He Died With His Boots On
By the time you read this, the blogs throughout blogosphere will be as inflamed with the news of Heath Ledger’s death as a hooker’s snooch is with the clap. Particularly blogs by gay men and fourteen year old girls (and others who are fans of Brokeback Mountain or A Knight’s Tale).
I, myself, never payed a whole lot of attention to him before Brokeback. He had always struck me as an average actor with decent looks. After that film, I changed my tune some. Turns out he was really a very good actor. Especially to be in his 20’s. And this particular photo made me even turn the corner some about his looks (although he was still no Jake).
I love this picture. It’s the only one I have of him that doesn’t include Jake and it’s the image of him that always pops in my head when I hear his name.
It’s now probably how I will always remember him. As the sensitive young cowboy.
I think it’s how most people are going to remember him. The Marlboro man for the new millenium.
That’s what happens when you are young, attractive, talented, and made your mark, poised for greatness, just before your life is cut short far too soon. You become an instant icon.
Think James Dean. Think Marilyn Monroe. Think people who’s celebrity has far eclipsed that of their peers who were equally (and, in some cases, more) talented, attractive, and young. It makes you wonder how they might have been remembered had they survived long enough to be forgotten.
I have a feeling that Heath would not have been one of the forgotten. I think had he lived a long life, he would have been remembered for doing something that most of Hollywood didn’t have the guts to do. And he did it so well. So well that one day it won’t even be an issue.
No matter how you remember him. Don’t forget that.
Here’s to you, Mr. Ledger.
R.I.P.
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:03 am
Such a shame.
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:49 am
Some very fitting words and thoughts. Just what we have come to expect from you. Thanks again for giving us your unique perspective on another subject. Heath rest in peace, Tony write on.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 am
i particularly feel for his young daughter by Michelle Williams, his “wife” in BROKEBACK. The celebrity the tragic news put me in the mind of was River Phoenix. Another example of tremendous potential cut short. Let’s hope, for the kid’s sake, they can prove it was not suicide. Williams seems like a very practical (as well as talented) person, so perhaps her guidance can keep the daughter from the Priscilla Presley/Liza Minelli path of celebrity-kid-abandonment which can lead to not having a very stable personality (even if your genes give you an inherited talent). RIP indeed. Check out BROTHERS GRIMM and THE PATRIOT to see other lesser-known examples of Ledger’s flexibility, as well as LORDS OF DOGTOWN, where he completely transforms his persona. For more homoeroticism, try THE ORDER. At least he was able to leave behind a greater legacy of films than poor James Dean.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:54 am
Well said.
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Rest in Peace.
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
The news of his death brought that seminal scene from “BM” to my mind, Heath clutching and smelling Jake’s shirt,and then hanging it inside his own shirt. There was infinite sadness in those still, silent scenes, and it haunted me. I kept thinking, what an enormously talented actor he is, for projecting such a minimal scene onto a movie screen. Yet he wasn’t acting, it seems. He carried this infinite sadness within him all along, and he just let some of it slip though to us outside. For this alone, we must be thankful.
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Very nicely put, Tony. I’m saddened over his death. He was a good one.
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Royster: I think you meant Lisa Marie Presley, not Priscilla (Priscilla was Elvis’s ex-wife and from all accounts managed her daughter’s estate well for her, and hopefully wasn’t responsible for Lisa Marie’s rebellious stage).
I certainly agree it’s a shame such a talented actor is dead far too young. However, I’m not really certain he will deserve all the accolades many of his fans will heap upon him. Ledger sought out good roles, ones which challenged him as an actor, and which might or might not be sympathetic to some or all of his audience. That doesn’t make him an activist for same-sex causes, even if the character he portrayed in Brokeback Mountain was likeable “to us”. I only wish a fraction of this kind of attention were paid when people who truly HAVE done a lot for us, and for the world, die - as opposed to a very talented entertainer.
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
As one of the gay men who devoted a post to Heath, well said, Tony.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 pm
“By the time you read this, the blogs throughout blogosphere will be as inflamed with the news of Heath Ledger’s death as a hooker’s snooch is with the clap.”
Now THAT is how you open a blog post.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Great tribute,Tony. When I heard the news I immediately thought of James Dean. Ledger’s ability to play to an almost raw sensitive side was remarkable. His unacted films will be mised.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
LT, you’ve laid it out very very well. With the heartfelt precision of one who loves and knows a little about that
January 24th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
so right about Priscilla versus Lisa Marie. i get all those big-haired doe-eyed Elvis relatives confused (even his Mama and Colonel Parker).
January 24th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Oh yes, he died way too soon. He was fabulous in Monster’s Ball opposite Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton. There he showed that he wasn’t just another pretty boy and that he could do the tragic roles as well. It is worth renting that one if you didn’t seen it. Halle won an Oscar for her performance in that movie. Finally he had reached a place where he could pick his roles and now he is gone. What a tragedy. RIP
January 25th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
i just read on Moviefone as i looked for a Friday nite movie that Brad Renfro also died just over a week ago….the cause is thought to be mixing alchohol and Xanax. See APT PUPIL to see what this young guy was capable of….he was 25. Somehow i missed this story, and now it’s overwhelmed by the more famous Ledger. Those boys, much like Jake, need some of Tony’s guidance in their lives.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
oh yeah, Tony, I noted that the New York Times agreed with your choice of memorial picture of Heath. They chose the same one for the front of the Arts section. Very good taste.
January 26th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
It looks like Heath’s final completed film, the next Batman movie called “The Dark Knight,” will complete his legacy of choice roles - he was already receiving admonitions for his portrayal of the Joker. Many thought it would be hard to top the performance of Jack Nicholson as Joker in the very first modern Batman movie (1989), but I’ve read several articles where Ledger is receiving critical acclaim for his work in the film due out July 18th, which many feel surpasses Nicholson’s performance as the darkly sick villan. It is a shame indeed that he is gone at such a young age.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Michael, there was recently some articles about a film partially shot (Terry Gilliam’s new film) in which Heath had a major role. They are trying to decide if they will take the insurance and cancel the film or try to shoot around his presence (or reshoot his character). You can probably find some articles on line by Googling the two names, sorry I can’t recall the name of the film…