Have Michael Caine, Peter O'Toole, Morgan Freeman, or Ian McKellen ever been in a movie where not every word coming out of their mouths seems so wise? Even if they spoke the line of dialogue "it's nice weather today," it just would seem so wise, deep, and interesting.

Why is that Tom Hanks so goddamn likable?

Because they know the material. Because they fit into all of the roles they play.

I'd like to see these guys try to play a role without that 'wise' attribute. I bet it'd be a real stretch.

Michael Caine isn't so wise in "Hannah and Her Sisters."

It's due to Kiefer Sutherland's favorite word: "Gravitas"

Caine, Freeman and McKellen are all great but everything O'Toole does lately seems like a parody of a wise old man.

In Venus, O'Toole is a funny ol' perv, but he's still wise...

Or "Quills".

Michael Caine wise?

Jaws The Revenge.

I don't think him choosing to be in the movie was unwise to him. It certainly didn't hurt him from getting more jobs.

It might not be a good movie at all...but as Caine has said on numerous occassions it paid for one of his houses. I can't say i blame some movies stars that cash in the odd time just for the hell of it. Its just the ones that cash in everytime that make me sick.

Peter O'Toole rarely plays a wise character. He usually plays a drunken playboy.

Ian McKellen is wise beyond his years...

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Age.

I think Morgan Freeman is pretty much that lovable old wise guy who'd say something like "it's very nice out today" and you'd be humbled.

I loved Peter O'Toole's performance in Venus, but in his earlier career (like Lawrence of Arabia) he didn't have that "wise" factor. I think it would be great to have O'Toole, Freeman and Cain in a movie together. That would be a "wise" movie.

Caine wasn't especially wise in that sandra bullock fashion/cop movie whose name escapes me now.

It's just age and the wisdom that comes with it. If Caine played Charlie Croker today, when he'd say "hang on chaps, I have a great idea", you'd believe him.

I get what the OP is saying. It's not that they're playing wise characters, but that they sound wise.

James Mason might be a good past example of this.

I think Michael Caine wasn't wise enough to accept On Deadly Ground with Steven Seagal.

Acting talent. The timbre of their voices help too.

Remember the cartoon where farmer Porky Pig brought in two roosters that looked like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra? Just the sound of their voices made the chickens swoon and lay eggs.

I don't remember Morgan Freeman sounding wise as Easy Reader on the Electric Company.

Why? They're old.

They can't run. They can't jump. They can't hump. Wise is all they got left.

Although I wouldn't agree with everyone on your list I think it is just pure charisma. At least in the case of Morgan Freeman and Ian McKellen.

I would also add Anthony Hopkins at the top of that list of "wise" actors.

See: Meet Joe Black or The Edge along with many other films he's been "wise" in.