RIP: Maximilian Schell (1 Viewer)

[Thomas T]

The Oscar winning star of Judgment At Nuremberg and the star of Ryan's Daughter have died.

Schell's death has been announced on German television and Jones death confirmed by the Hollywood Reporter.

 

[Robin9]

Maximilian Schell was an excellent actor who rarely played in "commercial" movies. When he did, for example in St. Ives or Topkapi, he was always good but not showy and obvious.Christopher Jones I know only from Ryan's Daughter, one of my favorite films. The received wisdom on this is that Jones was hopeless. I've never found that even though I've seen this film about 20 times.

May they both rest in peace.

 

[Thomas T]

Christopher Jones I know only from Ryan's Daughter, one of my favorite films.

You might want to check out the cult film Wild In The Streets to see a very different Christopher Jones.

 

[David_B_K]

As a kid, i was a fan of the short-lived Legend of Jesse James on TV with Jones and Alan Case as the James Brothers. I think that's what I mainly remember him from.

 

[bujaki]

The passing of this great artist has been overlooked and overshadowed by the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Schell was another best actor Oscar winner, nominated another 2 times; and his versatility encompassed directing documentaries; TV appearances; and theatrical work as actor and director as well. According to the NYTimes, he was also an accomplished concert pianist in private. Check IMDB for a list of awards granted him.
We should not forget him in the wake of the loss of another great talent.

 

[Reed Grele]

All of the above... And:

"Mein herz schwimmt im blut!"

From one of my favorite scenes in a little gem called The Freshman.

You'll be missed Mr. Schell.

 

[John Hermes]

Another of Schell's films long overdue on Blu-ray is The Young Lions. Let's go, Fox!

 

[cb1]

Let's not forget his roles in A Bridge too Far and The Black Hole. Excellent actor! I enjoyed his style.

 

[Brian McP]

And his great documentary "Marlene" -- considering what he had to work with (taped interviews with Marlene Dietrich as she refused to appear in front of the camera, circa 1984), I thought he did a great job and his ability as a director (and for the audience, his ability as an actor to get us through this picture) was sensational.

I have to admit, like most of my generation, he'll always be Dr. Reinhardt in "The Black Hole", another role he made his own.

Being a rabid Ernest Borgnine fan, naturally I've seen this movie dozens of times (and had "The Story of 'The Black Hole' on record years before home video) -- there's a scene when Ernest, as a rather shifty journalist, is grilling Reinhardt over taking off with the spacecraft Cygnus and that it was an act of piracy -- if you watch them closely, it looks like they are trying to make each other laugh as they both have wild looks in their eyes and are grinning madly.

One sensed perhaps they both had known each other for years in Hollywood, both Oscar winners, and were truly enjoying the moment -- that's something I'll certainly remember....

 

[Jeffrey:K]

I mostly associate Schell with his work in the mid 1970s: Cross of Iron, Julia, A Bridge Too Far, St. Ives. He also directed a wonderful little blackly comic mystery called End of the Game.

Despite liking both Wild in the Streets and Ryan's Daughter Christopher Jones never made a strong impression on me. I can barely remember his presence in those movies, even though he was the lead role in the former. RIP nonetheless.

 

[MatthewA]

He was excellent as the German lawyer in Judgment at Nuremberg and he was probably the best thing about The Black Hole.

 

[andySu]

"Increase power to maximum. We are going THROUGH!"
Hans Reinhardt The Black Hole (1979)

 

[hypnotoad8128]

Sad news indeed. I had seen him in several films Black Hole, Ryan's Daughter, Deep Impact, etc. I'm embarrassed to say I hadn't seen him in his Oscar winning role in Judgement & Nuremberg. I recently received the bluray of the film I ordered after his death and watched it, he thoroughly deserved the award. The film is now high in my list of recognition too.

 

[Ejanss]

He was excellent as the German lawyer in Judgment at Nuremberg and he was probably the best thing about The Black Hole.

Being of that same particular generation, I'd only associated him with The Black Hole until I saw Nuremberg on TCM:

 

[Vic Pardo]

NUREMBERG is full of great performers (Lancaster, Clift, Dietrich, Garland, Widmark, Tracy, etc.) and Schell was a relative newcomer at the time yet he really carries the emotional core of that film from start to finish. Well-deserved Oscar if ever there was one.

And, yeah, he's the one I remember most from BLACK HOLE.

 

[vidiot33]

I believe William Shatner had a small role also

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Best line from Deep Impact..."When you were a baby, I dropped you on your head." Only he could have pulled that line off.

 

[Tommy R]

I've been reading Robert K. Massie's biography on Peter the Great recently, still only about halfway through it, but have discovered that a tv mini-series was made from the book in the 80's with Maximilian Schell as Peter. I'm ashamed to say I'm not familiar with him or most of his work (I've seen Deep Impact but couldn't even guess who he played in it, or even much else about that film for the matter). I purchased a used 3-VHS set of the Peter the Great mini-series on amazon and will watch it when I'm done with the book.