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Post by petrolino on Aug 22, 2024 2:32:02 GMT
More than a cliche, I think he was a generational talent in both theatre and cinema. But what say you?
I love this guy (am I wrong) ...
Thanks!
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Post by Catman on Aug 22, 2024 2:44:55 GMT
You are correct, sir.
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Post by petrolino on Aug 22, 2024 3:00:06 GMT
Thank you!
Mr. Laurence Olivier
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Post by mikef6 on Aug 22, 2024 4:45:55 GMT
Olivier Movie Shakespeare
As You Like It / Paul Czinner (1936). This was Laurence Olivier’s first filmed Shakespeare and the only Shakespeare movie where he was not Oscar nominated. Even though he was, at the time, the Golden Boy of the English stage, he was not yet World’s Greatest Actor. In fact, the top billed player in this film, Elisabeth Bergner (who is billed above the title), by the most English of all writers, was born in eastern Europe and grew up in Vienna. English wasn’t even her first language (although you couldn’t tell it unless you knew already). Olivier’s name doesn’t show up until the third title card after Bergner and the film title.
The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fifth with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France / Laurence Olivier (1944). Olivier directed and starred in this, the first movie from a Shakespeare play to be filmed in color. It was made and released as a civilian morale booster in England during the Big War. King Henry is made to be a valiant, noble, and merciful King. His more ruthless moves are cut from the text. Nevertheless, Olivier not only turned Shakespeare into a major screenwriter, but directed an innovative and imaginative motion picture.
Hamlet / Laurence Olivier (1948). There is not much left to say about Olivier’s Oscar winning film of Shakespeare’s most famous play. When Sir Larry finally decided to make a film of Hamlet he was determined to be “ruthlessly bold” in adapting the play to the film medium. (Olivier had become Sir Laurence Olivier, Knight Bachelor, the previous year.) Although he received a ton of letters complaining that this or that favorite moment had been left out, his stand was that Hamlet the play and Hamlet the film were two different creatures. Having said that and recognized his artistic intentions, I confess that I have always had problems with both the production itself and Olivier’s performance. In spite of the good intentions of the “abstract Hamlet” it always seemed to me to be old-fashioned stodgy and stagy with a bunch of British trained actors speaking in a way no speaker had spoken in Real Life for several centuries, if ever. It may have been an experimental Hamlet but it still wasn’t a 20th century Hamlet. I recommend its viewing, but not as a First Hamlet.
Richard III / Laurence Olivier (1955). Olivier produces, directs, and stars as probably the world’s most famous sociopathic king. He surrounds himself with all kinds of major talent from the English theater and movies: Cedric Hardwicke as King Edward IV; John Gielgud as Richard’s older brother, the Duke of Clarence; Claire Bloom; Alec Clunes; Laurence Naismith; and, best of all, Ralph Richardson as Buckingham. Future “names” Michael Gough and Patrick Troughton have small roles. As a performer, as I have said before, that especially in Shakespeare Olivier has one foot in a past declamatory style of acting and the other in a more modern “naturalistic” style. In this way, Olivier was something of a transitional figure. Both of these styles are perfectly blended in his portrayal of King Richard. He seems to be having some fun with the character at times, making him darkly humorous.
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Post by petrolino on Aug 22, 2024 4:54:02 GMT
Olivier Movie Shakespeare As You Like It / Paul Czinner (1936). This was Laurence Olivier’s first filmed Shakespeare and the only Shakespeare movie where he was not Oscar nominated. Even though he was, at the time, the Golden Boy of the English stage, he was not yet World’s Greatest Actor. In fact, the top billed player in this film, Elisabeth Bergner (who is billed above the title), by the most English of all writers, was born in eastern Europe and grew up in Vienna. English wasn’t even her first language (although you couldn’t tell it unless you knew already). Olivier’s name doesn’t show up until the third title card after Bergner and the film title. The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fifth with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France / Laurence Olivier (1944). Olivier directed and starred in this, the first movie from a Shakespeare play to be filmed in color. It was made and released as a civilian morale booster in England during the Big War. King Henry is made to be a valiant, noble, and merciful King. His more ruthless moves are cut from the text. Nevertheless, Olivier not only turned Shakespeare into a major screenwriter, but directed an innovative and imaginative motion picture. Hamlet / Laurence Olivier (1948). There is not much left to say about Olivier’s Oscar winning film of Shakespeare’s most famous play. When Sir Larry finally decided to make a film of Hamlet he was determined to be “ruthlessly bold” in adapting the play to the film medium. (Olivier had become Sir Laurence Olivier, Knight Bachelor, the previous year.) Although he received a ton of letters complaining that this or that favorite moment had been left out, his stand was that Hamlet the play and Hamlet the film were two different creatures. Having said that and recognized his artistic intentions, I confess that I have always had problems with both the production itself and Olivier’s performance. In spite of the good intentions of the “abstract Hamlet” it always seemed to me to be old-fashioned stodgy and stagy with a bunch of British trained actors speaking in a way no speaker had spoken in Real Life for several centuries, if ever. It may have been an experimental Hamlet but it still wasn’t a 20th century Hamlet. I recommend its viewing, but not as a First Hamlet. Richard III / Laurence Olivier (1955). Olivier produces, directs, and stars as probably the world’s most famous sociopathic king. He surrounds himself with all kinds of major talent from the English theater and movies: Cedric Hardwicke as King Edward IV; John Gielgud as Richard’s older brother, the Duke of Clarence; Claire Bloom; Alec Clunes; Laurence Naismith; and, best of all, Ralph Richardson as Buckingham. Future “names” Michael Gough and Patrick Troughton have small roles. As a performer, as I have said before, that especially in Shakespeare Olivier has one foot in a past declamatory style of acting and the other in a more modern “naturalistic” style. In this way, Olivier was something of a transitional figure. Both of these styles are perfectly blended in his portrayal of King Richard. He seems to be having some fun with the character at times, making him darkly humorous.
Fascinating rundown, thanks. I feel 'Richard III' is the best . Yet is there a greater Shakespearian actor seen on film since? I cannot think of even one.
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Post by claudius on Aug 22, 2024 14:40:16 GMT
Where’s OTHELLO ‘65, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ‘73, and KING LEAR ‘83?
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Post by mikef6 on Aug 22, 2024 18:52:53 GMT
Where’s OTHELLO ‘65, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ‘73, and KING LEAR ‘83? I haven’t seen the ’65 Othello since many years before I started writing reviews. I remember thinking that Olivier, with a made-up accent, in blackface, and rolling his eyes, gave an external, rather than internal, performance. Further, Frank Finlay played Iago as cold and calculating all the way through even though Iago is supposed to be a trusted friend. I have only seen clips of Olivier’s Shylock which looked to me to take the slow and reverential approach to Shakespeare that usually makes me give up on it. I haven’t seen King Lear but it is on YouTube so I may dip into to that. What did you think of these productions? Should I take another look at them?
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Post by claudius on Aug 23, 2024 0:16:31 GMT
Well since your thread was of his Shakespeare films I figured it would have been more complete.
I really haven’t seen MERCHANT & LEAR, although I should have done that considering last year’s 50th and 40th anniversary of both.
I haven’t seen OTHELLO in a while although I recently bought a box set of Warner-owned Shakespeare films (their MIDSUMMER, MGMs ROMEO & JULIET, Branagh’s HAMLET) so I ought to give it a better look.
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Post by Rufus-T on Aug 23, 2024 2:30:43 GMT
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Post by Teleadm on Aug 23, 2024 5:37:39 GMT
My earliest memory of seeing Olivier was probably Rebecca 1940 on TV in the early 1970's. When I started going to the more grown-up cinema it was the older Olivier in Marathon Man 1976 and The Boys from Brazil 1978. The latest I've seen that stuck out has been... Olivier the swashbuckler in Fire Over England 1937, an entertaining historical romp. As the superintendent in search of a missing child in Bunny Lake is Missing 1965. An amusing cameo... As the baffled police constable who happens to be the first person, besides the inventor, to see moving pictures in The Magic Box 1951
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Post by spiderwort on Aug 23, 2024 15:59:41 GMT
You are right, petrolino . A generational talent, indeed. And I wanted to mention one of his roles (though brief) that I really enjoyed later in his career, in the Brideshead Revisited miniseries (1981).
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Post by Rufus-T on Aug 23, 2024 16:53:38 GMT
You are right, petrolino . A generational talent, indeed. And I wanted to mention one of his roles (though brief) that I really enjoyed later in his career, in the Brideshead Revisited miniseries (1981). I bought the Brideshead Revisited DVD set when it was on sale, but have not gone through the series yet. I know it is one of the best TV mini-series there is.
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Post by spiderwort on Aug 23, 2024 17:16:51 GMT
I bought the Brideshead Revisited DVD set when it was on sale, but have not gone through the series yet. I know it is one of the best TV mini-series there is. Oh, it is one of the best of all time! It's a brilliant, very faithful adaptation of the Evelyn Waugh novel. I know there's a 2008 film adaptation, too, but I've chosen not to watch it, because I love the mini-series so much and don't want to spoil that memory. I hope you enjoy watching it.
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Post by politicidal1 on Aug 23, 2024 19:30:18 GMT
We can skip ahead of Inchon (1982).
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Post by petrolino on Aug 24, 2024 2:28:23 GMT
I bought the Brideshead Revisited DVD set when it was on sale, but have not gone through the series yet. I know it is one of the best TV mini-series there is. Oh, it is one of the best of all time! It's a brilliant, very faithful adaptation of the Evelyn Waugh novel. I know there's a 2008 film adaptation, too, but I've chosen not to watch it, because I love the mini-series so much and don't want to spoil that memory. I hope you enjoy watching it.
I recently watched Malcolm McDowell in a restored version of the television piece 'She Fell Among Thieves' (1978) which was screening on the BBC4 channel, a showcase for Eileen Atkins, directed by Clive Donner, based on a novel by Dornford Yates, with a screenplay by novelist Tom Sharpe no less.
Outside of his work in British theatre and film, McDowell was a noted television actor in his early days and my absolute favourite is 'The Collection' (1976) with McDowell joined by his friends Alan Bates and Helen Mirren, with the gaffer Larry Olivier, based on a play by the greatest English playwright of the modern history of violent pauses, Harold Pinter. Are you kidding me?!
Network DVD
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