Name the good actors / actresses that were put into movies that weren't "Made for them" (A bad role)
Marina Sirtis as an Hispanic woman in "Death Wish III"
(Due to her British accent, she only has one real line: "NO!")
John Wayne as the Roman Centurian in "The Greatest Story Ever Told"
("Truly this Man was the Son of GAWD!")
John Wayne as Genghis Khan in "The Conquerer"
("Yer be-au-tif-ul in yer wrath!")
Shelley Winters as the woman with the issue of blood in "The Greatest Story Ever Told"
(Her thick Bostonian accent: "I'm Cyured!")
Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. The makers hired Rex Harrison who had been in the stage version but not co-star Julie Andrews, becuase she lacked film experiance. They overlooked the fact that Julie could sing & Audrey would have to mime.
Mickey Rooney as a walking-talking (well, lisping) Japanese stereotype in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Adore the movie, always fast-forward through Mickey.
Similarly, Marlon Brando (in Teahouse of the August Moon) and Katharine Hepburn (in Dragon Seed) as Oriental characters. Yes, you bet, hammy scenery-chewing and razor-sharp cheekbones are totally iconic of the Asian community...
You left out the seriously hilarious part of Genghis Wayne's monologue there, John A.:
"She is wuh-man - much wuh-man! Should her perfidity be less than other wimmin?...Ah feel this Tarter wuh-man is fer me, and my blood says 'Take her!'"
(As one reviewer pointed out, The Conqueror is overall "one of those movies where warriors greet their mothers with 'I greet you, my mother!'"...)
Second-silliest (and equally campy) John Wayne role: as The Centurion, prodding Jesus on to Cavalry in The Greatest Story Ever Told. After it's all over he's the only one left on the hill, gazing heavenward and intoning: "Truly, this man WUZ the Son'o'God."
Oops, didn't realise that last one had been covered. Ah, well, it's funnie enough to quote twice.
Thanx and no problem.
Oh, what the heck, let's revive a dead thread! ;)
Jessica Lange in the 1976 King Kong remake. She was a lousy actress at the time, though she later redeemed herself by getting several Oscar nominations and winning two.
Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic.