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By Geoff Carter
Robin Williams first became known to viewing audiences as the mischievous alien Mork in the sitcom Mork and Mindy. His frenetic comic style and snappy dialogue (mostly improvised) hit a chord with the American viewing public and launched a distinguished and diverse movie career. Even though he was primarily famous as an improvisational comic genius as evidenced in his performance as the genie in Aladdin or as the eerily accurate physical portrayal of Popeye in the film of the same name, he was also a fine dramatic actor, garnering an Oscar win for his portrayal of the troubled psychologist Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting.
Watching Williams inhabit his characters is like riding on a broken roller coaster in the funhouse—the viewer is never quite sure what new thrill will be around the corner. The manic stream-of-consciousness monologues in Aladdin are classic. According to an article in Variety, during production, Williams was given a storyboard and a rough script and encouraged to start riffing. When he was done, the three-minute scene had expanded to almost twenty-five minutes, and all of it brilliant. In more traditional comic rules, like Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams still consistently injected his own singular brand of humor, typically—and irrepressibly—going above and beyond the script.
Williams was also an accomplished dramatic actor. His memorable turns as Sean Maguire, the embittered psychologist in Good Will Hunting or his depiction of the idealistic and dedicated teacher John Keating in Dead Poets Society were incredible pieces of acting. Williams was always able to bring a compelling energy to the screen, creating a magnetic presence no matter what the role, an ability which no doubt led to him being cast as disc jockey Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning,Vietnam or as the titular character in Popeye. His physicality, even during his broadest humor, is subtly calibrated. Slight changes in expression and body language convey volumes about his characters.
Robin Williams’ charm, humor, fearlessness, and audacity shine through in nearly every role. While it may be argued that he was the sort of actor who portrayed characters instead of inhabiting them (as method actors do), his portrayals were believable, sensitive, and—above all—entertaining. His is a presence that has been, and always will be, sorely missed.
The Top Ten Films of Robin Williams
Good Will Hunting: Along with his best friend Ben Affleck, Matt Damon wrote and starred in this compelling film about a tough abused Southie kid who happens to be a mathematical genius. Living and working odd jobs, and in and out of trouble with the law, Will Hunting (Matt Damon) secretly solves an incredibly difficult math puzzle posted in the halls of MIT. When his identity is discovered by celebrated math professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard), he bails Will out of prison to work with him provided he see a counselor. After outwitting a number of psychologists, Will runs into Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), a Southie himself, who is able to penetrate Will’s defenses. Williams’ portrayal of the tough Maguire, still grief-stricken and embittered after the death of his wife, is both funny and poignant. The razor-sharp repartee between him and Damon is beautifully written and spot-on Southie tough talk.
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Stellan Skarsgard, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Minnie Driver, and Cole Hauser. Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Directed by Gus Van Sant.
Awakenings: This medical drama is based on the real-life experiences of Dr. Oliver Sacks. His persona in the film, Dr. Sayer, (Robin Williams) uses the experimental drug L-Dopa to try and revive catatonic patients in his ward. Leonard Lowe (DeNiro), a patient who has been in a coma since childhood, miraculously awakens after being administered the drug. Struggling to readjust himself to society after years of isolation, Leonard relearns how to move, how to shave, and how to relate to others, even falling in love. The symptoms, however, begin to return, and Leonard and Dr. Sayer both realize that his “awakening” will be short-lived. As Dr. Sayer, a man frightened to live his own life to the fullest, his experience of watching his patients wake and begin to rediscover life is both touching and pitiful. Williams shows the gamut of emotions from triumph to disappointment to grief and then to love.
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, John Heard, Penelope Ann Miller, Alice Drummond, and Max von Sydow. Written by Steve Zaillian. Directed by Penny Marshall.
Dead Poets Society: In this coming-of-age tale, Tod Anderson (Ethan Hawke), a painfully shy teenager enters his first year at Welton, a prestigious—and conservative—boys prep school. Anderson and his newfound friends are surprised when John Keating (Robin Williams), their new English teacher, introduces radically unorthodox teaching methods designed to help the boys discover their own individuality and voice, even though such practices were frowned upon by the school administration. When Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) takes Keating’s advice to heart and attempts to discover his own voice, disaster results. William’s performance as Keating is a remarkably moving portrait of a brilliant teacher dedicated to his students whose love for him is more than evident.
Starring: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles, Norman Lloyd, and James Waterston. Written by Tom Shulman and directed by Peter Weir.
Popeye: In this live-action rendition of the classic cartoon, director Robert Altman brilliantly recreates the cartoon universe of the famous sailor man. Casting Williams as Popeye, Shelly Duvall as the rail-thin and squeaky-voiced Olive Oyl, the hulking Paul L. Smith as Bluto and an inflated Paul Dooley as Wimpy, Altman populated this world with characters that seemed to jump off the pages of the Sunday funnies. In particular, Williams’ depiction of Popeye was dead-on accurate. From his thin-lipped sneer, swaggering gait, comically expanded prosthetic forearms, and sea-dog drawl, Williams embodies the lively spirit of the irrepressible sailor man. No one else could have played this part.
Starring: Robin Williams, Shelly Duvall, Paul Dooley, Paul L. Smith, Ray Walston, Donovan Scott, and Bill Irwin. Written by Jules Feiffer. Directed by Robert Altman.
Moscow on the Hudson: In this touching comedy, Vladimir Ivanov, a saxophonist with the Russian Circus, sick of long lines and poor living conditions back home, impulsively decides to defect while touring in New York City, leaving his friends and family behind. Taken in by a kindly Bloomindale’s security guard who initially protected him during his defection, Vladimir faces all sorts of difficulties adjusting to his life of newfound freedom. After being mugged by two youths, Vladimir rants to his attorney Orlando (Alejandro Rey) but is interrupted by another Russian émigré, who reminds Vlad how lucky he really is. To play Vladimir, Williams studied Russian and had to learn how to play the saxophone. His portrayal of Vlad’s roller-coaster ride of joy, fulfillment, frustration, and pain is beautifully rendered.
Starring: Robin Williams, Alejandro Rey, Maria Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks, and Yakov Smirnoff. Written by Paul Mazursky and Leon Capetanos. Directed by Paul Mazursky.
The Birdcage: Armand Goldman (Williams), the gay owner of a popular drag club in Miami, and his partner Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane), the terminally dramatic club diva, discover that their son Val (Dan Futterman) wants to get married. The problem is that his fiancée Barbara (Calista Flockhart) is the daughter of the terminally conservative Senator Keeley (Gene Hackman). Afraid that Barb’s parents won’t approve of the marriage if they know of the Goldman’s lifestyle, Val convinces his parents to fake being straight when the Keeleys come to visit their future in-laws. As misunderstandings and cultural clashes mount and mount, and Albert decides to take matters into his own hands, hilarity ensues. As Armand, playing opposite the hilarious Lane, Williams—for once—portrays a character who is more restrained and controlled than his usual performance. Yet Armand is the perfect calibrated foil for Albert’s outlandish dramatics.
Starring: Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, and Hank Azaria. Screenplay by Elaine May. Directed by Mike Nichols.
The Fisher King: In this drama, Jeff Bridges plays Jack Lucas, a caustic and abusive radio shock jock whose taunting of a caller results in a mass shooting in Manhattan. Shattered by guilt for causing the massacre, Lucas considers suicide while drunk but is accosted by a group of thugs who think he is homeless. Lucas is rescued by a homeless man, Parry (Robin Williams) who it turns out had a psychotic break after his wife died in the same mass shooting provoked by Lucas. Parry is obsessed with the delusion that he is the Fisher King and must find the Holy Grail. Seeking to redeem himself, Jack tries to help Parry reconcile his loss and renew himself. As the profoundly disturbed Parry, Williams is brilliant. When Lucas attempts to rehabilitate by introducing him to a young lady, Williams’ naïve—and delusional—enthusiasm is touching yet harrowing.
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, Michael Jeter, and David Hyde Pierce. Written by Richard LaGravenese. Directed by Terry Gilliam.
Good Morning, Vietnam: This biopic about real-life radio shock jock Adrian Cronauer’s experience in Vietnam is another role that’s hard to imagine any other actor besides Williams taking on. In 1965, Cronauer is assigned to Armed Forces Radio Service and launches what turns out to be an immensely popular radio show. Mixing rock and roll music along with irreverent humor, Cronauer alienates his superiors (Hauk) Bruno Kirby and Dickerson (J.T. Walsh) who first attempt to have him removed from the air and then send him out on a dangerous assignment interviewing enlisted men. When it turns out that one of his Vietnamese friends is affiliated with the Viet Cong, Cronauer runs into real trouble. As in Aladdin, Williams was encouraged to improvise freely, which produced absolutely hilarious material.
Starring: Robin Williams, Forrest Whittaker, Bruno Kirby, J.T. Walsh, Robert Wuhl, Richard Edson, and Chintara Sukapatana. Written by Mitch Markowitz. Directed by Barry Levinson.
Aladdin: Williams’ work in this animated classic changed the face of voice acting forever. In an infamous recording session of the scene in which the genie first appears, the director and animators gave the actor a rough script and storyboard outline and asked him to riff on them. The result was over twenty minutes of golden comedic work which was the bedrock on which the animated version of the magical spirit was based. Without physically appearing in the film, Williams very nearly steals the show. Aladdin (Scott Weinger) and Jasmine (Linda Larkin), while both excellent in their roles, are overshadowed by Williams’ brilliance.
Starring: Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman, Gilbert Gottfried, and Douglas Seale. Written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Ted Elliott, and Terry Rossio. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.
Mrs. Doubtfire: In this incredibly popular family comedy, devoted father and voice actor Daniel Hilliard (Williams) quits his job after a disagreement with a client. Frustrated with his unreliability, his wife Miranda (Sally Field) files for divorce and receives full custody of the children contingent on a steady job for Daniel. Learning Miranda is seeking to hire a housekeeper, Daniel poses as Euphegenia Doubtfire, a British housekeeper in order to be closer to his children. Using his brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein) and his partner to help with makeup and wardrobe. Along the way, Daniel learns that parenting is not simply about being his children’s friend. As Mrs. Doubtfire, he learns how to be strict with them. Williams is absolutely brilliant as both the stubborn and immature Daniel as well as the gently strict Mrs. Doubtfire. Once again, it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone else in this role.
Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein. Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson. Written by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon. Directed by Chris Columbus.