In Character: John Turturro

There’s a fine class of actors that Spike Lee keeps in his pocket. People he can rely on to deliver, no matter the size of the part. Likewise the Coen brothers, who write with a specific actor in mind, all but knowing that they will accept the part because it’s a… Coen brothers movie. But few people have the rare distinction of being in the pocket of both the Coens and Spike Lee. That’s the effect of a John Turturro performance. Whether he’s the wiseass or the moron, the crook or the cop, the ill fated or the hero, you know that when John Turturro appears in the role call, you’re in for something worthy and oddly enjoyable.

Five Essential Roles

Five Corners (1987)

Heinz Sabantino

We’ve seen John Turturro play most any role there is, but rarely do we have a chance to see him play an out-and-out psychopath like Heinz Sabantino.

The entire dramatic narrative of Five Corners hinges on Heinz’s release from prison. Heinz was sent-up for the attempted rape of his neighbor, Linda (Jodie Foster). Now that he has been released, Linda and her friends are forced to adjust their lives accordingly.

Look, Five Corners isn’t a very good film, and most of the performances are phoned in at best. But not Turturro’s. In what was his most substantial role to date, he really went all in with Heinz, painting a convincing portrait of a man long ago gone mad. And hey, Turturro’s work in Five Corners so impressed Spike Lee, that it led the director to cast him in…

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Pino

One of the most interesting things about Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing is the juxtaposition between Sal (Danny Aiello) and his two sons, Pino and Vito (Richard Edson). Sal has made a living serving an almost exclusively black clientele, and he respects their differences. He serves them pizza, and they treat his business with respect. Vito is a kind simpleton who doesn’t understand the notion of racism. He values everyone equally. Pino is an unapologetic racist who hates where he works and the people who eat his food. But why? Why is Pino so hateful? What in his life made him despise black people so much, when his father and brother clearly do not? I haven’t a clue, and I suspect Pino doesn’t either.

Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Bernie Bernbaum

Bernie Bernbaum has to be the most despicable character John Turturro has ever played, which is high praise, considering he’s played many of them so well. As a moronic bookie who inadvertently starts a local mob war, Bernie is the kind of guy who thinks he’s far more valuable than he actually is. In fact, it’s quite hilarious when you realize the very intricate web that the Coen brothers created for Miller’s Crossing depends entirely on what Bernie does. If he lives, the war goes on. If he dies, then all’s well that ends well.

Still, despite Turturro purposefully playing Bernie as a baboon, nothing takes away from the gut wrenching moment in which Bernie literally begs his would-be killer, Tom (Gabriel Byrne) for his life. It’s such a difficult moment to watch, making Bernie’s eventual deceit that much more frustrating.

Quiz Show (1994)

Herb Stempel

What a poor bastard Herb Stempel is. As a patsy for NBC’s popular game show, Twenty One, Herb exists solely to increase ratings. People behind the scenes at NBC give Herb the answers to his questions before the show tapes, giving viewers at home a particular bit of inspiration that “any of us can make it.” But once ratings start to slip, NBC bosses (and their sponsors) agree that Herb has to go, so they order him to take a dive. Herb battles this moral conundrum relentlessly before finally giving in. The question he is forced to lose on is so pleasantly meta, that I won’t spoil it here for those who haven’t seen Quiz Show. Like I said… poor bastard.

Rounders (1998)

Joey Knish

“You little punk. I’m not playing for the thrill of fuckin’ victory here. I owe rent, alimony, child support. I play for money. My kids eat.”

Joey Knish really feels like a back alley card shark, rounding his way through life, making a buck where he can, when he can. It’s the slender frame, pale skin, and dark clothes that make this character feel wholly authentic. Writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman give Knish succinct, purposeful sentences. We know this guy is important, because he carries himself with a subtlety of importance. I just love the sleazy confidence Turturro brought to his role here.

The Best of the Best

Barton Fink (1991)

Barton Fink

There’s nothing better than an actor completely owning a role. When I watch Barton Fink, I don’t watch John Turturro play Barton Fink, I watch Barton Fink simply live out his life. That’s how tied to the character Turturro has become. The Coen brothers have admitted that they specifically wrote the part of Barton with Turturro in mind. Seldom can I think of more appropriate casting in a film.

As a playwright enjoying newfound success, Barton Fink is hired by a Hollywood film producer to write scripts on retainer. His first script appears to be a simple one: a generic wrestling film that shouldn’t take long for Barton to draft. But there’s a block. Nagging sensations that won’t allow him to focus. Whether it’s the incessant buzzing of misquotes in his room, a noisy neighbor with an ulterior motive, or a picture on his wall begging to be understood, Barton is a man creatively congested. And watching him suffer through the perils of the Hollywood system makes not only for some of the finest work the Coens ever put on screen, but my favorite Turturro performance as well.

Barton Fink is a film filled with rabbit holes and trap doors; any number of things for the viewer to get lost in. But if we’re abandoned, then we are comforted by the fact that Barton is equally misguided. Turturro’s work in Barton Fink isn’t acting, it’s becoming.

Other Notable Roles

In The Big Lebowski

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

The Color of Money (1986)

Mo’ Better Blues (1990)

State of Grace (1990)

Jungle Fever (1991)

Mac (1992)

Being Human (1994)

Clockers (1995)

Girl 6 (1996)

Grace of My Heart (1996)

Box of Moon Light (1996)

He Got Game (1998)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Cradle Will Rock (1999)

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

The Man Who Cried (2000)

Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001)

Fear X (2003)

Secret Window (2004)

She Hate Me (2004)

Monk (2004-2008)

The Good Shepherd (2006)

Slipstream (2007)

Flight of the Conchords (2007)

The Bronx is Burning (2007)

Margot at the Wedding (2007)

What Just Happened (2008)