, make it worth your time, and own the screen.

And when I say own the screen, I mean own it. Watch Unforgiven (1992) again. Hackman’s up against three titans — Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris. Gene Hackman, the guy who looks like your uncle the electrician, commands every scene.

There was no one like him. READ MORE

It’s so true. Not only was there no one like him, there will likely never be anyone like him. This isn’t an industry that grows great actors like Gene Hackman. They ride ‘em hard and put them away wet. Few have the staying power to last like he did, or play such a wide array of roles in so many different kinds of films.

Gene Hackman was, is, my favorite actor. He was the greatest. He could play anything. He was best in movies where he brutalized people, like The French Connection:

Or Mississippi Burning:

And of course, one of the best movies and performances of all time, in Unforgiven:

But he could also play gentle and tender, as he did in a little seen film called Another Woman, one of Woody Allen’s best. This scene has left me swooning for decades now. Le Sigh.

He’s great in No Way Out (talk about movies Hollywood would never make today):

Here is Kevin Costner on Gene Hackman:

Here he is in Hoosiers:

And of course, Superman:

There just isn’t any replacing Gene Hackman. May he rest in peace. Godspeed.