"A FEW GOOD MEN"

Opinions and Comparisons

Compiled by Pat Paone

For those of us who were unable to travel to New York City in 1990 to see Ron Perlman appear in "A Few Good Men," it was wonderful to be able to share in the experiences of the fortunate people who did attend, through their letters and reviews in various fan-based publications.

In order to share these views with Perlman fans everywhere, I have put together a compilation of short extracts from a variety of these reviews which describe both Ron's performance in the play, and meeting with him after the show.

On Ron's performance.

"We were all impressed by Ron's magnificent performance. He made a thoroughly convincing villain - mean, rude and heartless. We, at the same time, loved him and hated his guts. This is a man who really comes to life before an audience. He radiates power and is impossible to ignore, even when he is merely standing in the background and the spotlights are on the other actors. There was more than one occasion when he literally stole the show. He is a truly gifted actor and a great comedian."

"His performance as Col. Jessep is remarkable. Not only does he make you forget he played a romantic, bigger-than-life hero as Vincent, but by the end of the play, you really hate him! An extraordinary compliment to Mr Perlman's acting abilities."

"All the actors and the one actress in the show are excellent, and Ron's presence is commanding and electrifying."

"I would like to say here, for the record, that Mr Perlman's performance was extraordinary. Those who attended the play hoping to see simply another facet of Vincent, may have been a little shocked. He plays a Marine Corps officer of criminal character - and explicit vocabulary! I don't know how or where he researched this role, but I found his portrayal realistic in the extreme."

"He was so obnoxious, so chauvinistic, so despicably funny - in short, so different from the man we'd just met on the street outside - that I was awed by his stage presence. Here, I thought, is a man who could play anything."

"It is a credit to Ron's astonishing acting skills that he can, for three hours, make one forget gentle Vincent and be totally convincing as this "man monster" Lt. Colonel Nathan Jessep."

"I witnessed with loathing this obnoxious, chauvinistic, very crude, totally condescending, arrogant man who believes everything he says and does is right."

"A Few Good Men is a very funny play pierced with dramatic moments that send a shiver down one's spine. The suicide scene does this effectively as does Jessep when he talks quietly. His voice may be low but the intimidation is unmistakable. With the slightest of body movements, Ron manages to convey a threatening gesture, and when he shouts! Well… you jump out of your seat!"

"I was curious to see how someone who could play tender-hearted Vincent, would become a not-so-nice Jessep, especially since he'd had only a short time to prepare. Mr Perlman's performance was thoroughly convincing. It was a shocker to see him like that."

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On meeting Ron Perlman after the play.

"We already liked Mr Perlman for bringing our hero, Vincent, to life, but now we admire him even more as an actor and performer in general. His friendly understanding for his fans and his modesty and gentleness in real life made us appreciate him as a person."

"For those who would come hoping to catch one more glimpse of Vincent, I suspect they found him afterwards - in Ron, at the stage door. I know I did. Rarely have I met a more gracious person. Through the years I've had occasion to see stars and their fans behave badly; but there is something so inherently civilized and gentle about this man that he seemed to "incite" that behaviour in the rest of us as well."

"On every occasion - even when he was clearly tired - he was patient and courteous."

"After signing autographs and having his picture taken with countless strangers, he never left without looking around and asking, "Now does everyone have what they want? Did anyone need anything else?"

"He could not be more different [from Jessep] in real life. He seems very laid back and relaxed, gentle and gracious, and has a soft-spoken voice. In every review I have read, of people who have met Ron Perlman, the same adjectives have been used to describe him. I searched to find other words, but he really is gentle, gracious and genuinely grateful to the people who come to see him."

"When he came out he found his Mom waiting for him, and he nearly missed us standing there. He looked exhausted, and quite serious, and I thought it might be best if we didn't bother him, but he turned and saw us and came back to sign autographs for us."

"When I try to explain what it is about Ron Perlman that I like so much, the word that always comes to mind is - special."

"A shower and a change of clothes had transformed him from a villainous colonel, who had nailed us to our seats with one piercing look from those clear blue eyes, into a gentle, smiling man who greeted us very kindly. We loved the play, and it was wonderful meeting Ron Perlman and talking to him."

"He was very nice to everyone and stopped to talk to a woman who had been his fifth grade teacher. She gave him a box of cookies, which he carried into the theatre with him."

"Not everyone is willing to take the time to sign autographs for their fans. It was a thrill to see Ron come out, all smiles, and proceed to make sure that everyone had an autograph before he headed off down the street for dinner."

"The whole experience was very special for me, and I want to thank Ron Perlman for providing the highlights of my vacation in New York. He's a special, talented man who deserves all his success and all of his devoted fans."

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