Pitt Mackeson: Jonathan Rhys Meyers
I really did not think much of his portrayal of Pitt Mackerson. I thought the his mannerisms were rather absurd, I know we are supposed to dislike this character but I thought the acting was rather poor.
shareI thought he was actually quite menacing although it's hard to believe he lived as long as he did with that attitude.
shareI thought he was quite menacing as well, and portrayed very well by Rhys Davies.
My take on him that he was a violent young man, and that in the end it caught up with him psychologically - at the end of the movie he seemed suicidal and basically used up.
It might have been nice to have an idea what he was like before the conflict started, as a way of contrasting him towards the end.
I thought this was a fantastically original portrayal of a warped and violent man. He was bizarre and creepy and intentionally so, on JRM's part. It was the most interesting acting in the movie, in my opinion. I also found the ending very touching as there was this glimmer of jealousy in Pitt's eyes when he saw Dutchie with a family. That and several other subtle gestures in Pitt provided that tiny bit of humanity to make him just a touch more interesting than, say, Ledger's straightforwardly evil Joker.
shareIndeed. When Pitt delivers one of his final sentences 'that is my home, I am going to have
a drink there', you can hear the sobing inside his heart. Also the way Pitt picks Jake's tin
cup as souvenir but then brandishes it like a trophy. This is superb direction and acting,
endures repeat viewing.
Oh yes. Well noted. Another tiny moment was early on in the film when the bushwackers are hiding out in a home and the woman of the house dishes out supper to them. There's the strange look on Pitt's face when he's handed a plate (or cup? I can't recall). Like he is moved by this expression of kindness. He clearly has experienced very little of that in his life. The actor really nailed this character.
shareI had been watching Ride With The Devil for more then a dozen times but I did not catch this
early expression by Pitt - this film is just incredible! Notice both Pitt's expressions, one
early and one late, appear while he faces feminie and family. Similar expressions, similar
situations, similar moments in the plot, these pair of expressions consist a symmetry.
In fact there are numerous symmetries within the whole film, this must be Ang Lee's very own
filmic language, very likely inherited from Chinese traditional art. For example, Jake's
appearance in the beginning and in the end, are almost the same, but far different from his
look in the main body of the film. This represents his rebirth after suffering, I think.
Hopefully after Ang Lee's restoration of the many deleted scenes and dialogues in the new
cut of Ride With The Devil, these symmetries will be precise and therefore obvious to
viewer.
Well to be honest I don't share your enthusiasm for the movie -- just JRM's performance in it. And I give him the credit for those small subtle moments -- although Ang Lee noted them and knew what to do with them, of course. I love Ang Lee and think he's a wonderful director. And I thought this movie was quite good. But it was not perfect. I never felt 100% comfortable with Toby McGuire in his role. His accent was off-putting for one thing. And there were pacing issues, although I love that Lee is not afraid to take his time to tell a story. In the main, though, I thought it was a touching and very interesting film and I'm so sorry circumstances caused it to be overlooked.
shareI totally agree about JRM's performance. Memorably menacing. One of the first things I think about in recalling the film. Him and Jeffrey Wright. But I have a high regard for the film in general. A truly original Civil War story, with nuance and heart and danger . . . Seen it five or six times. I think it's Ang's best film.
shareJRM sure nailed the Pitt Mackeson character really good. In fact i got scared every time i saw him, reminded me of a guy i knew once you never knew what he would do next. As for the whole movie i must say this is one of the best movies i've seen portraying the way of living for guerrillas during the american civil war. Not many movies has been made about these kinds of people "irregulars", i must have watched the movie atleast a dozen times by now.
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