so expressive

[anglophile]

If there's another thread like this already started, please just shove this on over to it - but as you do that, please comment, as well.
I'm referring to the amazing talents of our boy in expressing himself without saying a word. as the song says, "You say it best, when you say nothing at all."
So I want us to share the non-verbal messages our boy delivers that leave us swooning or gasping or tearing up or lol. those things that just confirm what an amazing talent he is.
The face, the hands, the voice are all a story unto themselves and worthy of ultimate praise, but I've been struck anew by his amazing ability to use his face and body to write new chapters in every piece.
Today, my favorite one is a scene from TOTS. Remember when Petruchio and Kate first enter the honeymoon villa and have their confrontation? Kate slaps him, he grabs her arm and flicks her cheek - even though you know he would have liked to have done more (and would have, if she'd been a guy or even a bigger girl -- remember his comment in the elevator and the look on his face as he delivered it. OK another story. must get back on track.)

That action is not the 'favorite moment' I'm talking about, however; it's the one that immediately follows after she goes stomping out of the room and leaves him alone. The camera moves in on his face and that has to rank as one of film's best expressive moments. every infinitesimal pull of muscle in his mouth, every millimeter movement of eye lid, every flair of nostril is pure genius in the message conveyed. You can literally see him considering his options and discarding most of them before the gets himself under control, straightens his body, lifts his chin a fraction and moves in a completely different direction than the scene appeared to be headed.
pure genius.
He just convinced me he was more Petruchio than Roof in that moment. I think it is even more impressive to me on film than it would be on stage because screen acting is so 'choppy.' It's not like you can get into character and stay there from the time the curtain goes up until it comes down again. You've got to 'be' somebody else for minutes at a time and then come back to yourself.
OK, now I've drooled enough.
Come on and share your favorite non-verbal moment with Roof and why you love it.

[castaneasativa]

anglophile,

I love your subtle description of his subtlety! And LOVE this moment. That very moment in TOTS was the turning point for me, it made me understood that Petruchio was in real love with Kate, and he would go deep into this relationship, even though he might be hurt, he would go through the way, no matter what would come. And his „little” moment made me admire RS’ talent. It felt like he opened up a Universe of his own… he does it every time with his presence. (That’s why I think of him sometimes as an Apollo-like God.)

anglophile, you write that
He just convinced me he was more Petruchio than Roof in that moment.

I saw a very short (part of an) interview with him on Petruchio, and he says that

„It was very fun to play beacuse… very similar to my own energy to a certain extent, far more like me in certain ways than lot of things I’ve done before”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LRBhveWBcY

As for my favourite non-verbal moments, I’d like to share two of them. They’re when he plays Marke.

One moment is after the wedding. Tristan is away from the king’s table, doesn’t eat with them, and Marke doesn’t let Tristan’s plate to be taken away. RS’ hand’s movement, a fluttering small one, a tiny one, like a bird’s wing as he puts his palm of hand on the plate… and it seems to me he is protecting the plate, as he protects Tristan as always. A little move that tells us his feelings toward Tristan: he belongs to the family, he is his son, whatever he does Marke loves him. My heart is a good place for you – the moment says to me.



The other magical moment for me: Tristan doesn’t want to be Marke’s second, and there’s a short conversation between them. Right after that Tristan makes up his mind finally and says to the king, I’m your second, Marke expresses his satisfaction with one of his eyelid’s move.

(Sure these pictures are just sooo static)

[kygal]

His face is so expressive. The eye brows, the eyes, the mouth...to many non-verbal moments to consider. Must think on this.

[anglophile]

Castanea, yes!, yes! yes! I knew this was going to be good -- that when roofies started recalling those moments, we'd all find new things to love. I've been putting off Marke because it just makes me cry so easily, but now I'll have to go back and savor those moments you pointed out.
Thanks for the beautiful photos. I haven't figured out how to capture and share these yet, but I'm delighted you have.
Glad you picked up on the same TOTS scene. I could write volumes about what that one means to me, but I'll restrain myself. Come on Kygal, narrow it down to one quickly and come back later for more.

[kissmekate]

That second example of King Marke is one of my favourites, too.

I'll have to think about my own favourites a bit because there are just so many little moments where he says so much more with the flutter of an eyelid or the tiniest movement of his lips than other actors do with their whole body.

One of my favourites is certainly the end of IASL, the moment at the station when he realizes that Evelyn has seen him and a multitude of conflicting feelings is reflected on his face within seconds.

[anglophile]

of course, of course it would be mick.
there's something niggling in the back of my mind - i think it's related to the early scene on the porch with evelyn and her husband where he's holding forth about the importance of his work. will have to go back and look at this again (darn it, the demands of this board are so heavy ), but i'll try to let you know soon. the best i remember, it's not exactly an eye roll from mick. now how can i concentrate on mundane things like work with this hanging over me?
have you noticed that he can even throw a cigarette away and invest it with deep meaning? the moment in illuminata springs to mind immediately, and, yes, i promise to get all my thoughts down on that one. but where are yours?

[kissmekate]

I think I know what you mean, anglophile - those moments when he first tries to argue with Philip, glaring at him, and then you can see him giving up on that arrogant type because they won't ever agree anyway, staring into the distance. And then, another of my favourites in that movie, the way he smokes his lonely cigarette after Evelyn and Philip have gone inside. He doesn't rage or rant but it's obvious that he despises Philip's arrogance and superiority.





Or just think of the 9/11 poem. The whole thing is an excellent example for his subtle acting skills, but what always gets me most are those wistful little almost-smiles:

[judypatooty]

I made an extra-long GIF of this bit from IASL.

It amazed me how much Rufus "said" in this scene without uttering a word. He's standing there listening to the other man talk, but he's saying so much with his facial expression - the eye movements, the clenching of his jaw, the little tense smile. He's extraordinary.

[kissmekate]

That's another perfect example, Judy. Thanks for making the GIF!

What popped into my mind when I thought about this thread again was that mellow look on his Charles's face when Catherine has miscarried and he's fearing for her life while she's so keen on apologizing for losing the baby. That loving little smile is incredible.

[francesca]

>:(and Thanks Judy . you are some lady!!

my favourte s are:--- Zen .... he is stting in the car when he sees Tania leave the bar with a man. It says it all ... I 've been taken in by a woman again then he bangs his head on the stering wheel.
and
My most favourite... TOTS ....in the lift , when he asks Kate if she regrets not asking him to sign a Pre nup thingy,
the stillness , the vulnerability...... as he waits for her to answer. He doesn't do a thing but it all shines out of him.

[rueful]

Interesting thread, anglophile. Thanks for starting it!

The above are all fantastic examples. Love the gif, Judy! Thanks for posting it.

Another of my favorites is from Helen of Troy, where he once again shows a fully dimensional character. Of course it's the sacrifice scene. I'm borrowing Zenina's fabulous screencaps to illustrate my point. (Spoilers if you haven't seen HOT.)


Hearing the news that the gods are demanding an unthinkable sacrifice.


Absorbing the tragic implications. How is this possible? How could they ask this of me?


The pain, the sorrow, the suffering. How can I bear it?



Shift to calculation.



What is more important? My small sacrifice or the greater glory of Mycenae? More important, will it really work?



Resolution. I must do it. I will do it.


The deed is done. Oh, the pain. The suffering. Why have the gods made me do this?



I WILL win this war. It is my right. It is my destiny. And I have paid a high price for it.


He's just brilliant. And as we have all said before, it's even more incredible when you realize that this very same man can inhabit the character this sweet, ineffectual, dreamer just as believably.

[anglophile]

Oh, my. what an incredible friday morning you ladies have provided. this is almost as good as the 'hands' thread, which was my introduction 'on board' to what deep thinkers we all are and how vested we are in digging out every nuance. could there be a richer source for our mining abilities? keep it up. Please keep it up. i'm thinking of moving all the TVs in my house into one room, arranging them side by side and equipping each with a favorite DVD stopped at just the right moment. Talk about inspiration for creating! Too bad my editor doesn't pay me to "write rufus!!"

[anglophile]

was attempting to snare my sister-in-law with the first round of tpote this afternoon and got caught up in roof's grief when agnes dies. i think someone mentioned the finger to the nose in another thread once, but there is something about that gesture that touches me so much. wonder what he was thinking of when the director said tears had to flow? this must be the sixth time i've watched it, and i still cry watching him cry.

[anglophile]

came to a new appreciation of non-verbal moments in the first two episodes of Zen last night. still love the banging the head on the steering wheel moment, but there are so many others. most of them involving his love life. the ones that had me giggling last night were when he's in the prostitute's bedroom and she's slipping in and out of clothes. what a gentleman to turn his back as she disrobes. mama would be proud. he's just so good at conveying the different range of emotions that would wash over a virile gentleman at that point.

and then there's albert. that boy is telling us a whole lot of stuff it's hard to hear because it's so painful to take in.
i've realized i tend to be more sympathetic to men than to women in many situations, but rufus sure makes it easy for me.

[vmaciv]

I agree with Francesca about Zen steering wheel scene. My sister and I laughed hysterically. There was no need to say a word his actions spoke very loudly. Therer was a wonderful scene at the end of Dark City when he is standing on the pier with the woman who was once his wife. There is that look in his eyes that says he understands he is has conquered the world but it is not cocky but effectively scary. And my favorite is the episode in 11th Hour when he is talking about cloning people - his voice, weariness in his eyes and his physical demeanor, I absolutely knew I would never forget Jacob Hood.