Oscar Profile #243: Morgan Freeman

Born June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee to Mayme Edna Freeman, a teacher and her husband, Morgan, a barber, Morgan Freeman has been ac ting since the age of 9 when he performed in a school play.

After serving four years in the U.S. Air Force (1955-1959), Freeman began to pursue his acting career in earnest. He made his film debut in an uncredited role in 1965’s The Pawnbroker, and continued to appear in minor, often uncredited, roles until his Broadway debut in the Pearl Bailey-Cab Calloway production of Hello, Dolly! in 1967. While playing a supporting role in the 1970 musical, Purlie he understudied lead Cleavon Little and later took over his role. Post-Purlie, Freeman was a member of TV’s Electric Company from 1971-1977. During this time he moved up the cast lists on his films but didn’t achieve real success on screen until 1987’s Street Smart. His portrayal of a vicious pimp earned him the first of his five Oscar nominations to date.

Off-Broadway Freeman had won his third Obie for his portrayal of the chauffer in Driving Miss Daisy, a role he repeated in the Oscar-winning 1989 film version for which he received his own second Oscar nomination, his first in a lead role. A Northern Army Sergeant Major in 1989’s Glory, he voiced Frederick Douglas in the acclaimed 1990 TV series, The Civil War and then appeared in leads and semi-leads for the remainder of the decade, often narrating his films either as his character or as himself.

Among Freeman’s most memorable films during the 1990s were the Oscar-winning Unforgiven, the Oscar nominated The Shawshank Redemption for which he received his own third Oscar nomination (his second in lead), Se7en and Amistad. 1997’s The Long Way Home, which he narrated, won an Oscar for Best Documentary, the first of two narrated by the actor. 2005’s March of the Penguins would be the second.

Freeman’s films in the first decade of the 21st Century include The Big Bounce, the Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby (his fourth personal Oscar nomination, the second in support and his first win), Batman Begins, War of the Worlds, Gone Baby Gone, The Dark Knight and Invictus (his fifth Oscar nomination and third as lead).

In this decade the still very busy actor has been in such films as RED, The Dark Knight Rises, Olympus Has Fallen, The LEGO Movie (voice only) and 5 Flights Up.

Morgan Freeman has completed three yet to be released films including the third film version of Ben-Hur and will soon begin production on a remake of Going in Syle. He recently celebrated his 78th birthday.

ESSENTIAL FILMS

DRIVING MISS DAISY (1989), directed by Bruce Bereseford

Freeman’s film career didn’t take off until he was past 50 with his Oscar nominated performance in Street Smart, but once it did he soared to the top of everyone’s list of favorite actors. He became a major star with his Oscar nominated turn as Hoke the chauffer opposite Jessica Tandy in her Oscar-winning role as the title character. He had originated the role in the 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning play opposite Dana Ivey.

Although the film has three other important characters, it is mostly a two character act that depends on the contributions of both its leads and Freeman is every bit as good as the legendary Tandy. The Oscar race pitted him against Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July and Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot. He and Cruise were considered neck-and-neck for the win, but Day-Lewis emerged as the winner.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994), directed by Frank Darabont

This was the middle film of three in which Freeman played the buddy/mentor of the leading character. In the Oscar-winning Unforgiven he was Clint Eastwood’s long-time friend and fellow avenger. In Se7en he was the veteran detective who takes rookie Brad Pitt under his wing. In Shawshank, based on Stephen King’s short story, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, he plays a prison inmate who bonds with the younger Tim Robbins over the course of many years. The two plan a prison break in which a poster of Rita Hayworth plays a major part.

Freeman was nominated for an Oscar for a third time for his highly sympathetic performance,

MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004), directed by Clint Eastwood

Freeman narrates this strong film about the relationship between his character, his friend Eastwood and the scrappy female fighter (Hilary Swank) they train.

The film, originally intended as a 2005 release, was a last minute entry in the 2004 Oscar race and easily won Swank her second Oscar and Freeman his first and only to date. Eastwood won his third and fourth for producing and directing the year’s Best Picture. He also received his second acting nomination, losing to Jamie Foxx in Ray.

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (2005), directed by Luc Jacquet

The actor’s distinctive authoritative, but clam and kindly voice is used to perfection in the English language version of this Oscar-winning documentary from France. The film was a hit in the U.S., a rare achievement for a documentary, based largely on Freeman’s narration.

This was the second documentary Oscar winner narrated by Freeman. The first was 1997’s The Long Way Home about the plight of the World War II Jewish refugees that led to the founding of Israel.

5 FLIGHTS UP (2015), directed by Richard Loncraine

Freeman is terrific his first major starring role in some time as an elderly artist, who along with his wife, Diane Keaton, is attempting to sell the Brooklyn walk-up they have lived in for forty years and move to an elevator building.

The film’s premise might be a slight one, but the wry comedy and dry wit it engenders encourages many winks and nods from its audiences, particularly the elderly ones. Unlike most films today, in which the younger you are the more you will enjoy it, this one is the complete opposite. The older you are, the more you will enjoy it.