MovieChat Forums > Dick Tracy (1990) Discussion > Madonna almost ruined this movie

Madonna almost ruined this movie

posted 13 years ago by spladow-1
39 replies | jump to latest

No one has hit upon it yet, but Madonna is an awful actress and has a hammy stage presence. That's great if you're a mediocre pop singer whose oversexed music videos help people forget how great your voice isn't, but it's really detrimental to efforts to play a female lead in a movie. She stunk up this movie like she's done all her others (Shanghai Surprise, Who's That Girl, Evita, Suddenly Seeking Susan, to name a few--A League of Their Own is the only exception, but that's only because she had a small role). She is sooooo melodramatic, and it would be awful if she were acting, but if you watch Truth or Dare, which filmed around the same time as this movie, she acts the same way in that too (the banter she has with Beatty in T or D makes you fully understand why he broke up with her-he probably regretted letting her be in his movie, but that's what you do in 1989 when you're shtupping who was then the world's most popular female singer). That leads me to believe that she's that corny in real life too. I won't begrude her songwriting or her musical ability on stage--she has a strong voice and gets 150% out of the skills she has. But let's face it, she's no Julie Andrews, Judy Garland, or Lena Horne. She's especially no Barbara Streisand or Bette Midler. What she has always been is a controversial and opportunistic, kind of like a white Diana Ross mixed with a little Marilyn Manson.

Imagine in Michelle Pfieffer had been Breathless Mahoney instead? Anyway, just had to vent my "Madonna sucks as an actress" beef.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] beautifullion 13 years ago

Gotta love the fast forward button;)

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AccidntlTourist 13 years ago

"...controversial and opportunistic..."

I think that is a pretty good description.

In the 80s, little teenie-boppers idolized Madonna; a young woman making huge impact in the music world. Twelve year old girls dressed like her (to the extent they could) and plastered their rooms with Madonna posters. Madonna was, in effect, a role model to these little girls.

I suppose Madonna could argue that she never wanted to be a role model; not her problem; not her job - even as she was teaching teenage girls, by example, to look and behave like sluts.

As you can see I'm not a fan of Madonna.
Still, grudgingly, I enjoy a lot of her music.
And, I liked her role in this film.
I think she did well, maybe because she was playing a character so close to who she is - an immoral tramp.

[–] tmt00123 13 years ago

OP, I agree that she really wasn't cut out to play this role, however I think you are being a little dramatic. I watched this movie the other night for the first time in a long time, expecting her acting to be horrendous, and while it wasn't as good as say Michelle Pfeiffer would have been, it wasn't bad enough to take away from how good the movie was in the end.....for me anyway.

[–] undedavenger 12 years ago

I thought she was excellent and brought a lot to the film. Sure, she's hammy in the film, but so is Al Pacino, and no one is complaining there. She has a remarkably versatile voice, as seen in movies like "Evita", and she plays a slutty, trashy type very well, as in this movie and "Body of Evidence".

I normally don't find her attractive, but she was hot in this one. She's like that girl most of us have known at some point, not the prettiest or most enjoyable girl to be around, but wild and guaranteed to be a lot of fun.

I guess the meek can inherit the Earth now. It looks like the stupid aren't doing anything with it.

[–] vesil_vesalier 8 years ago

The only problem I had with Madonna's role in this is her overdrive when it came to wanting Dick Tracy. They didn't set it up any other way--she just wanted him. She didn't love him, she didn't need him for any reason... She just wanted him. By itself, that *almost* ruined it for me.

But not enough. I actually enjoyed the movie very much. I think it's an underrated gem.

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[–] bpmct 13 years ago

I'm no Madonna fan. In fact, I would say that I sometimes have to stop myself from "pulling an Elvis" by shooting the TV out at the sight of her. However, this movie is the only time when I really don't mind her. I love her songs in this movie. They make me wish that she actually did this type of music, as opposed to bad club music. I think for me the movie it's self is so great that whatever annoyance I may find with Madonna is played down by how awesome the movie is.

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[–] Jothos 13 years ago

I agree with pretty much everything you said, but had to make ONE correction to something you wrote. When naming some of her movies, u listed "Shanghai Surprise, Who's That Girl, Evita, Suddenly Seeking Susan, to name a few". No such movie exists called "Suddenly Seeking Susan". It was "DESPERATELY Seeking Susan". Think you were mixing "Desperately Seeking Susan" with "Suddenly Susan". The Brooke Shields show. Lol. You stupid moron. :-) No offense.

[–] FredrikWiener 12 years ago

^BEST POST EVER!

[–] WeDidntNeedWordsWeHadFACES 12 years ago

Madonna was awesome as Breathless! The album of songs of hers from this movie is one of her best albums. I played it all the time back in those days & they still get me singing today! She made Breathless come to life. Honestly no one else could have done it, nor done the songs!

[–] bobbo_nut 12 years ago

You must have been watching a different movie

[–] CineFan007 12 years ago

Yep- Madonna ruins damn near everything she is in.

But ultimately what ruined this movie was Beatty.

He was too old, he was never a great actor, and his direction ruined the tone...

[–] LaPfieffer92 12 years ago

i do have to agree with this. as much as i love pfieffer, i dont think she would have been good in this marylin monroe type role. shes got a hard edge in films but like it or not, madonna had that 40's tramp thing down pat, her face isnt traditionally beautiful; at all but if you look at actresses of that time, madonna does seem to fit perfectly.

however, it doesnt stop the fact that i found her incredibly annoying in the film. while she may have been a good cast, i personally do not find her very attractive and i never understood the hoopla over her. i think like you said, i never found her that talented or good looking and she just gets by because she always has extremly oversexed music videos and being controversial.

[–] IrinaOma 12 years ago

many people many tastes but Madonna was very beautiful in this film. That's for sure. She wouldn't be the main sex symbol of the 80's and early 90's for nothing. I wouldn't say she was annoying here. She was the main reason to watch Dick Tracy