The Kenbog: Remembering James Caan

James Caan came to prominence with the iconic role of Sonny Corleone in 1972’s “The Godfather.” The mecurial eldest brother of the Corleone clan was aggressive, violent and fiercely loyal to his family, taking even business slights as a sign to go to war. His beat-down of brother-in-law Carlo (for beating up on sister Connie) and his subsequent death in a hail of gunfire at a toll booth ambush are legendary scenes that have become inconic in the cinematic landscape. He was also able to bring humanity to Sonny in a way that made the audiences sympathize with a man who was a hardened criminal. He was a far cry from the calculating and eventually cruel youngest brother Michael (Al Pacino), who would take over as Don and absolutely destroy the heads of The Five Families. In a way, engineering Sonny’s death provided the impetus for their own destruction.

Caan’s been in the business for decades, both in television and film. He was memorable as the young sidekick Mississippi in the John Wayne western “El Dorado” and would play inconic roles during the seventies in films such as “Rollerball”, “Freebie And The Bean,” “The Killer Elite,” and the terrific television drama “Brian’s Song.” He really shined in Michael Mann’s debut feature as a master thief trying to go straight in 1981’s “Thief.” In 1990 he got a real taste of blockbuster success when he costarred opposite the Oscar-winning Kathy Bates in the adaptation of Stephen King’s best seller “Misery” in which he played best selling novelist Paul Sheldon who, after a traffic accident, is nursed back to health by Annie Wilkes (Bates), his “number one fan” who just happens to be more than a little unhinged. He later starred in the successful series “Las Vegas” as a casino owner opposite Josh Duhaumel.

His filmography is, of course, legendary, but for me he was one of those actors who could elevate an average film into something special just by his appearance in it. The two most notable examples I can think of are “Alien Nation” a sci-fi allegory about prejudicial behavior that is just as relevant today as it was back in 1988 and “Eraser” a 1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle that features Caan as a ruthless corrupt operative running his own game against former collegue Schwarzenegger. Both films are decent enough, but Caan’s performance elevates them both into highly entertaining films.

James Caan was a great actor who had a terrific career as one of Hollywood’s preeminent tough guys and managed to charm just about everyone he worked with along the way. As my good buddy Pat Walsh said recently, he’s one of those guys who seemed too tough to die. He is a legend who’s like we will never see again. Farewell, Mr. Caan. . .you will be missed!

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