The Michael Douglas Opus

Michael's father, Kirk, was a fantastic actor. Remember him in Spartacus with Gene Simmons?Wow. My question: Does acting run in genes? In the case of the Douglas family, maybe.

Michael first emerged in The Streets of San Francisco. Playing opposite the very ugly, very talented Karl Malden, the pair looked like Beauty and the Beast. Michael was young and suave, learning the ropes from the old pro. Having grown up in SF, I loved the series. But in fact, it was Douglas' fine acting that really carried the plots.

In The China Syndrome, he played opposite Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon, sporting a dark beard and looking very clever. The pseudo sci-fi hit was a great movie, reminding us that it's okay to have a plot that makes us think! MD again stole the show, even with the young Fonda (another family prodigy, along with Henry and Peter and Bridget) acting up a storm.

In Romancing the Stone, MD turned to comedy, where once again he proved his valor. Playing opposite the gravely-voiced, beautiful Kathleen Turner, Michael was appropriately swash-buckling, brave, heroic, yet vulnerable as the guy who thought he was tough but really wanted to please the damsel in distress. The Jewel of the Nile sequel was almost as good as the original, and again MD played his part fantastically.

Wall Street would prove to be a Michael Douglas classic. As the ruthless broker who knew no bounds, he became a fascinating character, motivated by greed and driven by an ego as big as a NY skyscraper. He played mentor/hero/boss to a very confused, persistent Charlie Sheen, teaching him the ruthless ways of The Street. MD was perfect for the role.

Let's skip a bit chronologically to War of the Roses. With Kathleen Turner again at his side, he worked the role of nasty spouse-gettting-divorced with brutal and believable animosity. A tough film to watch, and bit noir-ish in tone, WoftheR displayed MD's amazing versatility as a comic/tragic hero.

In The Game, Michael is all-too-believable as the guy whose life is one day turned topsy-turvy. Unaware that he is part of a massive hoax, the poor protagonist undergoes one disaster after anothet, until he is a truly broken man. Stunning work.

And speaking of the broken man, MD was brilliant as the poor nerd who loses it one day in Falling Down. How does the handsome actor transform himself so perfectly into the thick-eyeglassed, violent guy who's simply had all he can take? As Michael becomes more dispirited, he plays the role of a simple man on the edge of insanity with delicate finesse.

NO role, however, matches MD's work in Basic Instinct. With Sharon Stone playing the slinky suspect, Michael is all-at-once the hard-boiled cop, gullible lover, stubborn partner, obsessive investigator, and heroic sleeze. Both MD and Sharon Stone should have been Oscar contenders for their roles, but the film might have been just a bit too rough for the average viewer! MD was also perfect in his role as former lover of Beth, played by our favorite Big Love actress, Jeanne Triplethorn.

So, in reviewing the best male actors, let's consider putting Michael Douglas toward the top of the list. I'll defer to you, Valerie, to further enlighten me on this actor's considerable talents.