Kevin Costner: From Superstar to Superego
The Untouchables to Waterworld
Jun 17, 2009 Adam Dalton-Wyatt
1987's The Untouchables made Kevin Costner a star. Playing real life law enforcement officer Elliot Ness, a man whose efforts put legendary gangster Al Capone behind bars, Costner is immediately established as an all-American good guy, the same role he would play for years.
Bull Durham as Everyman
Costner's next two notable films, both centred on baseball, drove home just how all-American he was. In 1988's Bull Durham, he is an outsider, a minor league player bumped down to train a pitcher in the lower leagues. Of course, through the love of a good woman, Costner learns to love his new place in life. He further establishes himself as an everyman during his “I believe” speech in which he outlines a very traditionally American belief system, about true love, Christmas and trusting your government. Oswald, after all, acted alone.
The conservativeness in this speech is meant to mirror the conservative American public. True, later in his career Costner plays a man who believed that Oswald did not act alone, in 1991’s JFK. However, the modern star will often play against his usual persona in order to demonstrate his acting skills, then revert to type.
In 1989, Costner starred in Field of Dreams another baseball movie, making the name Costner almost synonymous with the word baseball. Very helpful for his all-American superstar status.
Dances with Wolves, the tale of a civil-war era lieutenant who finds a home within a Sioux tribe, was the height of Costner's star power. It had been established that the treatment of the native people by the “white man” was reprehensible, and thus it was safe for Costner to go against the American army here. For his efforts, he received seven Academy Awards and almost universal praise from critics.
Prince of Thieves, King of Kings
But now he begins to slip. In 1991 Costner starred in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, playing what was ostensibly Robin Hood, but what truly came across as Kevin Costner in the time of Robin Hood.
In 1995's Waterworld, Costner's love of himself, and desire to display that love on the screen, becomes most apparent. Critics were not kind, and audiences were less so. His character in the film doesn't have a name, making it almost unavoidable that the viewer thinks of him as Kevin Costner, with gills. Waterworld's status as a national joke meant Costner’s last film as a true star was almost entirely ignored.
The Postman released in 1997 saw Costner return to the director's chair, and elevate himself to new levels of godhood. Once again he played a character with no name. Unfortunately, audiences did not think as highly of Costner as he clearly did: the film had a budget of $80 million, and made $17 million in the box office.
The Aftermath of a Fallen Star
His star-power clearly fading, Costner retreated to the safe zone of baseball with 1999's For the Love of the Game directed by Sam Raimi. Unfortunately this film was not well received, and failed to make back its production budget.
Costner continues to employ his star persona in his current films, but they are no longer drawing the crowds. America’s love affair with Kevin Costner appears to have run its course.
References
Castillo, E.D. (1991, Summer). Review:[untitled]. Film Quarterly, 44 (4), 14-23.
Sarris, A. (1977). Actors vs. directors: The actor as auteur. In Weis, E. (Ed.), The Movie Star (pp. 5- 10). New York: Penguin.
Shcikel, R. (1971). Stars vs. celebrities: The deterioration of the star system. In Weis, E. (Ed.), The Movie Star (pp. 10-23). New York: Penguin.
Westerbeck, C.L. (1971). Stars vs. actors: The importance of being Oscar. In Weis, E. (Ed.), The Movie Star (pp. 5-10). New York: Penguin.
Costner, K. (Director). (1990). Dances with Wolves [Motion Picture]. USA: Tig Productions.
Costner, K. (Director). (1997). The Postman [Motion Picture]. USA: Tig Productions.
DePalma, D. (Director). (1987). The Untouchables [Motion Picture]. USA: Paramount.
Reynolds, K. (Director). (1991). Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [Motion Picture]. USA: Warner Bros.
Reynolds, K. (Director). (1995). Waterworld [Motion Picture]. USA: Universal.
Shelton, R. (Director). (1988). Bull Durham [Motion Picture]. USA: The Mount Company.
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