An Ode to James Spader: The King of Unconventional Romance
Words: Mallory Merlo
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Posterboy for left-of-centre, elusive men and object of affection for movie mavericks everywhere, James Spader is my favourite actor. Commanding the screen big and small for nearly 50 years, Spader has managed to carve a unique place in Hollywood where he makes his own rules and leaves a truly singular path of inimitable roles in his wake. In today’s entertainment landscape, there don’t seem to be any working actors who hold a candle to what Spader perfected so naturally in his prime: The role of the beautiful, complicated, sex-positive male lead with a pretty boy softness and morally ambiguous set of values.
An individualistic performer who began making strides in ‘80s films like Pretty in Pink (1986), Less Than Zero (1987), and sex, lies, and videotape (1989), Spader seemed to defy the traditional hunk or guy-next-door tropes, and instead occupied a fascinating lane more adjacent to a cagey old Hollywood star than brat pack members Anthony Michael Hall or Andrew McCarthy, with whom Spader ran in similar circles at the time. I remember when I first saw him in the Howard Deutch-directed and John Hughes-penned Pretty in Pink opposite my favourite actress, Molly Ringwald. I became enamoured by his portrayal of preppy villain Steff (a yuppy creep type, as one reporter dubbed him) who aims to ruin Ringwald’s character’s life because she rejects his advances. Spader captivated my attention as the bad boy I was supposed to despise (but didn’t), and was lucky enough to never actually encounter in high school.
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In Secretary (2002), Spader picked up the pace in being a controversial character that inspires desire. He stars alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal as a sadomasochistic boss who introduces Gyllenhaal’s character to a world of S&M she never knew existed. His unconventional character acts eager to find a sexual partner who can match his self-described perverted desires, however ashamed of them he may seem. Earlier in his career, in David Cronenberg’s Crash (1996), Spader similarly delved into the world of sexual fetishes by portraying a character ensnared in an underground coterie of bisexual car crash victims turned on by the prospect and/or act of being injured in a motor vehicle accident. Actively seeking out atypical sexually-charged roles, Spader began to develop a resumé centred around human’s most innate, carnal desire: flesh.
However, the throughline in both of the above films demonstrates what Spader succeeds at best is the unflinching portrayal of an unconventional romantic lead. His roles were never just about sex; he routinely played these types of characters – free, distant, and enticing – in many other films (see White Palace (1990), Dream Lover (1993), and Bad Influence (1990)), but always respected each character as wholly unique, real, and distinct from the last. While James from Crash, Mr. Grey from Secretary, or Graham from sex, lies, and videotape seem to possess a deeper desire for something deviating from the “norm”, their similarity comes in a need to be understood. They crave affection and personal connection, just like the audiences these films reeled in. By Spader actively seeking out roles that toyed with notions of gender and sexuality he could buck a traditionalist Hollywood system, but still ultimately depict characters that have a humanity and dignity to them. In turn, he ensnared fresh flocks of fans who adored him for his looks, but respected him for his commitment to depicting nonconformist romantic relationships that revealed a deeper truth about the human condition.
“Actively seeking out atypical sexually-charged roles, Spader began to develop a resumé centred around human’s most innate, carnal desire: flesh.”
Spader has spoken at length about his upbringing in a house of mostly women and how he never felt that the human body or sexuality were taboo subjects. In an interview for Playboy, Spader says, “I don’t know a time when sexuality wasn’t the prism through which I saw the world.” This perspective is certainly evident in his filmography, and makes Spader, according to Emma Chaplin from pauseliveaction, “the thinking woman’s pervert.” Spader’s staunch defence of his filmography only continues to entice new fans who find a common thread in his work of passion, acceptance, and perversion.
Spader has since dialled down his erotic roles in recent years, starring in NBC’s FBI thriller The Blacklist and Marvel’s superhero film Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the layer of his personality dedicated to boundary-pushing still remains. Throughout the prime of his life as Hollywood’s resident hot weirdo, he shaped many people’s perceptions of what it means to love and be loved. For Spader and his roundup of characters, there is no wrong way to engage with the world through your sexuality and there is certainly never a time to feel guilty for it.
