Last weekend I wrote a blog post about the Euro Western WHITE COMANCHE, in which Joseph Cotten received top billing in the credits. It got me thinking about the films that Cotten appeared in over his long acting career--a list of movies that defines the word "eclectic".
Consider this group of films that Cotten starred in:
CITIZEN KANE (Directed by Orson Welles)
GASLIGHT (Directed by George Cukor)
SHADOW OF A DOUBT (Directed by Alfred Hitchcock)
DUEL IN THE SUN (Produced by David O. Selznick)
THE THIRD MAN (Directed by Carol Reed)
In this collection of movies Cotten worked with some of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. Now consider this list:
THE HELLBENDERS (Directed by Sergio Corbucci)
LATITUDE ZERO (Directed by Ishiro Honda)
THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (Directed by Robert Fuest)
LADY FRANKENSTEIN (Directed by Mel Welles)
BARON BLOOD (Directed by Mario Bava)
The second list is a collection filled by either all-time cult directors or all-time cult movies.....and I'd venture to say that some film geeks (like myself) might be more impressed with the second list rather than the first.
Just think about the names of the directors on these lists. If you had tried to work with all these various men on purpose, you probably wouldn't have been able to pull it off. I'm sure Mr. Cotten would have been more inclined to have not worked on most of the movies of the second list, but to be able to have worked with all these filmmakers is an impressive feat.
Consider also that Cotten appeared in AIRPORT '77 and HEAVEN'S GATE, and he had several television credits as well....he even showed up on an episode of THE LOVE BOAT. There's no doubt that monetary decisions played a part in a lot of Cotten's acting roles in the 60s and 70s....actors have bills to pay just like anyone else.
However you look at it, Joseph Cotten had an incredible filmography.....although I have a feeling he might have described it in another way.
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