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.

[–] IrinaOma 12 years ago

You know nothing about acting! Madonna's performance in this film was decent, it was proved by many movie critics. Her character was suitable and interesting.

About her singing - only complete uneducated idiot could say that Madonna can't sing. Her albums and songs are listed in every poll/list of "Best Albums/Artists/Songs Ever". What's wrong with you? Her vocal skills are even over Michael Jackson. This woman inspired million/billion of people. You are pathetic hater who know nothing about acting and singing

[–] mercury4 12 years ago

I'm not a Madonna fan, but I loved her in this movie. I thought Dick Tracy was nuts not to go for her. I didn't think Tess Trueheart was anything. Not pretty. Not even cute. Madonna was very attractive in Dick Tracy and had a beautiful voice. I think Madonna is a good actress. I thought she was good in Dick Tracy and A League of Their Own. Breathless Mahoney was also the perfect character for her. I hated the part she played in Body of Evidence. Breathless calls herself a "cheap floozy," in the movie. But Breathless Mahoney looked like a nun next to the character she played in Body of Evidence. She was a pig in that.

[–] mister-movie22 12 years ago

??? WOT? Madonna has been in Bad movies, but she was great in Dick Tracy..

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Albatoss 12 years ago

I didn't mind her acting but all her pointless singing parts were starting to annoy me towards the end. It's like they were thrown in last minute. If she didn't sing at all, it would have been a much better film.

[–] t_smitts 12 years ago

I can't see Pfeiffer doing it. She's just a bit too plain for this role.

Funny, because I just noticed some parallels between Breathless and Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman:

You have this blonde woman who gets sick of being used and abused by powerful men in her life and creates this alternate persona to get back at them, while falling for the incorruptible hero, but still threatening him too.

That being said, I'm not crazy about Madonna, but she actually works really well in this film.

[–] VWstarwars 12 years ago

Honestly, I don't think it was Madonna who ruined this movie. This movie was pretty bad all on its own. Visually, this movie looks incredible, but the story, acting from all involved is pretty lame . . . It doesn't work even when Madonna is not on screen.

I was in boarding school when this movie came out and went to the campus theater to watch it on a Friday or Saturday night. I couldn't even get through it and just went back to my room. That's sad!

[–] stonercango 11 years ago

Cant we just get along?

[–] Forgotten_Hero 11 years ago

Honestly, I thought Breathless Mahoney was the best part of the film. I'm normally not so taken in by Madonna, but she brought a lot of sensuality to the picture and played the part of the femme fatale with confidence.

I thought she was more interesting than the dry Beatty or hammy Pacino. They weren't bad, but they didn't capture my attention the way that she did either. And I don't even want to think about either one of them in a see-through dress.

[–] statuskuo 10 years ago

Yeah, I revisited this movie recently, she's horrible. Two things though:
1) she was banging Warren Beatty
2) I was 15 when this movie first came out. It could've been a broom handle and a coupla' water balloons and it would've been hot

Anyway, I didn't realize how bad Madonna really was.How do you murder Sondheim that bad (the musical numbers). Pfeiffer would've been awesome. She has the moxie and the voice ("Fabulous Baker Boys").

[–] smashsmack 10 years ago

This movie had it's problems, but Madonna's acting certainly wasn't one of them. She isn't a great actress, but she held her own enough to get the job done, it was the boring/repetitive plot and longer than necessary run time that ruined the movie.

Because sponges never have bad days.

[–] RockytheBear 10 years ago

You're insane. Madonna was beyond hot in this movie. It's your girl Michelle Pfieffer who would've sucked had she gotten the role. Just look at her in Batman Returns a year later.