The big picture
- Bill Murray's decision to pursue dramatic acting instead of starring
Splashes
had a major impact on his career. - Tom Hanks jumped at the chance to star
Splashes
and delivered a charming and versatile performance, cementing his position as a leading comic actor. - Both Murray and Hanks have left a lasting impact on the small and big screens, and their unique journeys and unforgettable performances have been appreciated by audiences for years.
It can be downright dizzying to look back on your life and think about the countless decisions you've made that may have altered the course of your future. As they say, hindsight is 20/20, but that doesn't erase the fact that those choices made you who you are today. This “sliding doors” scenario doubles the endless life paths when you think about how other people's decisions may have affected your course as well. These are choices that, even though you have no say in the decision, still throw you in an unforeseen direction. That's exactly what happened to him Tom Hanks when he booked his first lead character role in the 1984 comedy film Splashes This is because without Bill Murray by making a certain choice, Hanks was sent on a career that would alter the rest of his life.
When it came to casting the role of Allen Bauer in the film splashed, producers had plenty of options when it came to talented actors. Among the contenders were recognizable names such as Dudley Moore, Kevin Kline, John Travolta, Michael Keaton, Jeff Bridges, Chevy Chase, even Richard Gere. However, the role was offered to comedy great Bill Murray. Murray, who was churning out one hit comedy film after another, seemed like the perfect fit for this Ron Howard-directed (eventual) classic. However, little did the producers know that Murray had plans other than starring in another laugh fest. Despite the above SNL In the cast member's fairly recent ascent to leading roles in comedies, Murray wanted to take his young career to the puckered-mask side of things.
Splash (1983)
A young man is reunited with a mermaid he briefly met as a child and falls in love with her without knowing her secret.
Bill Murray knew he wasn't ready for drama yet
For Murray, it was clear that the idea of starring in another comedy wasn't as appealing as the greener grass on the other side. That pasture was a dramatic performance and the film he would end up choosing instead Splashes is called The razor's edge. The film was an adaptation of a 1944 novel of the same name, written by W. Somerset Maugham.The razor's edge it was actually a reboot of a 1946 adaptation of the same title, in which he starred Herbert Marshall. This time, the story had Murray playing the lead role of Larry Darrell, making this his first official lead role in a dramatic film. But the result was certainly not what he expected.
There's something disconcerting about seeing a performer who's known exclusively for a certain genre suddenly break into a completely different style. Murray fans as well as critics were used to seeing the funnyman use his wit and talent to carry comedy films on his back with ease. But when Murray stepped into the shoes of a completely dramatic character, the majority of the audience rejected this sudden change. Of course, although critics panned The razor's edge and flopped at the box office, Murray's talent sustained him long enough to take another crack at dramatic roles, finally finding success in the second half of his ongoing career. Movies like Lost in translation, Broken flowers, and all the Wes Anderson The films he has been a part of have shown that fans have fully embraced Murray's wide range of acting.
'Splashes' It was Tom Hanks' time to shine
With Murray's decision to pass splashed, Hanks beat out the rest of the pack to land the lead role of Allen Bauer. This, of course, was before I had the clout to pick and choose the roles I wanted to play. The audience knows Allen as a boy who almost drowns before being mysteriously rescued by a young mermaid. Thinking it was always a fantasy he made up as a child, Allen, as an adult, finds himself unable to find the right woman to be with. However, he quickly discovers that his childhood memory was true when he reunites with Madison (Daryl Hannah), the grown-up mermaid who once saved his life. Allen quickly falls in love with his new mermaid companion, convinced that he was never unlucky with romance; she had always been waiting for him.
The film also starred in great comedies such as John Candy i Eugene Levy, which helped propel the film to success. It was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay that same year and is still considered a comedy classic today. Until then, Hanks was primarily known as a television comedy performer thanks to his role as Chip Wilson on the series. bosom friends However, the consequences of Splash's The success saw Hanks propelled into his career-leading comedic stage, producing hilarious hits such as Bachelor Party, The Money Pit, and many more. Like Murray, Hanks would like to try drama. However, not only did he wait longer than Murray to attempt the transition, he also achieved a feat that Murray never achieved.
Tom Hanks' eventual move into drama turned gold
It's hard to pin down exactly when Hanks made his turn in the drama, especially when compared to Murray's full-on 180 with The razor's edge. Some fans may point out The Bonfire of the Vanities like the first time Hanks made the switch, while others can watch movies like this A league of its own, or No sleep in Seattle. However, one thing is certain: 1993 Philadelphia that's when he cleared any “grey area” questions. Starring the opposite Denzel Washington, Hanks plays Andrew Beckett, a lawyer fighting against his former employers who fired him after discovering he was gay and had AIDS. Not only did the film prove that Hanks had what it took to hang with his dramatic peers, it also proved to be a reason to leave comedy in his past.
Hanks' role in Philadelphia it earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor, which raised a lot of eyebrows from people who still saw him as a reliable source of laughs. This success clearly steered Hanks in a new direction as he would go on to star in dramatic hits like this one Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, and many more. In contrast to Hanks, Murray was lucky enough to try and fail in his attempt to make the dramatic transition, and then he got a second chance to find public acceptance in an entirely new genre. And while the two actors' paths were unique to each of them, it was Murray's decision that gave rise to both.
What could have been lives in the shadow of what was
Splash wasn't Hanks' first role, but it was his first time starring in a movie. It's hard to imagine what the movie is Splashes It would have been like if Bill Murray had ended up playing the role of Allen Bauer. Sure, the story would have been the same, but there was something about Hanks' performance that brought a certain charm and innocence that seemed necessary to make Allen's character worth rooting for. Murray's smug and sometimes dry sense of humor may have made it harder to like Allen and even believe he would fall for a mermaid. While there would still have been plenty of laughs based solely on Murray's talents, it's interesting to wonder if Splashes it would have been just as big a hit if it weren't for Hanks playing Allen.
While some may argue that it is mentally exhausting to wonder what could have been in your life, it is sometimes fascinating to identify certain choices that may have sent you in a different direction if another decision was made. Fortunately for Hanks, he wasn't faced with the choice of being there splashed, rather Murray chose it for him. As for Murray himself, he's very fortunate to have gotten over the too-early choice to try the dramatic side of the big screen and can now appear in almost any genre he wants, even Marvel movies. And for the fans, we are lucky to have had these two talented comedic and dramatic actors for so many years.
The decisions made by Bill Murray in relation to the film Splashes had a significant impact on their and Tom Hanks' respective careers. Murray's choice to pursue drama took him down a different path, and while it didn't initially work out, he eventually found success in the genre. Hanks, on the other hand, seized the opportunity and delivered a performance that showcased his charm and versatility, cementing his position as a standout comedic actor. Both performers have left a lasting impact on both the small and big screen. We can celebrate these two actors' unique journeys and appreciate the unforgettable performances they've given us over the years. And it's all thanks to Murray deciding he didn't want to star as a fish.
