The Wrestleroffers us two distinct comebacks. After 15 years making bad films for Tony Scott and worse films for Derek P Nobody, Mickey Rourke delivers a performance that, unless a meteor strikes Hollywood, will secure the veteran an Oscar nomination.
Following the critical drubbing handed out to The Fountain, director Darren Aronofskyalso needed some love and now he has it in abundance. But who has had the most dramatic comeback in Hollywood?
Ben Affleckthe actor was the butt of jokes until Ben Affleck the director secured spiffing reviews for Gone Baby Gone.
Robert Downey Jrsurvived jail and an addiction to everything from beer to Brasso to deliver admired performances in smashes such as Iron Man and Tropic Thunder.
John Travoltawas making films featuring talking babies when Quentin Tarantinore-invented him for Pulp Fiction. (Ironically, following the Grindhousefiasco, Tarantino, who also salvaged the careers of such stars as Robert Forster, Pam Grierand David Carradine,now requires a bit of rescuing himself.)
Gloria Swansonhad made only one film in the previous 16 years when Billy Wilder propelled her into the untouchable Sunset Boulevard.
Bette Daviswas doing mediocre telly when Robert Aldrich persuaded her to make with the scowls in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?But it could be argued that the most effective comeback was so complete we have to be reminded that the star in question ever fell out of favour.
From Here to Eternityconvinced the world that Frank Sinatra,whose singing career was then stalling, could really act and launched the great man towards immortality.
