Kris Kristofferson's gravelly voice and relaxed bearing made him a persuasive outlaw, mentor or lawman. We value him most when that easy authority turns unpleasant: his corrupt sheriff in Lone Star gives us good reason to distrust it.
Fi1m perspective
Kris Kristofferson looks comfortable with authority in Lone Star (1996), and that is what makes his Charlie Wade unsettling. John Sayles gives him a corrupt sheriff to play, putting the actor's gravelly voice and relaxed bearing to an unpleasant use. We felt uneasy watching him because Wade seems so at home with the power he abuses. Kristofferson makes the character register within a crowded ensemble without needing to turn every appearance into an announcement.
He played Billy opposite James Coburn in Sam Peckinpah's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). A Star Is Born (1976) gave him the leading role of John Norman Howard opposite Barbra Streisand. His songwriting experience lends that music-industry character a useful credibility. After Heaven's Gate (1980), his work shifted towards supporting parts and television. Those smaller parts suited his ability to establish a presence quickly, though there is a risk of accepting the familiar voice as sufficient characterisation.
Lone Star shows why the supporting work deserves attention on its own terms. Chris Cooper makes Sam Deeds's thinking visible, and Elizabeth Peña gives Pilar Cruz the emotional directness the patient mystery needs. Kristofferson's Wade and Matthew McConaughey's Buddy Deeds register just as clearly among the many other lives. We rate the film highly, with a reservation about writing that occasionally makes the town's connections too neat. Sayles gets the balance right with his actors, giving us reason to pay attention to the people who listen as well as those who speak.
The later mentor role of Abraham Whistler in Blade (1998), alongside Wesley Snipes, found another use for Kristofferson's gruff assurance. It is sensible casting, though less surprising than Sayles turning that assurance towards corruption. We are most interested when a director has a use for his ease beyond asking us to enjoy his company. Start with Lone Star; do not expect the familiar voice to be a comfort.
Biography
Kris Kristofferson was an American actor and singer-songwriter. He appeared as Charlie Wade in the 1996 film Lone Star.
His acting credits include Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976), Convoy (1978), Heaven's Gate (1980), Stagecoach (1986), Payback (1999), Planet of the Apes (2001), and the Blade film series (1998–2004) as Abraham Whistler. He was also a member of the country supergroup The Highwaymen.
Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.
