Malcolm McDowell once named “the greatest actor who ever graced the screen”
Some actors will forever be known by a single role. For the legendary English star Malcolm McDowell, it is his effort as the problematic young delinquent Alex DeLarge in Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 classic dystopian movie A Clockwork Orange.
However, to say that McDowell is solely known for his performance in A Clockwork Orange would be a great disservice to him. The truth is that the Yorkshire-born actor has given further acclaim efforts in the likes of If…, O Lucky Man!, Caligula, Entourage, Star Trek Generations and Halloween, showing that his talents extend far and wide.
McDowell’s efforts have led to a widespread reputation of admiration on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. While Dowell has indeed made an impression on his fans and fellow actors over the years, there was one star whom he seemed to admire more than all others.
In an interview with The Guardian, McDowell once noted, “James Cagney was the greatest actor who ever graced the screen. Bar none. Bar none! You could never take your eyes off Jim Cagney.” Known for his high energy and deadpan comic style and delivery, Cagey also possessed versatility as an actor, which earned him much respect amongst his peers.
Throughout the likes of The Public Enemy, Angels with Dirty Faces and White Heat, Cagney played a series of tough-guy characters, but before long, he was typecast. A talented dancer and an actor beyond the realms of the tough guy archetype, Cagney eventually got to show his range in the 1942 musical Yankee Doodle Dandy, which earned an Academy Award and the endless love of Malcolm McDowell,
“Cagney started off as a dancer, and he was able to use that to great effect in this movie,” McDowell noted. “Oh, the dancing numbers! He runs up, he jumps down… it’s so brilliant. He was all spitfire energy, like a human tornado.” Yankee Doodle Dandy saw Cagney play George M. Cohan, the performance and artistry all-rounder who wrote more than 30 Broadway musicals and over 300 songs, becoming a legend of American entertainment.
McDowell had first seen Yankee Doodle Dandy as a child, and when he finally came to give his effort in A Clockwork Orange, he spoke in the publicity material about his admiration for Cagney and his performance as Cohan. Eventually, Cagney’s friend and contemporary, Pat O’Brien, called McDowell and the two had a conversation about the acting legend.
At one point, McDowell had also been married to the actor Mary Steenburgen, who had once worked with Cagney on the film Rag Time. McDowell explained, “She actually never had a scene with him, but I was still jealous. I called her up and said: ‘You get to work with James Cagney? I’m the one who loves him.’ We had a laugh.”
Signing off on his thoughts on Cagney and his deep admiration for the actor, McDowell noted, “He influences me all the time. If you love somebody that much, if you admire somebody that much, it’s sort of woven into your DNA. I don’t really have to think about it. Cagney’s just there.”
