As I go about my day, I am forever flummoxed by how few conversations revolve around
Kevin Kline. People can crap on about the weather till the cows come home. And the
economy.
And locust plagues. Good grief, when will they tire of such topics and talk about something important? I mean, when was the last time you heard someone say: 'Hey, isn't Kevin Kline the best actor in the world'? Not very recently, right?
It’s an abysmal state of affairs that I intend to correct today in a little piece titled:
Reasons to Love Kevin Kline
1. A Fish Called Wanda
There are so many things to say about the guy that one hardly knows where to begin. But how about we start with his one and only Academy Award.
What, he only has
one? I hear you shriek. ONE? Like Gwyneth Paltrow? And Sandra Bullock?
Surely such a fine actor would have, like three billion of the things, but HE ONLY HAS ONE?
It's true. He only has one. And it’s for this:
That's right, he actually
won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar playing Otto in 1988's
A Fish Called Wanda (which John Cleese is reportedly
making into a musical AS WE SPEAK.) That fact alone has got to be worthy of your love.
But there are so many more things to love about him, so let's not stop there!
2. The Pirate King
When I was a wee bairn,
The Pirates of Penzance was shown on high rotation at my house, with two or more screenings per day, rivalled only by
Annie. My crush on Kline must have started there, when, even at a tender age I knew there was something quite exciting about his tight leather pants and slightly terrifying chest hair.
Just so you know, there is nothing on the entire internet that properly depicts how hilarious and brilliant this film is. You just have to go and watch it yourself.
3. 'It was a season of delight in a place called Brooklyn'
In 1982, Kline played Nathan in
Sophie's Choice with Meryl Streep, which is pretty much the best film ever made. But don’t take my word for it. This is what one commenter says in the YouTube comments:
this is amazing movie! not some fucking twilight or new moon or something...this is drama not some crap about vampires and stuff.
You tell 'em, dogybag1. Time to throw away all your Robsessions, Gen Y—THIS IS DRAMA NOT SOME CRAP ABOUT VAMPIRES:
4. Cole Porter
When
De-Lovely came out, we all tried desperately to ignore Alanis Morisette's buzzy version of 'Let's Fall in Love' and instead tried to focus on Kline's excellent portrayal of Cole Porter.
(Just as an aside, if you want to see two gorgeous men talking about nothing whatsoever, here is Kline on
The Daily Show, where Jon Stewart skillfully manages to interview him about the film without ever having actually seen it.)
5. This photo
This was taken earlier this year at Sundance at the premiere of his latest film, directed by
American Splendour's Shari Springer Berman and written by Jonathan Ames, called
The Extra Man:
Sadly, the film also stars Katie Holmes, but try to ignore that. LOOK AT WHAT HE'S WEARING TO HIS OWN PREMIERE. I love it.
6. Marriage
Did you know that KK been married to this woman this 1989?
That is Phoebe Cates, from
Drop Dead Fred and
Gremlins, among other things. Together, don't you think they make the cutest teachers of measurement you have ever seen?:
7. Owen Kline
Their son, Owen Kline, was the younger son in Noah Baumbach's
The Squid and the Whale. Just in case it ever comes up in dinner party conversation.
8. He has amazing friends
Like Sheryl Crowe. Oh and Bill Clinton.
9. He freely admits to hating the experience of being in Will Smith's Wild, Wild West
'I don't want to defend it. Why I
did it is indefensible ... I deluded myself into thinking the film could be an interesting challenge, but basically it was money.'
You have
got to love that.
10. He was in I Love You to Death
With Tracey Ullman and William Hurt. Oh yeah, and
Keanu and River, in pre-
My Own Private Idaho roles that no-one ever talks about anymore, either.
NEXT WEEK: Keanu and River.
Hang on, we were talking about Kevin Kline. Best actor EVER.
Oh, and he's
about to start filming a HBO TV series about a cardiac surgeon who goes to prison for murdering his mistress. Maybe
this is what will finally make him your new favourite conversational topic at last. That is, if all the evidence you see here before you hasn't done that already.