The Couch Potato's Guide to the New Hollywood: The Legacy of Tom Hanks

Yeoman 1st Class Donna Lou Morgan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In the last few weeks, the Couch Potato has looked at some of old-time Hollywood’s greatest actors, discussing the best films of James Stewart, Paul Newman, Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, and John Wayne. Even though this survey has barely scratched the surface of the talent working in the movie industry at that time (missing Jack Lemmon, Ava Gardner, Shirley MacLaine, and Humphrey Bogart—to name a few), the Potato has decided to move on to take a look at the works of some of the greats of the next generation.

On the surface, it may seem as if Tom Hanks has more in common with the actors of the Old Hollywood, artists like James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and John Wayne whose personas seemed—sometimes deceivingly—to dominate the characters they played. In fact, some critics have christened Hanks as the new Jimmy Stewart. While Hanks’ likability and nice-guy persona do seem to dominate his characters, his oeuvre has shown that he possesses a much deeper and stunningly profound range.

Hanks has played nice guys like Allen Bauer in Splash, Joe Fox in You’ve Got Mail, Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile, and even (the nicest of guys) Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. But he’s also played unflappable steely-eyed heroes like James Lovell in Apollo 13, Captain John Miller in Saving Private Ryan, or Chesley Sullenberger in Sully. Hanks’ characters are typically intelligent, patient, good-humored, and fair-minded, men but he has also convincingly played a drunken, profane, and irascible ex-major leaguer in A League of Their Own; an opportunistic and somewhat sleazy politician in Charlie Wilson’s War; and a ruthless hitman in Road to Perdition.

His characters—even the nastier ones—typically end up being good guys. Part of the Hanks persona (much like Jimmy Stewart’s) is his sense of fairness and a stubborn determination to do right thing, qualities that are almost irresistible to American audiences. Whether it’s a fight for First Amendment Rights, the legal battle to free an American confined in East Berlin, or his quest to help a talented young man enmeshed in a life of crime, Hanks always seems to be doing the right thing.

He has been lucky enough to work with some of the greatest talents currently working in the motion picture industry. Hanks and Steven Spielberg have seemed particularly well-suited for each other. Catch Me if You Can, Saving Private Ryan, and The Post are shining examples of stories about one man doing the right thing in tough circumstances. These are feel-good movies (really good ones) and nobody pulls off a happy ending like Hanks and Spielberg.

The Top Ten Films of Tom Hanks

Saving Private Ryan: During initial screenings of this film, veterans of the D-Day Invasion had to leave the theater because they were disturbed by the realism of the carnage of the Normandy Landing. Initially released in 1998, the film is now considered the benchmark for realistic combat depiction. The story follows a squad of Rangers as they try to track down a lost paratrooper behind enemy lines in order to tell him he’s going home because all his brothers have been killed in action. The camaraderie of the squad and their perseverance with their mission despite their own misgivings speaks volumes to the resilience of the American soldier. Notable for the sweeping panorama of the D-Day landing scene. As Captain Miller, Hanks provides a combination of hard-nosed shrewd leadership and barely concealed anguish for the boys lost under his command.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, and Jeremy Davies. Written by Robert Rodat and directed by Steven Spielberg.

Catch Me If You Can: Based on the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), the brilliant teenage criminal mastermind who forged thousands of checks while passing himself off as an airline pilot, lawyer, and doctor. Carl Hanratty (Hanks) is the hapless FBI forgery expert who is hot on Frank’s trail but can never quite seem to catch up with him. As Hanratty, Hanks not only portrays a man stubbornly trying to do his job but one who also shows a surprisingly human side as the cop who grows to like—and even admire—his quarry. Notable for Hank’s comic moments as the irascible Hanratty.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Amy Adams, and James Brolin. Written by Jeff Nathanson. Directed by Steven Spielberg.

Apollo 13: This classic film is Ron Howard’s depiction of the 1970 Apollo 13 crisis that very nearly ended in tragedy, but because of the heroic efforts of the Apollo crew, James Lovell (Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), and the efforts of Mission Control at NASA, the ship was patched up long enough for the crew to be safely returned to Earth. The portrayal of James Lovell is vintage Tom Hanks. As the mission commander during the crisis, Lovell is shrewd, level-headed, intelligent, and courageous, but as the astronaut learning he will be going to the moon, he displays a charming boyish enthusiasm. Notable for Ron Howard’s outstanding direction.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, and Jean Speegle Howard. Written by William Broyles, Jr., and James Lovell. Directed by Ron Howard.

The Post: The gripping dramatization of publisher Katherine Graham’s (Meryl Streep) agonizing decision of whether or not to publish the Pentagon Papers in The Washington Post in 1971. Tom Hanks plays Ben Bradlee, the Post’s hard-nosed editor-in-chief, who is determined to publish the documents. He works hard to convince Graham and the Post’s conservative Board of Directors to exercise freedom of the press and do so. Hank is his usual winning self as the stubborn and determined Bradlee, exhibiting a balanced mixture of good-natured command and moral authority in the newsroom. Notable for Meryl Streep’s wonderful turn as Katherine Graham.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk, Bradley Whitford, Sarah Paulson, Tracy Letts, and Alison Brie. Written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer. Directed by Steven Spielberg.

Philadelphia: A stirring portrayal of a gay man’s lawsuit against the law firm that fired him because he had contracted AIDS. Andy Beckett (Hanks) is a rising young attorney in a respectable Philadelphia law firm who is suddenly and inexplicably fired. Andy, who has AIDS and believes he has been dismissed because of that fact, is determined to sue, is unable to find representation until he runs into ambulance chaser Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). The subsequent court case becomes not only a trial about unlawful termination but a moratorium of gay rights. Notable for Washington’s excellent potrayal of the opportunistic, homophobic yet sympathetic Miller.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, Jason Robards, Joanne Woodward, and Mary Steenburgen. Written by Ron Nyswaner. Directed by Jonathan Demme.

Forrest Gump: An improbable but entertaining journey of Forrest Gump (Hanks), a mentally challenged everyman who consistently finds himself at the crossroads of history. As a child, he runs into Elvis Presley at his mother’s boarding house. He also happens to encounter President Kennedy and President Johnson, then encounters Abbie Hoffman at a March for Peace in Washington. Gump is a likable guy, though. Hanks’ portrayal of him, marked by a distinctive and perfectly fitting speech pattern, is winning. A fine performance in a sometimes irritatingly cutsie movie. Notable for great supporting performances by Gary Sinise and Sally Fields.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Gary Sinise, Robin Wright, Mykelti Williamson, and Haley Joel Osment. Written by Eric Roth based on the novel by Winston Groom. Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Cast Away: Chuck Noland (Hanks), an ambitious FedEx systems analyst, is traveling to a spot in order to solve some problems when his plane crashes during a violent storm. Noland is stranded on a desert island with slim possibilities of escape. Using ingenuity, pluck, unrelenting determination—and the image of his love Kelly (Helen Hunt)—he manages to survive until fate offers him a chance of escaping. Miraculously returning to civilization Toland discovers things have changed more than he could have imagined. Tom Hanks not only had to carry the vast majority of the plot by himself, but during the filming, he also had to gain—and then lose—a significant amount of weight to portray the change in Noland’s appearance after four years of deprivation on the island. Notable for “Wilson” (played by Wilson), Noland’s only friend on the island.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Chris Noth, Nick Searcy, and Vince Martin. Written by William Broyles, Jr. Directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The Green Mile: A prison film—seen everywhere on cable TV—that is based on a Stephen King work. The story takes place on Cold Mountain Penitentiary’s Death Row, better known as “The Green Mile” and follows the relationship between guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and John Coffey, an inmate sentenced to death for the murder of two children. Paul becomes aware that Coffey has a strange gift and that—very possibly—he has been set upon the Earth for a divine purpose. As Edgecomb, Hanks is once again plays a no-nonsense leader who is faced with a difficult choice of how—if he can—do the right thing. Notable for a great supporting cast including Barry Pepper, David Morse, James Cromwell, Sam Rockwell, and Michael Clarke Duncan.

Written by Steven King and Frank Darabont. Directed by Frank Darabont.

Bridge of Spies: An historical drama based on the international negotiations for the release of downed U.S.Air Force pilot from the Soviet Union. Unassuming attorney James B. Donovan (Hanks) is assigned the task of negotiating a prisoner exchange of Powers and Rudolf Abel, both suspected spies. Donovan has to navigate the dangerous new territory behind Berlin Wall as he seeks to consummate the prisoner exchange. Although he is a zealous defender of Abel earlier in the film, Hanks is much more of a reluctant hero when it comes to confronting street gangs in Berlin after dark. Notable for Mark Rylance’s beautifully dry performance as Abel.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Scott Shepherd, Amy Ryan, Sebastian Koch, Alan Alda, and Jesse Plemons. Written by Matt Charman and Joel and Ethan Coen.

A League of Their Own: A film based on the real All-American Girls Professional Baseball League formed as a substitute for major-league ball during World War II, when most of the male players had shipped off to war. This comedy-drama focuses on the rivalry between two sisters as they become players for the Rockford Peaches. As Jimmy Dugan, an alcoholic ex-major league assigned to manage the Peaches, Hanks provides masterful comic counterpoint to the sibling rivalry at the centerpiece of the film. The movie not only provides a history of the league but also examines issues of feminism, equity, and achievement by women striving for excellence in a sometimes hostile men’s world. Notable for great depictions of on-the-field action and great ensemble performances.

Starring: Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Jon Lovitz, David Strathairn, and Bill Pullman. Written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. Directed by Penny Marshall.