Anthony Perkins remains one of Hollywood’s most underrated actors. Despite gaining fame and anteriority for his iconic role as Norman Bates (see below), the rest of the viewing public knows little about the rest of his filmography. His soft-spoken charisma, deceiving appearance, and brutal double side made him one of the most enigmatic figures to grace the screen, made even more so redundant through his perfectly timed moments of deception. Here are some of his best performances:
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5 Psycho II (1983)
Universal Pictures Distribution
Reprising his iconic role after more than 20 years, Perkins demonstrated he was still a masterful performer capable of conveying a wide range of emotions. After the events of the first film, Norman has done his best to remain sane and a functioning member of society. A series of murders begin to take place, and while everyone is quick to point the finger at Norman, he maintains his innocence and becomes part of the manhunt for the real killer. Perkins beautifully balances the thinly veiled honesty of Bates with the brooding and dark forces permeating his mind, giving us the impression of a man battling his inner demons as best he can. As the movie starts to pick up steam, the more the veil is perturbed, leading to a shocking climax that ushers in a new story.
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4 How Awful About Allan (1970)
ABC Pcitures Distribution
Playing a tormented man who lost his father in a fire despite his best efforts to save him and ultimately losing his vision in the process, Perkins delivers an unnerving performance of a man searching for comfort and peace. Upon hearing voices and acting erratically, Allan seeks the help of a psychiatrist, but as the apparitions become more and more common, he begins to suspect there’s something else causing his discomfort. Perkins plays the disturbed man with ease and focus, giving the same cool and harrowing vibes as his previous famous roles. The cunning and slow descent into despair is communicated by Perkins on an almost personal level, a trademark of his style of acting.
3 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
National General Pictures Distributions
Showing his mellower and softer side as Reverend LaSalle, Perkins delivers a tour de force acting performance, holding his own against heavyweights Paul Newman and John Houston. After an outlaw takes control of a small town, acting as judge, jury, and executioner, Perkins’ LaSalle acts as a counter force to his many misdeeds, serving more as the viewer’s collective conscience in the face of all the despicable acts of violence and torment he witnesses. The moments between him and Newman are riveting and filled with moral and ethical debates on the nature of violence and its purpose, making it an even more harrowing experience once he’s confronted by the true nature of his situation.
2 The Trial (1962)
Astor Pictures Distributions
Directed by the legendary Orson Welles, Perkins earned the role of K. thanks in large part to his subtle performance in Psycho (see below). An adaptation of Franz Kafka’s posthumous novel of the same name, The Trial’s plot deals with an innocent man who is charged for an unknown crime he did not commit. The story follows K.’s attempts to clear his name and free himself from the shackles of a bureaucratic system unrepentant, menacing, malicious, and all-encompassing. Everywhere he turns, there’s another obstacle in the way, leading to a degraded mental state to the point of insanity.
Welles and Perkins brilliantly capture the existential dread of Kafka’s story, keeping the viewers on edge in every direction with fantastic acting and camera techniques. Perkins stands out through his perfect encapsulation of a downward spiral, and his monologues are nothing short of riveting and haunting, capturing the authenticity of the novel’s condition. Despite having a different ending from the novel, the weight and power of the situation serves as a strong reminder of just how quickly one’s life can change just through sheer entropy.
1 Psycho (1960)
Paramount Pictures Studios Distributions
A role synonymous with mommy issues, Perkins and legendary director Alfred Hitchcock (and Robert Bloch) created one of pop-culture’s most iconic villains in what can best be described as lighting in a bottle. No one knew what to expect when Psycho came out in 1960, and needless to say, the reaction was everything Hitchcock expected and more. After stealing $60,000 ($600,000 in today’s money) Marion Crane decides to stop at the Bates Motel down the freeway for a little bit of R&R. The man in charge of the motel, Norman, appears to be a smart, passionate, and well-adjusted young man who, despite his mother’s apparent mistreatment, still finds a way to be happy. As the movie progresses all is revealed to be a facade, with Norman showing his true colors in what is easily one of cinema’s most visceral and shocking plot twists.
What makes the movie work to almost perfection is Perkins’ otherworldly acting, fully carving and embracing the Bates persona as a valuable leather coat that once taken off it completely shows his unhinged form. It is the complete conviction one gets out of him that really sells the whole persona, enhancing the entire movie in the process by making every actor who shares screen time with him even more convincing. His role will continue to inspire and frighten movie-goers for the decades to come.
