Shot for March edition Vanity FairI have always loved Steve Martin, since elementary school. Parenthood is one of my favorite movies, ever. I love every single thing about it and have easily watched it 40 times. I love all of Steve Martin's movies, for the laughs that don't diminish with repeat viewing, for the tenderness, for the unabashed shmaltz, for the kooky weirdness, for the physical ridiculousness paired with that charming grey hair and twinkling eyes and expressive mouth. There has never been a Steve Martin movie I've truly disliked, because I could watch him read the telephone book and smile.
And Alec Baldwin. A more recent crush of mine, he is absolutely up my brain-alley. On 30-Rock he has grown into a perfection of all his qualities. His eyes are terrifically intelligent and that is the hub around which his comedy is built. He has grown into mature manhood with a thickening and set of his shoulders I find incredibly attractive, as if the accumulated experience of life and work has buffered his body. The wry, crazily offbeat and charming twist to his delivery is completely disarming and wonderful- a quality I cannot get enough of. And then there is the sadness, so clear in his face, not something he attempts to hide or pretty up. He has been beaten down by life, clearly, whether from his brother's drug addictions, the long marriage and painful divorce, the cruel phone call to his daughter played out in public, or just sheer human loneliness and pain, I don't know; you can see that whatever he feels, he brings it to the surface and let's it weave it's way into the lines he delivers. His acting is multi-layered in a way that I find very satisfying and lovable.
The two of them together, hosting the Oscars? Hell yes. This is going to be awesome.
oh yes.... Steve Martin is also a fabulous writer and what girl doesn't love a man who can write??
And...I'm a sucker for that bit of sadness in Alec Baldwin.
Definitely.
I'm getting ready too to "join them" on the red carpet.
I watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles every year. Parenthood is the best. A good reminder as we have not watched it in a while.
I'm so looking forward to it too! I'm a big 30 Rock fan, and absolutely love his Baldwin's role in it - he absolutely nails it and gets better every single episode. I can't wait to see this duo in action.
love this post! very well done and i totally agree!
xo Alison
love this post! very well done and i totally agree!
xo Alison
I agree! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Alec Baldwin. I swear EVERYTHING he says on 30 Rock gives me the giggles. His delivery is so spot-on. He was recently on the Marriage Ref (Seinfelds new show he produced which is growing on me) and his regular persona is just as charming. I believe you can catch it on Primetime On demand. He's one of my faves!
I completely agree. And oh, honey. I have a story about Steve Martin when he was still playing small clubs and had an arrow through his head.
I'm looking forward to seeing him tonight. Parenthood? YES!!! Planes, Trains and Automobiles? The definitive holiday movie.
And Alex Baldwin? For some reason, I would have his baby. Well, you know what I mean.
I LOOOVE Parenthood! I watched it when I was um, way too young to be watching movies like that, but I really just loved that whole movie. I love that you love it too!
I agree!!
We don't have sky tv, so although I tried to get internet streaming, I don't seem tech savvy enough to watch this online :) Watch and enjoy for me too!!
I too love Steve Martin's movie Parenthood along with a few other favourites of his... I can rewatch them over and over.... He plays the father role perfectly!! Alec Baldwin is starting to grow on me... but I like your observations into his acting and may have to give him more air time... Have fun with the Oscars..
I love Steve Martin, too. His bit about OCD hand washing in Parenthood is something my husband and I often laugh over just because. That movie is a classic. Which reminds me, I need to watch it again, it's been awhile and I need a good belly laugh.
Alec Baldwin I like because of his voice. That voice. And he's a Baldwin.
Hi Maggie,
Steve Martin's banjo playing? Call me corny, but I love that, too. I'll never forget Alec Baldwin in some early films, and I enjoy watching him on 30 Rock. I wonder how it was ever decided to pair them for the Oscars, but it makes for an innovative combination.
Alec Baldwin in She's Having A Baby = YUM!
I also love Steve Martin and Parenthood. Remember that movie where he's some kind of hermit and he finds the baby? My mom and I watched that together when I was a kid and I cried and cried and cried and we talked about it for hours afterwards. Simple Twist of Fate? Something like that...
Have to agree. I'm watching it right now and they make a most perfect twosome!
I feel the exact same way about them and applaud your brilliant descriptions! And Alex Baldwin -- I'm with Ms. Moon as far as having the baby. I just finished watching them, though, and aside from a few great lines, I thought the whole thing was way too scripted.
I would marry Steve Martin...I giggled like some little schoolgirl at all his jokes last night :)
Oh pointy bird,
Oh pointy pointy,
Anoint my head,
Anointy nointy.
I have been trying to figure out what exactly Steve Martin's deal is with this phrase which shows up in at least 2 of his movies... I'm pretty sure it's a reference that he probably made up... but to what? to whom? Or is it just pure random silliness? This has been bugging me for years now!
So if anyone knows, PLEASE speak NOW!!
Thank you,
pf
I like Alec Baldwin, too. I'm not entirely sure why. I just like him.
Love you, Mags.
SB
I cannot agree more. You know that Steve Martin has won a Grammy for playing the banjo and has been published in the New Yorker. I find him so sexy.
I fell in love with Alec Baldwin fifteen years ago and I've fallen in love with him again. For completely different reasons, of course.
I really loved how Baldwin acknowledged that Tina Fey has essentially revived his career. Kick ass, and gracious. xo
Oh my goodness, I love both of them too. I thought they did a great job last night! I hope they get to host again. The Oscar's can be pretty boring, so it's nice to have entertaining hosts.
Have you seen "It's Complicated?" The two of them with Meryl Streep? Just saw it this week. Cute. I want Meryl Streep's hair. xox
Yes, I love both of them too. I like to read of Steve Martins' shyness and vulnerability. Alec Baldwin's honesty is refreshing.
Oh I SO agree! They were BRILLIANT and can I just say you described so perfectly what it is about Alec Baldwin that I admire as well.
I LOVE the movie Parenthood.
Oh, this post. I love this post b/c you write my thoughts, only so much better than I can think them :) I love those men. So entertaining, so hilarious, so human.
I read somewhere that they had a choreographer on that shoot to get that picture of the two of them. Which I thought was fascinating. Choreographers on photo shoots, of course!
I agree whole-heartedly!!
i have always loved steve martin as well, but the baldwins? yuck.
i thought the opening was great.
Post a Comment