James Caan, his death and legacy as an ‘Old Hollywood’ legend

• Caan is considered by many to be “one of the last greats of a bygone era”.
• His performance as Santino “Sonny” Corleone in “The Godfather” is arguably his best-known.
• Caan’s career spanned more than 40 years in film and television.

James Caan was one of those people, whom we lost this week at age 82.

With a career stretching from the early 1960s to the present, Caan is considered by many to be “one of the last greats of a bygone era.” Fast Charlie, his last film, is scheduled for posthumous release.

It’s been amazing to reflect on how many fantastic films he was a part of after hearing the news of his passing and attempt to choose which was his best performance.

Any discussion of James Caan’s filmography must, of course, include his portrayal of Santino “Sonny” Corleone in “The Godfather.” Sonny was just a supporting character, but what made the scene so brilliant is that anytime he appears on screen, the audience tends to pay close attention to him. Simply put, his intensity managed to draw your attention more effectively than anyone else’s.

Among other words, Sonny was always dominant in a group of tough-guy criminals.

That’s really saying something when you consider that “The Godfather” also stars prominent Hollywood heavyweights like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert Duvall. Caan simply had a presence and “cool factor” that the other actors lacked, or at the very least couldn’t match, when sharing the screen.

Despite frequently portraying hitmen, mafia lords, and violent guys, Caan was never really typecast as an actor, which is another indication of his greatness.

James Caan may be best remembered by members of my generation for “Elf” in 2003. Although “Elf” has become a contemporary Christmas classic, it’s kind of disappointing that people my generation tend to watch it when Caan produced so many other, superior films. To each their own, though; “Elf” is still a beloved film.

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Greatest James Caan performance, excepting “The Godfather,” is undoubtedly his portrayal of the bedridden writer Paul Sheldon in filmmaker Rob Reiner’s 1990 version of Stephen King’s “Misery.”

Then there was “Brian’s Song,” a 1970 TV movie that many people have referred to as “the one movie that made even the tough guys weep.”

As seen by his portrayal of crime leader Mr. Henry in the 1996 film “Bottle Rocket,” which also starred Owen and Luke Wilson, Caan was capable of being humorous. In Mel Brooks’ underappreciated 1976 comedy “Silent Movie,” Caan also starred as himself.

To put it mildly, Caan’s career in film and television has been extremely successful.

Even though it can be difficult to see the bright side when someone you love passes away, for performers, musicians, authors, and other members of the entertainment industry, it presents an opportunity to try new things or go back to old favourites.

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The 1975 film “Rollerball,” for instance, which many critics and admirers cite as one of Caan’s best. Another highly praised movie “Thief” from 1981.

In addition, Caan appeared with Robert Mitchum in “El Dorado”.

One method to honour Caan’s legacy is to write a book that lists all the many roles and movies he appeared in.

The greatest method for a movie lover to remember Caan is to just go see the movies. Investigate “Jimmy” Caan’s long career to understand the kind of impact he had on Hollywood cinema, and realise that performers of his calibre are hard to come by these days.