Travolta vs. Willis: May the best man win

John Travolta and Bruce Willis have gone from TV heartthrobs to big-screen stars. They’ve played cops, schleps, action heroes, villains and have been in the armed forces repeatedly.

They’re two of today’s biggest stars, yet recently you wouldn’t know it from the duds they’ve been starring in. But I’ve got high hopes for Travolta’s new one, “Be Cool” and for Willis’ “Hostage” and for his role in the ensemble film noir “Sin City.”

Yet when it comes time to choose which actor to see, how do you decide? Don’t worry, I’ve done the dirty work for you.

Breakthrough performance
On TV, Travolta was a teen heartthrob as one “Welcome Back Kotter’s” sweathogs, while Willis charmed Cybill Shephard out of her pants on “Moonlighting.” But each man's breakthrough performance is on the big screen is easy to spot: Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” (1977), while Willis’ was a decade later in “Die Hard” (1988).

Travolta danced, strutted and charmed his way through a movie that showcased the ’70s disco craze, but the movie — because of Travolta — hasn’t gone the way of disco. It’s still great today, even if the bellbottoms and platforms shoes aren’t. Travolta was nominated for an Academy Award for playing Tony Manero (Vinnie Barbarino can act!), gave us all dance moves to copy, and showed us that if you had great hair, you can go far. Well, great hair and a white leisure suit.

This was also when we got that first peek at the Travolta strut, which surfaces in his best stuff like “Get Shorty” and “Pulp Fiction.”

Willis’ John McClane wasn’t that different from TV’s David Addison, just a little tougher and he was allowed to cuss. Well, make that a lot tougher. (You try running around a skyscraper after running barefoot across a floor of broken glass.) He’s so good it spawned two sequels and gave him the wisecracking, cocksure persona that he often uses. It’s what he quietly does in “Nobody’s Fool” and in “Pulp Fiction,” just without the action sequences.

This established Willis as a guy who could carry a movie and an action movie, no less. That’s a great market to break into, one that Travolta’s never been able to match. Stuff like “Face/Off” and “Broken Arrow” just doesn’t match up. EDGE: Willis.

Defining performance
“Die Hard” is the best action movie ever, and I can’t imagine anyone else in the role of John McClane. McClane’s the everyman, the balding action hero with the pithy comebacks and a never-ending supply of curse words. It’s easy to imagine yourself acting just as Willis did — that is, if you happen to be trapped in a building with an office full of hostages. Willis owns this role. Everyone who’s come after is just imitating him.

Travolta could’ve been Tony Manero forever and had a decent career. And he would’ve been if not for Quentin Tarantino. As Vincent Vega in “Pulp Fiction,” Travolta pulled himself out of “Look Who’s Talking” hell and danced with Uma Thurman, learned how to pound an adrenaline shot, debate the merits of an “According to Hoyle miracle” with Samuel L. Jackson and told the world that the French drown their fries in mayo, call the quarter pounder a “Royale with cheese,” and made me want to drink a $5 shake.

It was the movie of the ’90s — it showed a new generation what it meant to be cool, even if Vincent was a long-haired, overweight gangster with a heroin habit. EDGE: Travolta.

Staying power
They’ve both been maddeningly inconsistent throughout their careers. Gene Hackman and Michael Caine would be proud. Travolta’s trying to re-start his career with “Be Cool,” a “Get Shorty” sequel; Willis is resorting to making another “Die Hard.” (Though I can’t wait for either film.)

Travolta’s best years were the “Fever,” “Grease,” “Urban Cowboy” stretch, and then again with “Pulp Fiction,” “Get Shorty,” “Broken Arrow” and “Phenomenon” (though my brother Steve wants to wring my neck for including that one). Willis’ best run went “Pulp Fiction,” “Nobody’s Fool” and “12 Monkeys.” SLIGHT EDGE: Travolta.

Range
Willis has three types of roles: charming rogue, tough-guy cop and the brooder. He’s tried to add comedy, but I consider this a variation of his charming rogue character. This was the guy who women loved on “Moonlighting” and wooed Rachel on “Friends.”

Travolta has four: East Coast tough guy, over-the-top bad guy and authoritarian figure. His other character is the down-on-his-luck everyday guy, who can surface in comedies (“Look Who’s Talking”) or moodier movies like “White Man’s Burden” and “Mad City.” He also played an angel once, but I’m still trying to forget that one. He was pleasantly reserved in “Ladder 49” when he wasn’t guilty of overacting for the first time in years. The best example of his range is “Primary Colors” where he embodies Bill Clinton ... I mean, “Gov. Jack Stanton.” Forget the annoying smirk; he nails the body type. Travolta not only takes a broader range of roles, he also does them better. EDGE: Travolta.

Star power
Both guys’ box-office mojo has faltered recently. Willis’ lone 2004 offering, “The Whole Ten Yards,” was DOA and he hasn’t had a hit since 2000’s “Unbreakable.” The year before he had a monster in “The Sixth Sense.” Travolta had a modest success with last fall’s “Ladder 49,” but that was a long time since “The General’s Daughter” (1999).

So it’s a stretch to say either is a money-making guarantee. Let’s go to the numbers.

For those that love the weekend box-office grossing movies, this will make perfect sense. For everyone else, bear with me. Willis has two movies that grossed at least $200 million and another four $100 million entries, including voiceovers (like “Look Who’s Talking,” where Willis’ gets credit for a substantial role). Travolta has six $100 million flicks, though if you take inflation into account, “Grease” out-grosses anything Willis has, including “Sixth Sense” (Its $188 million take turns into $480 million according to boxofficemojo.com.) But I just care about the bottom line. Willis has a higher career-gross and has a better average per picture. Too many “Lucky Numbers” and “Two of a Kind” for Travolta.

If I’m a movie executive, I rely on Willis’ reputation to put people in the seats. Travolta needs a great role. EDGE: Willis.

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