People often talk about the compelling and undefinable charisma of certain film actresses; Marilyn Monroe and Louise Brooks are often singled out for possessing this magical quality that transcends mere talent and beauty.

Similar qualities are possessed by male actors, but these are often less appreciated or discussed.
I’d like to briefly single out two actors actors (both of whom have enjoyed long careers with peaks and valleys) in whom these attributes are quite evident.

Tim Curry and Malcolm McDowell have resided in the public consciousness for so long that their talent is often, to an extent, overlooked or taken for granted. They are both jobbing actors and have done phenomenal work in films of wide-ranging quality over the course of decades.

As young men, Curry and McDowell were the embodiment of cheeky British sensuality and roguish charm. They specialized in witty, captivating, nettlesome, manic, sinister, and wounded roles. Their quicksilver emotional shifts could be both mesmerizing and strangely convincing.

Both men invariably brought qualities to each role that complemented or even transcended the screenplay. They possessed a compelling balance of arrogance and fragility, iciness and carnality. Their performances give as generously as they withhold.

As they aged (and as the ethical, social, and sexual ambiguities celebrated in the 1970s were continuously circumscribed or codified), McDowell and Curry self-consciously exaggerated the more comical aspects of their personas.

The filmographies of McDowell and Curry are still hugely enjoyable and cover a wide range of tones and genres on film, stage, and television.

Curry, perhaps as a reaction to his early career notoriety, began taking on roles that allowed him to disappear into a character. He seemed to take great pleasure in leaning into the silly, grotesque, droll, or sinister aspects of his persona.

McDowell, on the other hand, specializes in authority figures. He often appears in roles that require him to be dazzlingly sardonic, imperiously disdainful, or buffoonish and patriarchal. However, an underlying degree of weariness, dignity, and self-awareness is ever present.

Although McDowell isn’t a particularly flamboyant actor, his reputation suffered for the excessiveness of certain roles. However, for every Caligula & A Clockwork Orange, there is a thoughtful, nuanced, and charming performance, such as Time After Time, O Lucky Man, and Easy A.

Writing the above tweet, it occurred to me that even the most reprehensible character in McDowell’s filmography exhibits moments of conscience. A deeply flawed humanity is always visible. Perhap that is what gives the roles their forcefulness and makes them feel so dangerous.