It's going to be a big month for Robert Ryan fans. First up, the upcoming issue of Noir City declares him The King of Noir. That's a bold statement of course--Mitchum partisans will likely quibble--but no one can argue that Ryan is deserving of all the attention he gets. From villainous turns in CROSSFIRE and CAUGHT to tormented turns in masterpieces like ACT OF VIOLENCE and THE SET-UP, Ryan did it all--and did it all well. The Noir City issue will feature a slew of articles on Ryan's life and career.
This tribute coincides nicely with an amazing retrospective at the Film Forum on Ryan's entire career, covering his work in noir, westerns, and even the odd 3-D epic.
For a little primer on Robert Ryan's greatness, check out my Mug Shot on him.
Excellent. I've always been a big Ryan fan with The Set Up and The Naked Spur as two of my favorites. Not too many actors could display both extreme vulnerability and bad-ass machismo like he could. I often think that Ryan, like Sterling Hayden, will become one of those forgotten actors movie fans will rediscover with gusto.
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