Wow! To kick off a new monthly profile column in the New York Times Style section, Cathy Horyn has chosen Christine Baranski as her first subject. Here’s the link: http://tinyurl.com/3ejukdf. Horyn is always good, and gets right into why Baranski is so terrific whether it’s on TV, stage, or screen. She did miss a couple of important things, though: Baranski’s watershed moment in films came when she played Andrea Reynolds, the lover of Claus von Bulow, in “Reversal of Fortune.” There’s a scene–rent this movie–where Isles and von Bulow are interviewing Alan Dershowitz (played so memorably and beautifully by the late Ron Silver). It’s an epic moment, as Baranski gets the joke–she always does–and steals the scene from Ron and Jeremy Irons. Cool stuff. Also, she’s downplayed the acting career of Baranski’s husband, Matthew Cowles. As “All My Children” is being canceled, they might recall their most famous villain, the pimp Billy Clyde Tuggle. Cowles made a lasting impression in the 1970s as this nefarious character. With today’s media, Billy Clyde would have been a superstar. “AMC” should bring him back at least once (even if he’s dead). But it’s a nice piece about Baranski, who deserves all the kudos she can get.
Friday, April 19, 2024
