Jack and Warren: Hollywood's Justified Bad Boys

by Brett Parker

In the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, reporter Sean Smith has written a cover article entitled “Summer of Scandal,” which focuses on the recent slew of Hollywood starlets who have been frequenting the tabloids with their excessive and reckless behavior. Of course this article is aimed mainly at the exploits of Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, and Britney Spears. In the article, an anonymous Hollywood executive makes a rather interesting analogy, “We seem to have entered the age of the bad girl…in the 70’s, we had the bad boys-guys like Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty…this is something new.”

Indeed, the tabloid frenzy over these bad girls can remind one of the days in which the bad boys of the 70s filled the scandal rags with now legendary stories of Hollywood excess. However, one can’t help but feel a difference in emotion towards the two parties of scandalous stars. Why do we smirk over Jack and Warren yet cringe over Lindsay and Britney? Why has the behavior of the boys become something of legend while the behavior of the girls is considered something of shame?

One of the most persistent theories is that people are more accepting of seeing male celebrities acting wild than they are of the female ones. For Hollywood has traditionally been a male-dominated organization, one that prefers to see its women as proper, well-behaved pretty faces than as hard-partying sex beasts. Tara Reid once famously pointed out that people are more accepting of Colin Farrell being promiscuous than they were of her. There is undoubtedly truth to this theory and I’m sure feminist writers could pen many accurate essays out of this idea. Yet I feel there just might be a deeper reason as to why we let Jack and Warren off the hook yet are still hard on Lindsay and Paris: solid credentials.

When it comes to Hollywood achievements, none of these current Hollywood starlets hold a candle to Nicholson and Beatty. By the time the 70’s rolled around, Jack Nicholson had already been established as a screen icon with his wonderful supporting performance in Easy Rider. Instead of indulging in obvious commercial affairs, Nicholson decided to focus on more artistic and significant projects such as Five Easy Pieces, Carnal Knowledge, Chinatown, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Throughout this decade, Nicholson garnered numerous Oscar nominations before finally winning one for Cuckoo’s Nest. His Oscar glory not only established him as a major Hollywood presence, but also displayed a new image of an American rebel that would forever influence modern cinema.

The 70s also saw Warren Beatty become a major creative force in Hollywood cinema. His producing and star efforts on the 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde had helped to usher in the historical “New Hollywood” cinema that became a staple with the 70s and forever changed the landscape of Hollywood filmmaking. While Beatty was established as a major movie star, it was his behind-the scenes efforts that had earned him several Oscar nominations. His producing, writing, and directing skills had earned him nominations for Bonnie and Clyde, Shampoo, and Heaven Can Wait (he won his first and only Oscar for Best Director for the 1981 film, Reds).

These two Hollywood giants were not only friends, but also neighbors who lived on Hollywood’s famous Mulholland Drive (Marlon Brando was another famous neighbor as well). Together, these two grew a tabloid reputation for being excessive Hollywood partiers. While they were said to have indulged in several vices, the dominant view was that Nicholson and Beatty went through women the way most people go through laundry. It was an era that was riding the coat tails of the free lovin’ 60s and Nicholson and Beatty were obviously still playing ball in the sexual revolution. However, it was the sudden awareness of STDs and the fizzling of the revolution that caused the two stars to grow more socially responsible. Nicholson himself once stated in an interview that a TIME magazine cover story on Herpes ruined the party for him.

A definite difference in time periods play a significant part in this argument of 70s bad boys vs. contemporary bad girls. The sexual revolution of the 70s had a certain “ignorance is bliss” quality that brought about a general acceptance of it in Hollywood. It wasn’t until the STD awareness in which a certain mellowing began to take place. The starlets of today’s Hollywood occupy an era in which certain vices and their consequences are strongly highlighted in the American consciousness. There have been several movements in education to help properly educate people (especially young ones) on the tragic dangers of binge drinking, drug use, and driving under the influence. It seems very unlikely that these women are completely oblivious to the facts on their excessive behavior. For them to keep indulging in it is not only scandalous, but rather stupid. While Nicholson and Beatty undoubtedly broke hearts, the starlets of today are a growing danger to themselves and to others. In an era in which people have seen John Belushi, River Phoenix, and Chris Farley lose their lives in Hollywood excess, it is no longer fun to see celebrities dancing on the edge.

I’m reminded of a scene in Hollywoodland in which Bob Hoskins’ ruthless studio chief snarls at a disgraced star with “faces change!” That’s basically what it comes down to: Lohan and Spears are easily replaceable, but there’s only one Jack and one Warren. With their countless awards and unforgettable cinematic achievements, it’s hard to picture what Hollywood history would’ve been like without them! While Lohan was great in Mean Girls and Spears scored some memorable pop songs, they haven’t done anything that the next It girls waiting in the wings can’t do the same or even better. Sure, these girls probably partied just as hard as Jack and Warren, but at least the boys knew when to start the party and when to end it. Jack and Warren made you feel that after some truly hard work, it’s okay to enjoy life. With Lindsay and Britney, you feel that spoiled rich girls are just plain out of control.