The actor Tom Cruise called an “outstanding” hero of modern cinema
Becoming a talking point is achieved in a variety of ways, but the real achievement, as any good agent will tell you, is to be talked about at all. Good, bad or ugly, comments on screens and inches in the newspaper are what becoming a star is all about. Once that is achieved, then you can work on honing your craft. Although he might have become a comedic figure in contemporary times due to his outlandish character and unpredictable appearances in the media, Tom Cruise is still, before all else, a fine actor.
One of the highest-grossing performers of all time and a recipient of numerous awards, including a prestigious Honorary Palme d’Or, the list of hit movies Cruise has to his name is eye-watering. The star has been able to see, smell, taste and touch cinematic gold for the majority of his career. From the Mission: Impossible films to the Top Gun duo, to say Cruise has made a mark on popular culture would be an understatement.
Being a huge Hollywood star does come with its issues. Aside from the increased demand for their time and the attention of paparazzi, a big star has to fight with their own credibility at every corner, too. Despite his famous turns in hit blockbusters such as those above, this does not mean that Cruise lacks credibility, as he’s also starred in more revered pieces of modern cinema.
Whether it be the road drama Rain Man, the science-fiction highlight Minority Report, or perhaps best of the bunch, his performance as motivational speaker Frank T.J. Mackey in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia; Cruise is much more than the crazed Scientologist he is wrongly dismissed as.
While Cruise is undoubtedly one of the most individualistic figures in Hollywood, there is room for a parallel between him and the late Kirk Douglas, one of the most passionate performers the film industry has ever seen. The Spartacus and Paths of Glory star also flew a plane and drove a race car in some of his pictures, a precursor to Cruise’s penchant for using heavy machinery in his own.
When speaking at The 19th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute To Kirk Douglas in 1991, Cruise discussed his love for Douglas and described him as one of modern cinema’s “outstanding” heroes. He said: “It’s truly an honour and a privilege to be here tonight to pay tribute to a man for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration.”
Douglas wasn’t just famed for being a star but perhaps one of the most imposing actors of his generation, Cruise continued: “Kirk’s presence and command of the screen make him one of the outstanding heroes in modern film. I know everyone in this room and those watching at home appreciate what you have given and what you are continuing to give of yourself to this industry.”
Noting the impact Douglas’ performance in Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus had on him when a child, Cruise concluded: “I was just seven years old when I first saw you in what may be one of your greatest roles. Even then, the passion and intensity you gave as Spartacus held me spellbound. The quest for freedom and the fight against tyranny and bigotry is a central message not only of this film but of your life.”
While it remains to be seen if Tom Cruise will ever be thought of as a similarly adorned hero of the art, whether he is heralded as one of the greats of both the starry-eyed fans and the tougher critics, his filmography is slowly speaking for itself. Soon enough, one would imagine, he will be held aloft alongside the names of Kirk Douglas and the greats of cinema.
