Comments on: The Essentials: 5 Best Max Von Sydow Performances

By: Derek McDermott

Derek McDermott — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 09:46:33 +0000

Max is a fantastic actor and no more brilliant in Pelle the conqueror . I\’ve always thought Max Von Sydow was one of the most highly rated European actors of his day. A MASTER of his craft. Good life to him.

By: Jakeem

Jakeem — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 18:56:27 +0000

He\’s also one of the rare actors who\’s played God (actually Christ in "The Greatest Story Ever Told") and the Devil (in "Needful Things") onscreen.

By: Patty

Patty — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 03:09:17 +0000

What I believe is extremely sad is not seeing any credit given to the most important part as the lead actor for the greatest story ever told! After his part in that film nothing nothing could come close in meaning or performance.

By: abbi

abbi — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 17:00:01 +0000

how about "the greatest story ever told" i could not stop crying

By: Nanks

Nanks — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:26:08 +0000

It's a crime that, like Peter O'Toole, Max has never won an Oscar. He should have won for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. In a film that I found to be remarkably unsentimental about a devastating illness, Max carried the emotional weight of the entire film in the phone call scene.

By: MAL

MAL — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:00:39 +0000

He is my favourite actor. So glad you included his performance in "The Diving Bell…". So many of his performances could be included here. My personal favourite of his is in Bergman's "Shame". He plays an everyman civilian caught up in a war he does not understand. His struggle between fear and cowardice is powerful and painful, with his most striking moments (alongside his equal in Liv Ullman) performed without dialogue, using only expression.

By: gert

gert — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:36:04 +0000

He was great in Beginners. Oh wait..!

By: Duckface

Duckface — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:36:12 +0000

Pelle The Conqueor????

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:13:16 +0000

No "Flash Gordon" = FAIL. Period.

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:05:58 +0000

He was only in a couple of scenes, but von Sydow was hilarious in "Hannah and Her Sisters"

"If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up"

By: Real

Real — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:27:34 +0000

Great you included "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly". Fantastic, touching performance but I thought you might overlook it due to the brevity.

By: Ugolin

Ugolin — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:02:10 +0000

I love the Hour of the Wolf addition, although I think Shame was the greater performance that year. Also surprised you left out Pelle the Conqueror – I assumed that'd be on the list for sure. Honorable Mentions to Hamsun, Flight of the Eagle, and The Emigrants.

By: Archer S.

Archer S. — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:27:13 +0000

If one really thinks about it picking The Exorcist was not such an obvious choice. So thank you for this. People tend to forget that Von Sydow was 44 years old back then and yet he is amazingly convincing as a weary old man. Thanks to Dick Smith's make-up yes, but also because he's a great actor.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:22:51 +0000

Von Sydow is also quite good in "Flight of the Eagle" (1983)