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Michael Douglas as adventurer Jack Colton in 1984. Source: https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=cQ20NfNJCAM (May be subject to copyright) |
The scene is indelible in my mind. A romance writer is trapped, out of her element, in a jungle when suddenly a shadowy figure at the top of a hill pulls a shot gun slung on his back, starts shooting, and rescues her.
When he sees the high heels she is wearing are hampering her ability to run in the jungle, he pulls out his machete and chops off the heels.
“They were Italian,” she said.
“Now, they’re practical,” he responds.
This is just part of “Romancing the Stone”, one of my favourite movies.
That shadowy hero was Jack Colton, played by Michael Douglas.
To that point, he had begun to make some great theatrical movies. However, he was just a few years removed from his character as a young detective teamed with a veteran detective in “The Streets of San Francisco”.
Michael Douglas was on Global’s “The Morning Show” the other day, talking about his new show “Franklin”. It reminded me of some of those great movies he made after leaving “The Streets of San Francisco” right into the ‘80s and even beyond.
On the streets
Among my earliest memories of television are snippets of “The Streets of San Francisco” starring Michael Douglas and Karl Malden. Douglas was in the first four seasons of the show from 1972 to 1976. He played a young detective partnered with an older, more experienced one. For his efforts, Douglas was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1974, 1975 and 1976, and a Golden Globe in 1975 for Best Actor in a Television Drama.
Among my earliest memories of television are snippets of “The Streets of San Francisco” starring Michael Douglas and Karl Malden. Douglas was in the first four seasons of the show from 1972 to 1976. He played a young detective partnered with an older, more experienced one. For his efforts, Douglas was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1974, 1975 and 1976, and a Golden Globe in 1975 for Best Actor in a Television Drama.
He left the show in 1976, and never looked back.
The years before
Michael Douglas actually started acting in movies in 1969 in the movie “Hail, Her!” for which he garnered a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Male Newcomer.
Michael Douglas actually started acting in movies in 1969 in the movie “Hail, Her!” for which he garnered a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Male Newcomer.
In 1975, he entered the world of producing with “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Douglas won the Oscar for Best Picture, and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama for his efforts.
Douglas was back in front of the camera in 1978 in “Coma”. He played the boyfriend of a young doctor who notices an unusual number of comas occurring, and uncovers a conspiracy.
In 1979, Douglas appeared in two movies. He starred in “The China Syndrome”, about a television reporter, played by Jane Fonda, and her camera man, played by Douglas, who discover a cover up surrounding safety protocols at a nuclear plant. It actually came out in theatres 12 days before the real-life accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Douglas earned his second Golden Globe nomination as a producer for Best Motion Picture Drama for “The China Syndrome”.
He also appeared in the Canadian production “Running”, which I recall watching late one Sunday night on Channel 13 on the peasant vision dial. Douglas plays a distance runner who qualifies for the marathon in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, while struggling in every other aspect of his life. I recall the ending vividly. During the Olympic marathon, he suffers a fall and is out of the marathon. He lies there awhile then, when the run is seemingly over, he picks himself up and, with one of his arms injured and limp by his side, he struggles to finish the race, as night descends on the streets of Montreal and more and more people take notice. When he finishes, his estranged wife, played by Susan Anspach, is there to celebrate with him. It was awesome.
Dawn of the decade
Douglas began the decade in 1980 playing a recently retired baseball player in the romantic comedy “It’s My Turn” opposite Jill Clayburgh. I started watching this movie on Channel 13 but kind of got distracted and never finished watching it. This was like in Grade 8 or 9. I recall making a note to watch it when the chance came, and tacked that note on the bulletin board in my bedroom. It took almost 40 years, but a couple years ago I recorded it off an ‘80s movie channel we get, and finally watched it. It wasn’t bad.
Douglas began the decade in 1980 playing a recently retired baseball player in the romantic comedy “It’s My Turn” opposite Jill Clayburgh. I started watching this movie on Channel 13 but kind of got distracted and never finished watching it. This was like in Grade 8 or 9. I recall making a note to watch it when the chance came, and tacked that note on the bulletin board in my bedroom. It took almost 40 years, but a couple years ago I recorded it off an ‘80s movie channel we get, and finally watched it. It wasn’t bad.
Two years later he played a judge tempted to become part of a vigilante group in “The Star Chamber” in 1983. I saw a trailer for this movie but never saw it. However, my sister did and gave me the rundown the next time I saw her.
Stone romance
In 1984, my sister I went to a movie that looked good from the commercials we saw. Little did I know that “Romancing the Stone” would become one of my favourite movies of all time. Joan Wilder, played by Kathleen Turner, plays a romance novelist who fantasizes about living one of her stories. Then she receives a call her sister has been kidnapped, so Joan embarks on an adventure to rescue her. Along the way she meets adventurer Jack Colton, played by Douglas, and the story goes from there.
In 1984, my sister I went to a movie that looked good from the commercials we saw. Little did I know that “Romancing the Stone” would become one of my favourite movies of all time. Joan Wilder, played by Kathleen Turner, plays a romance novelist who fantasizes about living one of her stories. Then she receives a call her sister has been kidnapped, so Joan embarks on an adventure to rescue her. Along the way she meets adventurer Jack Colton, played by Douglas, and the story goes from there.
Douglas was also the producer, winning the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
The blend of comedy, action, and adventure make it one of my favourite movies of all time. This is the kind of story I aspire to writing.
Two years later, Turner and Douglas reunited for the sequel “Jewel of the Nile” in 1985, but I have never seen it. I am not sure I have the heart, because I don’t want it to diminish “Romancing the Stone”. I am not sure.
Dancing and aliens
In 1984, Douglas returned to the producer’s chair with “Starman”. Jeff Bridges plays an alien who comes to Earth and assumes the form of the dead husband of a woman, played by Karen Allen. It is another favourite of mine.
In 1984, Douglas returned to the producer’s chair with “Starman”. Jeff Bridges plays an alien who comes to Earth and assumes the form of the dead husband of a woman, played by Karen Allen. It is another favourite of mine.
Douglas returned to acting in 1985 in “A Chorus Line”, playing a director and choreographer auditioning dancers for a part in a new Broadway musical. This is another movie I have always wanted to see, but just haven’t run into.
Chilling
In the Fall of 1987, I was in my first semester of university and there was a lot of talk about this movie that was just chilling. It was called “Fatal Attraction” and starred Michael Douglas as a married man who has an affair with a sexy, mysterious woman, played brilliantly by Glenn Close. When he breaks it off, because he wants to stay in his marriage, his mistress goes off the rails. She stalks him, haunts him, and ultimately pushes him to the brink. We went to see it and it was absolutely chilling.
In the Fall of 1987, I was in my first semester of university and there was a lot of talk about this movie that was just chilling. It was called “Fatal Attraction” and starred Michael Douglas as a married man who has an affair with a sexy, mysterious woman, played brilliantly by Glenn Close. When he breaks it off, because he wants to stay in his marriage, his mistress goes off the rails. She stalks him, haunts him, and ultimately pushes him to the brink. We went to see it and it was absolutely chilling.
I was on the edge of my seat the last half of the movie.
Insider trading
Later that year, Douglas was the villain in “Wall Street”. He played Gordon Gekko, a slick and unscrupulous stock broker who engages in insider trading. I ended up watching this movie about six months later when we rented it in res. However, I fell asleep part way through and lost track of the plot. I haven’t seen it since.
Later that year, Douglas was the villain in “Wall Street”. He played Gordon Gekko, a slick and unscrupulous stock broker who engages in insider trading. I ended up watching this movie about six months later when we rented it in res. However, I fell asleep part way through and lost track of the plot. I haven’t seen it since.
Douglas was praised for the role. Ultimately, he won the Oscar for Best Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.
End of the line
Douglas ended the ‘80s with two movies in 1989 – a crime drama and a dark comedy.
Douglas ended the ‘80s with two movies in 1989 – a crime drama and a dark comedy.
In “Black Rain” he played one of two police who arrest a Japanese mobster, escort him back to Japan, and get drawn deeper and deeper into the Japanese underworld. I saw this movie in the theatre in my third year of university with my friend Bruce Freadrich.
In “War of the Roses”, Douglas is reunited with Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, who all appeared together in “Romancing the Stone” and “The Jewel of the Nile”. “War of the Roses” is a story about a couple who go through a bitter divorce.
The years after
Michael Douglas just keeps on working. He has produced movies such as “Flatliners”; “Stone Cold”; “Double Impact”; “Made in America”; “The Ghost and the Darkness”; “Face/Off’; “The Rainmaker”; and much more.
Michael Douglas just keeps on working. He has produced movies such as “Flatliners”; “Stone Cold”; “Double Impact”; “Made in America”; “The Ghost and the Darkness”; “Face/Off’; “The Rainmaker”; and much more.
He has acted in “Shining Through”; “Basic Instinct”; “Falling Down”; “Disclosure”; “The American President”, which is another one of my favourite movies of all time; “The Ghost and the Darkness”; “The Game”; “A Perfect Murder”; “Wonder Boys”; “Traffic”; “The Sentinel”; “You, Me and Dupree”; “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”, where he reprises the role of Gordon Gekko; “Ant-Man”; “Ant-Man and the Wasp”; “Avengers: Endgame”; “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”; and much more.
Parting thoughts
It is no coincidence that Michael Douglas is in two of my favourite movies – “Romancing the Stone” and “The American President”. He plays such different characters in each movie it just shows how versatile an actor he is.
It is no coincidence that Michael Douglas is in two of my favourite movies – “Romancing the Stone” and “The American President”. He plays such different characters in each movie it just shows how versatile an actor he is.
He has great comic timing and an ability to say so much with just an understated facial expression.
However, he can also bring it as a serious, dramatic actor. That to me is most evident in “Fatal Attraction” where he goes through an absolutely harrowing experience, and “The Ghost and the Darkness”, where he confronts a different type of near death experience.
It just all shows what an exceptional actor he is – and he just keeps on going.
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