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Nicholson was, naturally, a rebellious schoolboy before moving into an animations job and landing his first few roles in low budget B-movies such as Little Shop of Horrors (1960). However it was his cameo in the quintessential road movie Easy Rider (1969) which thrust him into the limelight. As George Hanson the alcoholic lawyer starts his day with a swig of Jim Beam (dedicated 'To old D.H.Lawrence... nik nik nik nik fiff fiff.. gahh Indians', complete with elbow flexing action) he dominates the film with this entertaining cameo with ease. Despite his small part, he scored an Oscar for 'Best Supporting Actor', which is even more impressive considering the weed infused hippy cloud that the film was produced in as Hopper and Nicholson were rumoured to have been stoned during the duration of filming.
Whilst Nicholson broke into the Hollywood scene through a series of independent movies, his later acting ventures included those such as Chinatown (1974), claimed by some critics as the greatest film ever made. This was in part no doubt to the great energy and complexity that Nicholson brings to his role of the inquisitive detective in over his head in a situation too complex for him to handle. His rebellion against corrupt authorities can be seen also in his personal life as his rebellious spirit caused him to indulge heavily in drink, drugs and women. Certainly this rebellion can be seen in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) as Nicholson's character causes an uprising in the mental home in which he has been placed.
His unwillingness to let the media know him personally was a result of his view that people would not be able to believe him on screen. Perhaps this is why he is able to transition so easily from detective, to rebel, to psycho within a six year period and still play the parts as if he were born to do just that. From a sane person being locked in an institute, to a psycho insisting they are sane, Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980) is perhaps Nicholson's most intense role as his steady descent into madness in an empty hotel is stretched out before the viewer's eyes. Although in the end he does go completely wacko with such an intensity that left me scurrying for a mid-film cup of tea to break the tension, his decline is calculated and chilling.
His immortal distinctive drawl, devilish eyebrows and toothy grin means Nicholson's age defying charm has earned him the reputation as a bit of a Sugar Daddy with an endless string of young girlfriends. However, nowadays his more senior roles still capture the complex characters that Nicholson plays so well. An exception to this maybe being his bizarre foray into science fictions in Mars Attack! (1996). However, movies such as About Schmidt (2002) encapsulate Nicholson's dedication to people-fuelled movies and complex human dramas. There is no melodramatic epiphany of the meaning of life but an exploration of an old man trying to cope after he retires and his wife dies. His restrained facade always reveals a bubbling thought beneath the surface making his complex characters always fascinating to watch. However, his casting in the successful film gangster film The Departed (2006) shows Nicholson's bad boy reputation has never left him even after he qualified for his OAP bus pass.
His awarding of the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994 recognises his legacy of culturally iconic characters and iconic quotes. However, if you would think he would get caught up in Hollywood egotism you would be very wrong, as he himself said 'with my sunglasses on, I'm Jack Nicholson. Without them, I'm fat and 60'.
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