3 Most Underrated Tim Curry Movies That Show Just How Incredible He Was

Tim Curry’s most famous performances only scratch the surface of what made him such an extraordinary actor. Following his death at 80, some of his movies are worth revisiting because they reveal the remarkable range behind one of cinema’s most distinctive performers.

Curry leaves behind a legacy that few actors can match. He became immortal as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, turning a wildly theatrical performance into one of the most enduring characters in movie history. He later brought a completely different kind of menace to Pennywise in It, while Clue, Home Alone Two: Lost in New York, and Muppet Treasure Island all showed off hs impeccable comic timing and unmistakable screen presence.

Yet reducing Curry to his biggest cult hit-and-miss is what made his career so interesting. He could be theatrical without becoming cartoonish, frightening without raising his voice, and genuinely funny without losing sight of the character underneath the performance. Even in the movies that have been overlooked over the years, Curry often found something memorable to bring to each of his roles.

3

The Shout (1978)

Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski

A man shouting with has hands in the air in The Shout (1978)

The Shout is an early example of Tim Curry stepping outside the kind of role that made him famous. Released just three years after The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Jerzy Skolimowski’s psychological horror movie follows a young couple whose lives are upended by Crossley, a strange drifter who claims he has learned a deadly supernatural shout.

Curry plays Robert Graves, the writer whose story inspired the film. He only appears briefly, but the role is still interesting because Curry plays it so different compared to Frank-N-Furter. There is none of the larger-than-life theatricality here. Instead, he fits into the movie’s unsettling atmosphere by showing how easily he can disappear into a completely different kind of performance. The Shout may not be one of Curry’s best-known movies, but it is a great early reminder that his range extended well beyond the roles that made him a cult icon.

2

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Directed by John McTiernan

Sean Connery and Sam Neill in The Hunt for Red October

The Hunt for Red October gave Tim Curry the chance to do something audiences did not always get to see from him. He plays Dr. Yevgeni Petrov, the medical officer aboard the Soviet submarine Red October, in John McTiernan’s Cold War thriller. Sean Connery stars as Captain Marko Ramius, who plans to defect to the United States, while Alex Baldwin’s Jack Ryan tries to figure out what he is really up to.

Petrov is not a flashy part, and Curry does not try to make him one. He plays the doctor with a dry, serious demeanor that suits the submarine’s cramped quarters. Coming after roles like Frank-N-Furter, it is a nice change of pace and a reminder of how easily Curry could tone things down when the role called for it. With Connery, Baldwin, James Earl Jones, Sam Neill, and Scott Glenn filling out the cast, Curry could have easily been lost in the shuffle. Instead, he gives Petrov enough personality to stand out whenever he appears.

1

Clue (1985)

Directed by Johnathan Lynn

Tim Curry as Wadsworth talking to the cop in Clue

Clue gives Tim Curry one of his best comic roles, even if the rest of the cast gets more attention. As Wadsworth, he plays the butler with a straight face while everything around him becomes increasingly ridiculous. He is the one person who seems to know what is going on, which makes it even funnier when he eventually spirals and loses control.

Curry’s delivery never pushes the jokes too hard. Whether he is correcting Mr. Green after the infamous “Sit!” mix-up, putting Mr. Boddy in his place, or taking a shot at Colonel Mustard, Curry delivers the lines with the same calm confidence. That makes Wadsworth’s eventual outburst even better. After Boddy’s body is found again, he starts shouting at everyone before insisting he is not shouting, only for a candlestick to fall on his head.

Despite his funny lines and demeanor, given the ongoing circumstances, Curry portrays Wadsworth as hiding something very well. Curry leads on with just enough authority and mystery to keep viewers red flags ready at any time to raise. By the time the film reaches its multiple endings, Curry has already made Wadsworth one of the most memorable people in the mansion. Clue is a showcase for its entire ensemble, but Tim Curry gives the movie its center of gravity.