MovieChat Forums > Night at the Museum (2006) Discussion > Dick Van Dyke as a villain

Dick Van Dyke as a villain

posted 15 years ago by KristenStewartForever
22 replies | jump to latest

That was Just genius to cast Dick Van Dyke, our Bert, our Albert Peterson, our modern day Ray Bolger, our beloved Dick Van Dyke as a bad guy. That's Just perfect and genius to see him beyond his goodness. It was kinda like when Ray Bolger played the villain in Babes in Toyland. Well, Night at the Museum was Dick Van Dyke's villain role calling card. I loved seeing that. Cecil actually became my favorite character, as leader of the three evil nightguards. Who else agrees with me?

No Day But Today. Today 4 U. One Song Glory.
How we gonna pay last year's RENT?!

[–] TheLittleSongbird 15 years ago

I agree, I love Dick Van Dyke and I really enjoyed his performance. And I also liked the film too, it isn't the best movie ever, but I thought it was a lot of fun.

"Life after death is as improbable as sex after marriage"- Madeline Kahn(CLUE, 1985)

[–] KristenStewartForever 15 years ago

I agree.

No Day But Today. Today 4 U. One Song Glory.
How we gonna pay last year's RENT?!

[–] elegoo 15 years ago

I just like dick van dyke doing anything. dancing on chimney tops or stealing ancient egyptian tablets he's a joy to watch.

”Do the stars gaze back?" Now *that's* a question.

[–] trinitymplayers 15 years ago

Actually, I didn't see him, Mickey Rooney, and the actor who played the other guard as really malicious villains; they just got addicted to the special youthful rejuvenation the tablets gave them every night, a la COCOON. Naturally, they would be loth to give that up after being forced into retirement; and, not that I'm condoning their theft or their setting poor Daley as a patsy, I figure the museum board probably didn't give them much of a retirement package either. And who wouldn't feel miffed at that, especially after spending some four or five decades keeping ahead of those mishceivous objects every night?

[–] fiendishgames 14 years ago

Surely Dick was a villain in "Mary Poppins"? What he did to the Cockney accent was criminal! :-)

[–] atooby 14 years ago

lol fiendishgames i sort have to agree and disagree with you there, i liked him as Bert the accent completed him but what annoys me is that now whenever anyone none british tries to do an english accent they either sound like him or the queen for example his royal annoyingness Justin Bieber on the Graham Norton show a couple of months ago

[–] dwhw 10 years ago

I think that it's quite interesting that Dick Van Dyke is most famous in Britain for his atrocious "cockney" accent. It seems that it was so awful that it actually endeared him to the British public.

[–] dagaul101 13 years ago

Dick Van Dyke has always been a loveable actor, I think he mentioned he wanted to be cast as a villian, and did a pretty good job of it tooSource:Movie Reviews - Night at the Museumhttp://moviereviews.noskram.com/2009/09/movie-reviews-for-night-at-the -museum

[–] a_l_i_e_n 13 years ago

I found it a little hard to accept him as the villian here, but I always thought Dick played the most dislikable murderer ever pursued by Columbo.

[–] joe_538 11 years ago

He also stabbed a woman to death on Matlock. The only time they let you know who the killer was from the beginning.

[–] kairingler 12 years ago

totally agree, seeing dick van dyke as a villain for the first time i was like,, woah wait a minute here, but he does make a pretty decent villain,, i really enjoyed that coming from him,, he should do a few more villain roles, in my opinion.

are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

[–] KrystelClaire 12 years ago

Talking of which.... I didn't get what his plan was when stealing the Egyptian tablet, whatever that was. Why didn't they take it with them on their way out? Why did they have to come back to steal it? While I was seeing the film, I wondered about that. I don't know whether it is a mistake on the script, or there is a reason I didn't get at the moment. would appreciate any help about this.

[–] TheTARDISNamedSexy 12 years ago

They had to set Ben Stiller's character up as a patsy. They couldn't risk the tablet being missed before they had a chance to complete the set up.

"The truth resists simplicity." - John Green

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] ribby45 12 years ago

OP -

He's a great villain but the jaw-dropping performance happens during the credits, when he's dancing. .

Remember this guy was 81 when he made this film. . amazing.
We shall not see his like again.