Kirk Douglas, Ed Harris at last night’s Santa Barbara Film Festival tribute dinner (formally called the “third annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film”) honoring Appaloosa director Ed Harris. Three tribute reels were shown; the first was the most moving and impressive. Harris has made 54 films since his breakout part in The Right Stuff 25 years ago, and for whatever reason — laziness? — I hadn’t really taken the full measure of all the distinctive muscular performances he’s given. Quite a resume, quite a man. The Pollock clips drew the strongest applause. My favorite Harris characters — Moss in Glengarry Glen Ross, E.Howard Hunt in Nixon.
