TQS StaffTo celebrate the 60th anniversary of Singin’ In The Rain, which Gene Kelly stars in and directs, we decided to take a look back at five memorable Actor-directors.
1. Gene Kelly- Singin’ In The Rain (1952) (above)
Gene Kelly acts, directs and provides the stunning choreography in this marvellous musical comedy, voted best musical of all time by the American Film Institute! Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are a famous on screen romantic pair; however Lina mistakes this on screen romance for real love. When their latest film is transformed into a musical, Lina’s voice is not up to it. Enter Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) stage R, who’s charm proves irresistible for Don.
2. Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Winning Best Director and being nominated for Best Actor at the Academy awards illustrates what an impressive job Clint Eastwood pulled off, in starring in, and directing, Million Dollar Baby. In the film Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), an aging boxing trainer, takes on a young waitress (Hilary Swank) and prepares her for a major fight.
3. Mel Gibson – Brave Heart (1995)
Mel Gibson picked up an Oscar for Best Director in the historical drama Braveheart. William Wallace (Mel Gibson), a commoner unites the 13th century scots in their battle for independence from the English.
4. Ben Stiller – Tropic Thunder (2008)
Tropic Thunder is an action comedy film where Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) and a group of actors are shooting a big-budget war movie, coming in over budget and behind schedule. But the actors get more than they bargained for, when they are forced to become real soldiers, after Tugg is kidnapped.
5. Quentin Tarantino- Pulp Fiction (1994)
Although not a main character, Tarantino does feature in what is considered by many, one of the greatest films of all time. The film features the lives of two mob hit men (Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta), a boxer (Bruce Willis), a gangster’s wife (Rosanna Arquette) and a pair of diner bandits (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) whose story intertwines in tales of violence and redemption.
The 60thAnniversary Special Edition of Singin’ In The Rain is available on Blu-ray™ and DVD from 12th November, and is available to pre-order from Amazon now.
