I don't mean to scare you with so much of the Cowboys and Aliens cast in one headline, but I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind: Is Daniel Craig, the rugged movie adventurer with the cobalt glow in his eye, the proper successor to his alien-thrashing co-star Harrison Ford? With the release of this week's Dream House, we're investigating both actors' pasts to discover whether they're cinematically related.
Heroes hot and cool
For years, Pierce Brosnan played James Bond as tight-lipped extension of Remington Steele. Fun but chilly. When Craig assumed the role of Ian Fleming's hero in 2006, his characterization emphasized intellect, endurance, and true pheromonal charm. That's easily more of an homage to Indiana Jones than any previous Bond, as Craig's performance truly eschews camp of any kind. Hint: That makes him the best James Bond ever (and Eva Green the best Bond girl).
Domestic intrigue
Dream House may seem like a retread of The Others from its trailer, but its intense focus on spousal distrust and creepy domesticity smacks of Ford's 2000 thriller What Lies Beneath. Both Craig and Ford bring the same harried self-examination to these parts, and they do "confounded" better than any other leading actor in the game. Hitchcock would've scooped both of them.
Dystopian troubadours
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, starring Craig, is shaping up to be the freakiest, most technologically driven thriller of the year. This hearkens back to Ford's role in Blade Runner, the indefatigably noir sci-fi romp from '82. Both films are also notable for their polarizing characters (and Blade Runner itself is about as polarizing as it gets), but Ford and Craig commit with gusto to their highly stylized films. They're like epic music videos without the music. Janie's Got a Grudge, am I right, Fincher?
They're the same person.
What's weirdest about this comparison is how Daniel Craig looks not just like Ford, but a little like Calista Flockhart, too -- especially in Cowboys and Aliens (see top picture). He also looks like Edie Falco, but that's not important right now. Bottom line: Sunken, weathered machismo is an immortal crowd-pleaser, and these two sport it loudly. I only hope Craig avoids whatever versions of Regarding Henrys and Sabrina remakes come his way. Then again, he already took on Cowboys and Aliens. Still smarts.