The Significance of Sydney Pollack

[Splishak]

There has been some small discussion of Sydney Pollack's character in the show - Dr. Warren Feldman. He played a doctor who murdered his wife, her aunt and the mailman. SP is a great director and actor and has been in some very big movies. He directed Tootsie and had a producer credit and an acting part too.

There may well be some non-obvious significance to the character he plays in this episode. On the surface, he plays a doctor who murdered his wife and was now in prison working as an orderly. Kind of a big co-incidence that he happened to specialize in exactly the kind of disease that JS had. He told Johnny that he probably had a year or so to live but was proven wrong.

OK. But is that all there is to the significance of this character? It hardly seems like a good reason to use such a distinguished professional to play this part. DC doesn't usually have characters appear to play "throwaway" parts and it seems like a waste to use such a distinguished pro to play such a small part in a "throwaway role". If this is all there is to SP's role, I'm left thinking there must be something more to it, other than what appeared on the surface.

Anyone have any ideas?

One possibility is that DC might just be a big fan and wanted to have SP appear in the show - perhaps as a matter of prestige. Or perhaps it was just an issue of one professional wanting to have another professional associated with his work. Still, I get the feeling that there must be something more to this than meets the eye and that this doctor character will either appear again or that he will somehow impact future events.

There is nothing in IMDB about David Chase and Pollack ever having previously worked together. Still, it seems to me there must be more to this than meets the eye.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001628/

[Rike]

Johnny Sac seemed to be talking about mob business a whole lot more openly when he was sure he was dying. Then, that wife killer even brought up the recent hit on the NY guy to Johnny as if he was probing for more information. It made me a bit uncomfortable to see Sac flappin' his mouth off. Who knows what else he told this guy... and if it was anything important, I would expect to see that character resurface again soon.

[Splishak]

Aha! Very nice conjecture. Maybe this guy wasn't a doctor at all but was really an FBI agent?

I know that is just a longshot. But that's exactly what making conjectures is all about. How would it be if that panned out?

[stulongisland]

Who is more evil? A Doctor who saved lives with his skill and is well acclaimed but killed his family members and the postman for his status' demise or a man who runs a crime family whose murdering people kept him successful with criminal and leadership skills / expertise whose focus is saving his immediate family, financial arrangement, love of wife and children.

[Splishak]

OK. I'll admit that Johnny Sac is more evil than the doctor character. But how does that make the doctor important to the story line or give him any additional weight in terms of the plot?

Maybe I'm not understanding you?

[Universal Polymath]

I think Rike's theory about the character resurfacing later on would make for a great storyline, and Sydney Pollack is a very skilled actor. However, I'm not sure Johnny Sac really gave him that much information, or at least any that could be used against anyone later on. We only saw him tell the "And that was Carmine Lupertazzi" story, but the only reason he probably felt comfortable sharing that one was that Carmine is already dead. I doubt he shared too much else, especially dealing with anyone currently alive and susceptible to legal implications.

Plus, when the question of this character's significance was brought up earlier in another thread, my initial thought was that Sydney Pollack was simply playing in a "throwaway" role here. I think since this was Johnny Sac's last episode, David Chase wanted to give Vincent Curatola a lot of screen time - and felt the need to introduce a new, interesting (but ultimately inconsequential) character for him to interact with in the process.

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling this character won't be coming back.

[chaseisgod]

I could be wrong, but I have a feeling this character won't be coming back.

I agree. I don't see Pollack's role here being much different than Hal Holbrook's or Ben Kingsley's or that actor who played Dr. Pfeffler (sp). They've never been shy about having some big-name guest stars. The interesting thing is, I thought Pollack's acting, like Bogdonavich's, was very good. Maybe these directors are on the wrong side of the camera.

[Splishak]

I doubt he shared too much else, especially dealing with anyone currently alive and susceptible to legal implications.

Well, if he is willing to smoke and says that he don't give a shit about that because, "what have I got to lose?", I think the same attitude might apply towards his oath of Omerta.

I could be wrong, but it seems to fit with that attitude.

[ChristophersRelapse]

"I've been wanting to meet you."

Didn't his character say something like that? It struck me as weird at the time and with all this speculation that he could be more important to the story, maybe he IS an FBI agent. I don't think he is, but his character seemed to be really needy of John. Possibly he made a deal with the FBI to shorten his time in the can.

[peeayebee]

I think since this was Johnny Sac's last episode, David Chase wanted to give Vincent Curatola a lot of screen time - and felt the need to introduce a new, interesting (but ultimately inconsequential) character for him to interact with in the process.
I like your theory.

It would have been disappointing if Johnny Sack's last ep didn't have much meat in it for him. He needed more than just scenes with his family. And the character, Warren, had an interesting little story himself and was a rather macabre character, so that was good. The irony of the guy's life (a life-giver who became a life-taker) was a nice note.

He gave Johnny false hope -- and the viewers, as well. Was there anyone else besides me who hoped he was right and Johnny would last another year or so?

[PFloyd69]

I think that post was spot on UP. The story Johnny was telling SP and the other inmate/patient was about Carmine who is deceased on the show. At this point that wouldn't really affect anything, even if Pollack was somehow playing an undercover fed (which i doubt). What stood out to me about the story was that Johnny, upon reflection, seemed to be speaking of Carmine Sr. with much admiration even though they didn't exactly have a great relationship leading up to Carmine's death (what with trying to whack each other and all).

If you remember, when John was talking to Anthony he said that being boss is a thankless job. Maybe this revelation gave him a new appreciation for Carmine who was able to successfully run a family for many years. By mob standards the ability to earn everything you can from a guy and also stay loyal to your friends is obviously a big plus. That's what the story that JS was telling was about.

[Universal Polymath]

He gave Johnny false hope -- and the viewers, as well. Was there anyone else besides me who hoped he was right and Johnny would last another year or so?

I had a feeling John was going to go this episode because of a review I read on the FOX site that said there was a "tragic death" in episode two. But I love his character, and would have wished for him to last at least a few more episodes. I would have loved a last scene between him and Tony, though I know that's really wishful thinking, because Tony wouldn't really have that much of a reason to go visit him.


I think that post was spot on UP.

Thanks! Glad you think so! And you make a good point about John’s apparent admiration for Carmine – being as he wanted Carmine killed a few years ago. You’re probably right, those guys really don’t realize how heavy the crown is until they’re sitting on the throne themselves, and being the big man gave John a new respect for how well Carmine handled the pressure during his tenure.

[Al Sikeli]

Heavy is the crown.

I thought Sydney Pollack was going to be one of two things - and everyone who gets a bit on the Sopranos is - either a significant character or one who seemed like he was going to be. Hardly anyone is nothing, but sometimes they end up not being so much. My "significant" thought was he was either an FBI agent inside or a stoolie. They did kind of set it up that way. Johnny Sack was talking shop to everyone, so it kind of left it hanging that he was talking about Tony Soprano at some point - but they didn't show that. And by laying out his laundry list with no emotion, the guy could play the pathological card pretty well. He did manage to gain his confidence without any real substance. Or he could be a classic "what if" dead end.

That is why I keep watching.

[ballermann]

well, pollack gave johnny sac a worthy stage, stage 5 maybe?
pollack has some strongness and certainty in his character that surely made johnny sac worth remembering.

but also....he tells john when the docs say 3 months, that means usually a window of 1-3 years.when his cancer doc starts talking about miracles sac doesnt want to hear about it either.sac might have suicided through firing up his lung cancer.