Alan King brings a comedian’s conversational ease to men accustomed to being obeyed. We rate him most when a film gives that authority something to do; Casino makes a stronger case for him than Rush Hour 2.
Fi1m perspective
Alan King makes a man used to giving orders sound as though he is merely having a conversation. As Andy Stone, the corrupt union official in Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995), he gives authority the ease of long practice. We find him persuasive because he makes the man’s position credible without needing to make him likeable. His habit of finding humour in unpleasant characters helps him avoid making them uniformly grim.
His early film roles often reduced the stand-up comedian to an ethnic type. Repeated work with Sidney Lumet, beginning in 1968, gave him more substantial opportunities across four films. The rabbi in Bye Bye Braverman (1968) and businessman Max Herschel in Just Tell Me What You Want (1980) gave his familiar authority different uses. The latter is a rare leading role as a ruthless tycoon, and a useful reminder to look beyond the supporting appearances when considering what King could do.
Casino gives his authority a business we can understand. We were absorbed by its account of how the money is made, because each explanation made the struggle for control matter more. Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing keeps the operation comprehensible without making it look simple. Robert Richardson’s photography makes Las Vegas feel oppressively extravagant, placing King’s matter-of-fact presence in surroundings that rarely permit understatement. The repeated confrontations do wear us down, but King fits the film’s patient attention to the people who keep such an operation running.
The later Rush Hour 2 (2001), with King as Steve Reign, is a less useful place to start. Jackie Chan’s acrobatics and his rapport with Chris Tucker supply most of the pleasure, while thin plotting gives us less reason to take an interest in the supporting characters. The repetitive racial jokes are a further obstacle, and a seasoned actor cannot supply fresh comic ideas on a screenplay’s behalf. We would choose Casino for King’s authority within an ensemble; Just Tell Me What You Want is the next stop for anyone wanting him at the centre.
Biography
Alan King was an American comedian and actor. He played Andy Stone in Martin Scorsese's Casino (1995) and appeared in other films including Cat's Eye (1985), The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990), Memories of Me (1988) and Rush Hour 2 (2001). He also had television roles and voiced characters in animated series such as Family Guy.
King began performing stand-up comedy in the Catskills after leaving school. He became a regular on The Ed Sullivan Show and guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He acted on Broadway, including as Nathan Detroit in a revival of Guys and Dolls, hosted the Academy Awards in 1972, and hosted New York Friars Club roasts. King also produced films and plays, and wrote books.
