comment #1

alynch says ...

He believed what he believed, and he did it in a dignified manner, never reducing himself to pettiness. I'm a liberal, but seeing the way that the internet's already flooding with jackasses making "cold, dead hands" jokes is enough to make me want to rewatch The Green Berets

comment #2

D.Z. says ...

alynch: How is bringing the NRA into Colorado a few days after the shooting dignified?

comment #3

lazarus says ...

I made one of those jokes about a minute after someone beat me to it. You know what, you live by an obnoxious credo like that, you're going to be called on it when the man comes around.

I find it sadly ironic that Heston was a civil rights and gun control advocate who once marched with MLK, yet appeared to completely forget the great leader's non-violent stance, as well as opposing Affirmative Action.

Perhaps it's fitting that he dies right on the 40th anniversary of the man's assassination by a gun.

comment #4

christian says ...

Heston was more liberal than noted, and he had the ability to poke fun at himself, particularly in TOWN & COUNTRY where he plays an impotent gun kook.

I'll always treasure seeing him at the Egyptian for a screening of BEN HUR and the standing ovation we gave him for being part of the Hollywood dream. RIP.

comment #5

Terry McCarty says ...

Re Charlton Heston and THE BIG COUNTRY:
As coincidence would have it, LEATHERHEADS pays homage to the Heston/Gregory Peck fight scene that is partially captured in longshot.

comment #6

scooterzz says ...

as one of the folk who came down on wells for his reactions to the death of bob clark, i'm going to hold off on comments re: charlton heston........
but, wells---- pleeeeeeeeeeze re-introduce this subject later in the week............ for the past few hours i've been listening to several years worth of interview tape and would love to share a couple of experiences involving this,...well....um, person.......

comment #7

Cadavra says ...

You gotta separate the man and his art. He gave more great performances than many are willing to give him credit for, and even displayed a nice flair for comedy in things like THE PIGEON THAT TOOK ROME (a childhood favorite). He often joked about the period pieces, but as Howard Hawks would say, "That stuff's hard to do." And if nothing else, we all owe him for TOUCH OF EVIL: Welles was only signed as an actor, but Heston said he wouldn't do it unless Welles directed as well, and Universal acquiesced. That alone would get him into Heaven in my book.

comment #8

Wrecktum says ...

"I love my vagina."

comment #9

bfm says ...

Great story about William Wyler.

comment #10

T. S. Idiot says ...

At a Goya exhibit at the Met a few years ago, Heston stepped back from a doorway so that I could exit. It struck me as remarkable that a movie star would behave so courteously. Hate his politics, but he was a gentleman.

Five favorite Hestons:
Touch of Evil
The Naked Jungle (the movie I saw most frequently while growing up)
Dark City
Will Penny
Major Dundee

comment #11

kingspiffo says ...

A shame. I met him in 1996 at a book signing. We spoke extensively (him: "I hope you enjoy it"; me: "thanks") and parted on good terms.

comment #12

Movie Watcher says ...

A few weeks back, the ten commandments was on tv, because of Easter. What a performance Heston gave. Then I think about the NRA stuff, and I can't help but wonder why he supported them. Will the NRA have a full-page ad in newspapers, perhaps with a gun on it's side, or something similar? I'm sure the radio talk shows will be honoring him.

comment #13

budleigh says ...

One or two words about Heston at thecliffedge

comment #14

budleigh says ...

Sorry, here are those one or two words

comment #15

Mgmax says ...

"I find it sadly ironic that Heston was a civil rights and gun control advocate who once marched with MLK, yet appeared to completely forget the great leader's non-violent stance, as well as opposing Affirmative Action."

One might try to understand the consistency behind those views-- for instance, that a person could believe that all other civil rights are backed up by the civil right of one's ability to defend oneself against the state or the mob; and that he took Dr. King at face valiue when he looked forward to a day when people would receive things like employment and admission to college not on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character.

comment #16

Jay T. says ...

Politics isn't everything. Definitely disagreed with his actions post-Columbine, but other than that he always seemed to carry himself well and seemed like a good guy. Of course, that's all perception, but what isn't?

comment #17

bb says ...

I found myself in the same room with Heston about 14 years ago and he acted like a typical granddad (charity event featuring kid entertainers). I remember thinking he looked much older than I expected.

The only problem with the post-columbine comments above is that they seem to be based on a discredited Michael Moore movie. Probably a good idea to understand the facts of the situation through other sources (apply to all Moore films).

comment #18

Edward says ...

Great list, T.S. I'll have to rent Touch of Evil, I haven't seen it in a couple years. One of the great films.

comment #19

Doug Pratt says ...

The Last Hard Men has always been a guilty pleasure of mine

comment #20

Pelham123 says ...

I liked Charlton Heston a lot. My personal favorites are his science fiction outings -- "Planet of the Apes", "Beneath The Planet of the Apes" & "The Omega Man". I love "Touch of Evil" as well. The fact that he was such an ACTOR tickles me to no end. Definitely someone from a different era and one who deserves praise for his lifelong commitment to his craft. I also love that he marched with Dr. King in 1963 and hate that he gets lambasted over the gun thing. Heston deserved better in has later years than to be a punch line to someone's smug joke.

comment #21

R. Hunt says ...

I'm on the fence on the gun control issue myself (I haven't had one in the house in 15 years, believe that people have the right to own them, but feel they should take that right as seriously as they do their right to get married, drive a car or own a dog) and hoped that Heston would bring a touch of reason to the NRA. Alas, that wasn't the case, and his stock reaction to every calamity from Columbine to the World trade Center was that somehow these events might have been avoided if there had been a few more weapons on the scene. In my state, we had a referendum on concealed weapons a few years ago. The NRA came in and outspent the opposition four to one (and lost...) , the low point being radio ads where Heston talked about his association with Martin Luther King, as if to say that if King were still here he'd be glad to see everyone carrying handguns... I still love "Touch of Evil", not many other of Heston's films, so I can separate his work from his politics..but those ads were unforgivable.

comment #22

Mark says ...

Well said, Mgmax. These issues are layered and complicated; to simply state that pro gun rights equates to advocating violence is ridiculous.

Also, enough with the board fawning over Touch of Evil. Some people here may actually go rent it thinking they'll see a classic Heston part , which they won't. Classic movie; miscast and underwhelming performance. "Donde esta mi espousa?"

It's like recommending Apocalypse Now following Brando's death. There's a dozen better choices if you really want to get what Heston was about.

comment #23

Mr. Muckle says ...

As I've mentioned before and some of Heston's work demonstrates, a film's quality is always enhanced by the presence of marble columns.

comment #24

Mr. Muckle says ...

By which I mean the ancient cities, not the acting. Come on now.

comment #25

Walter Sobchak says ...

As a kid, I came to know / love Heston's work through TV showings of "Planet of the Apes", "Omega Man", "Earthquake", "Airport '75" and "Greatest Show On Earth", so of course I thought he was about the coolest guy ever. (btw, "Greatest Show..." is a pretty cool movie if you're a kid... if nothing else than for that bitchin' train crash).
It was fun to see him do some comedy in his later years. His bit in "Wayne's World 2" and "SNL" were particularly funny.
He'll be missed.
R.I.P.

comment #26

lazarus says ...

Mgmax, the right to bear arms and believing in non-violence aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but do you think the Heston of recent years would have still supported the Gun Control Act in 1968?

I'm also wondering how a guy who supported Adlai Stevenson, both Kennedys, and Lyndon Johnson suddenly turns around and champions Ronald Reagan and the Bush family. Those things DO seem to me to be mutually exclusive.

Some people (like Sinatra) just become less idealistic as the get older, and their fame distances them from the people they used to fight for. It's the old man, "get off my lawn" syndrome, too, I imagine. Some have less patience for youth when they pass middle-age.

comment #27

George Prager says ...

My Heston experience is similar to Sobchak's. Another little known comedy thing he did that was really hilarious is a "mean boss" bit on David Letterman in the early 90s, where he came onstage out of nowhere and proceeded to chew out Dave and Paul and the crew.

comment #28

cinefan says ...

In regard to Heston's tv appearances, I also thought he was very funny in a cameo on an episode of Friends where Joey lands a bit role in one of Heston's films and uses the shower in his trailer and really pisses Heston off in doing so (my favorite Heston line: "Put some pants on, kid, so I can kick your butt!").

comment #29

Edward says ...

Pelham, maybe I want to watch TOUCH OF EVIL because it's a great film. Sure there were many films where Heston was better, but he managed good work in EVIL. I suppose one could argue that it's one of the best films Heston was ever in, despite the odd casting of Heston.

comment #30

filmfestivalgeek says ...

Another good tv appearance was when Martin Mull came back with the syndicated series "America Tonight", the follow-up to "Fernwood Tonight" (basically FT with actual celebs). I can still remember Fred Wiliard as the co-host announcing "Holly Moses, it's Charleton Heston!!!...". Heston played the celeb who couldn't get in a word edge-wise because of Willard's babbling, so he offered Mull's character some money to buy air time on the show for himself. Cute angle

Yeah, I was uncomfortable with his latter day politics as well, but he did have some distinguished roles and "bb" was right on describing Michael Moore's situation ("Probably a good idea to understand the facts of the situation through other sources (apply to all Moore films)." Damn right - An ambush scene by Moore that made him look like the bloodless one, and really started my ambivalent feelings towards him (MM). Then again, like others here have pointed out, Heston was starting to look like an real oldster in that so-called interview,...maybe I'm just feeling too sorry for him for that...

...pity he'll probably be remembered more for the "from my cold,dead hands" than for "take your stinking paws off me..."

comment #31

bmcintire says ...

I've never been able to stand the man's acting. Having been introduced to him through his godawful performances in PLANET OF THE APES, EARTHQUAKE and AIRPORT '75 as a kid, the Lancaster-esque speeches through gritted teeth have shaded every performance of his that I've seen since. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and BEN HUR were more about spectacle than acting, and as enjoyable as TOUCH OF EVIL is, it would have been that much better with his absence. And Peck is what makes THE BIG COUNTRY work, not Chuck. Still, as sad as it is when anyone departs, his death is sad. I am hoping that the much deserved ridicule he got for repeating that fucking ". . . cold dead hands" cheer for the NRA will serve as an object-lesson for any other celebrity to turn down an endorsement deal from them in the future.

comment #32

George Prager says ...

"and as enjoyable as TOUCH OF EVIL is, it would have been that much better with his absence."

Uh....it was because of Heston that Welles was able to direct TOUCH OF EVIL. No Heston, no Welles.

Other things bmcintire has never been able to stand:

Orgasms
Ice cream
steak
cheesburgers
beer
Playboy playmates
apples
Christmas
four star restaurants
The Beatles
Frank Sinatra
Beethoven
Van Gogh
sleeping

comment #33

D.Z. says ...

Mgmax: "and that he took Dr. King at face valiue when he looked forward to a day when people would receive things like employment and admission to college not on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character."

Apparently, admission is based on the color of the spoon in your mouth...

bb: "The only problem with the post-columbine comments above is that they seem to be based on a discredited Michael Moore movie. "

It's so discredited that he's never lost a lawsuit over it.

Mark: "to simply state that pro gun rights equates to advocating violence is ridiculous."

Tell that to Compton.

filmfestivalgeek: Did Heston care about those poor kids who were ambushed by the Trench Coat Mafia?

comment #34

Griff says ...

Not to speak for the man, but he believed in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. "All men are created equal," would translate to supporting Dr. King. "The right to bear arms" would translate to support for the NRA, one of the few organizations that was for the 2nd Amendment. (and, just to digress, it's odd that many folks who found a right that does not explicitly exist still fight against an explicitly stated right such as found in the 2nd Amendment, which I also support)

comment #35

CinemaPhreek says ...

Christian - I was at that BEN HUR screening too (always will remember those of us waiting in line for the mensroom having no problem letting him cut to the front even though he was willing to join the end of it).

There was this sense that many of us were not fans of his NRA stance, but still had much respect for his work.

comment #36

Chris Willman says ...

Eight or nine years ago I had reason to try to get Heston on the phone for a few minutes for a quote about "Ben Hur." Instead of having a publicist call me back, he personally called me up, and suggested I come up to the house. When I got up there a day or two later, he didn't seem to remember that I was coming--obviously, this may have been a manifestation of his soon to be revealed condition--but he graciously sat down with me for about an hour and a half anyway. Whatever you think of his politics, the man could be very mensch-like. It's too bad Michael Moore was also afforded that kind of hospitality when he was in such a feeble state.

comment #37

bmcintire says ...

Oh, Prager, you can reduce that cunty yet erudite list of yours to one:
George Prager.

Please feel free to die fast on the heels of your jerk-off fantasy fantasique, Charleton Heston. And please bleed while doing so.

kthxby.

comment #38

George Prager says ...

Who says that prigs don't have a sense of humor?