Who is today's Cary Grant or close?

[jazzzbaby]

my two cents regarding this topic is....
absolutely no one can come close to Cary Grant

For me he is like the blue hope diamond ~ xoxo

 

[reetpleat]

How do you define

to ask the question, you must define it. Would a modern Cary Grant evoke
Cary Grant, as George Clooney might, or would he embody certain values of today? Is the heir to the hot rodder, a modern day tatood gearhead who is still hot rodding 1950s cars? Or is it the asian kid who is buying a ten year old economy car, throwing on a primered hood and a loud muffler, and racing it up and down the street trying to make it go as fas as he can? It is all about how you define the icon. Would a modern Cary Grant wear suits and dress wear, or the most stylish modern casual clothing?

Would it be possible for a man of today to evoke the spirit of Cary Grant without being seen as gay? I have never heard tha CG was gay and never thought so. But I think it does matter. Part of what made CG CG was the "women want to be with him and ment want to be him" thing. A gay man would not have the same appeal to men and women.

The metrosexual not withstanding, any man who is well dressed and well mannered and cultured is not exactly embraced by American culture. Perhaps he would have to be British. Could Cary Grant have been Cary Grant if he were an American. Did people read him as British, or American?As for Hugh Grant, he has a certain charm, but his schtick is more of he bumbling every man charmer, more of a Jimmy Stewart type. CG was always in control and self possessed.

 

[Tomasso]

Could Cary Grant have been Cary Grant if he were an American. Did people read him as British, or American?.

American. CG tempered his English accent in most of his roles as well as his private life. Decidedly more William Powell than David Niven.

As for Hugh Grant, he has a certain charm, but his schtick is more of he bumbling every man charmer, more of a Jimmy Stewart type. CG was always in control and self possessed.

In CG"s filmography it seems that for every couple "To Catch A Thief,s" there was a "Bringing Up Baby".

 

[Fletch]

What he was in control of was himself (back in the day, that was enough for a gentleman to get over - our modern alpha male must of course control others). Even in screwball roles there was that aplomb.

Let's see Clooney bring this off.

 

[Opus X]

Without a doubt...Leonardo DiCaprio

 

[Laura Chase]

I can't say exactly who today's Cary Grant is, because as reetpleat said, I don't know how we are defining it... From today's standards or someone who is the most like Cary Grant - physically? So I'm choosing to point out some stars who have Golden Era traits resembling those of Cary Grant.

I think Sir Ian McKellen has the class, poise and charisma of a Golden Era movie star. He's an older gentleman now, but he still has it, for sure, he's beautiful. And what a voice!

And what about Jeremy Irons? I find him very classy.

Lady Day, I agree that Kevin Spacey definitely also has some very noteworthy Golden Era traits, he's amazingly sweet (I've met him at The Old Vic in London) and he's tremendously classy!

 

[carter]

Saying that any modern actor has the savoire faire, mystique, and personna of Cary Crant is like saying that HATCO has successfully reproduced an accurate, quality version of a vintage Stetson fedora.

It just ain't so.

 

[skyvue]

I don't think we have a contemporary equivalent of Cary Grant, but for my money, George Clooney comes the closest.

 

[Laura Chase]

Saying that any modern actor has the savoire faire, mystique, and personna of Cary Crant is like saying that HATCO has successfully reproduced an accurate, quality version of a vintage Stetson fedora.

It just ain't so.

I truly and deeply disagree, I think several modern actors have those traits, but of course nobody is a replica of Cary Grant.

As for George Clooney, I can see that he kinda looks like Cary Grant, physically, but other than that, no resemblance. George Clooney just doesn't have the poise.

 

[dhermann1]

Steve Martin

Having skimmed the entire 3 year history of this thread, I have been thinking about this very important issue and have come up with a candidate that may surprise some people.
How about the great Steve Martin? We think of him as such a total clown, but he's always the thinking man's clown, just as Cary Grant was. Martin also has that deep sense of personal class that Cary Grant had. There so much more to Steve Martin than we ever see. He's a very serious, thoughtful guy, a perfectionist in his art. He makes EXTEREMELY difficult stuff look easy.
He doesn't display ostentatiously elegant dress, but he's always perfect. Think of him in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Just my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[Tomasso]

ostentatiously elegant dress

Is this in reference to CG's dress? If so, I would point out that his wardrobe was essentially the same as dozens of other Hollywood leading men of his era; Clothes just seem to look better on him.

 

[dhermann1]

Actually, I believe he picked all his own wardrobe from an early stage in his career. I believe this was mentioned in the article about him in the late lamented Classic Style article.
I certainly didn't mean to imply that CG was ostentatious.

 

[Lefty]

Very interesting. I think this is my favorite nomination thus far. Martin writes some fantastic, very underrated movies as well.

Another nomination:

Having skimmed the entire 3 year history of this thread, I have been thinking about this very important issue and have come up with a candidate that may surprise some people.
How about the great Steve Martin? We think of him as such a total clown, but he's always the thinking man's clown, just as Cary Grant was. Martin also has that deep sense of personal class that Cary Grant had. There so much more to Steve Martin than we ever see. He's a very serious, thoughtful guy, a perfectionist in his art. He makes EXTEREMELY difficult stuff look easy.
He doesn't display ostentatiously elegant dress, but he's always perfect. Think of him in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Just my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[Tomasso]

I certainly didn't mean to imply that CG was ostentatious.

OK, it just sort of reads that way.[huh]

Actually, I believe he picked all his own wardrobe from an early stage in his career.

Yes he did have wardrobe approval very early on (1937-) and in many cases he chose clothing from his personal wardrobe (which while bespoke did lean towards the conservative), but he never really dressed any differently than the top leading men of his time.

 

[filfoster]

Cary Grant

Hugh Grant has some of the sophisticated charm. George Clooney is more like Clark Gable, glamorous but not slick.

 

[Tomasso]

The Malkovich style most certainly emanates from his early years at the Steppenwolf Theatre and its location adjacent to the massive Amvets thrift shop. Early on, Amvets functioned as the wardrobe (and property) department for the theatre and the troupe members (onstage and off).

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Carey Clooney or George Grant..... you decide

 

[tuppence]

I don't know much about modern stars
But I think Richard Gere might have some Golden era traits,
just because he dances and plays music.
Remember a lot of actors in the Golden era needed to be able to dance/sing as well.
But I don't know anything about how his personal life and dress sense measure up.

I definitely think we need a new Peter Lorre though

 

[Feraud]

I definitely think we need a new Peter Lorre though

Steve Busceimi reminds me of Lorre.

 

[MrBern]

dapper dan man!!

What he was in control of was himself (back in the day, that was enough for a gentleman to get over - our modern alpha male must of course control others). Even in screwball roles there was that aplomb.

Let's see Clooney bring this off.

Clooney has classic dramatic leading man looks

And he's still charming in kooky comedy roles