Born May 22nd: Laurence Olivier

[CBHagman]

What's your favorite Olivier film? Role?

IMDB page:

[url]http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000059/[/url]

[Matilda]

1. How do you choose?

Whether playing the classics or making a cameo appearance in later years, he was never bad, even when he appeared in bad films.

For me, his "Hamlet" ranks as one of the great performances of all time in one of the greatest films of all time. I never tire of it. But some of his early lighter works are great fun to watch - he's a delight in "The Divorce of Lady X", and he makes "That Hamilton Woman" bearable (sorry, Vivien). And he was wonderful in such films as "Sleuth" (detestable), "The Entertainer" (sleazy), "Marathon Man" (chilling) and "Rebecca" (both suave and lost at the same time). As an actor, he was next to God.

And then there's Mr Darcy - in a film that took many liberties with the story, he was in a class of his own, notwithstanding some fine performances from other actors. He is Mr Darcy. Of all his films, that's how I think of him, and when I read the book, he is what I see.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[CBHagman]

2. Tragedies, comedies, histories, mysteries, epics...

...he made them all.

It's been years since I've seen the TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth, which relied not on spectacle but the Scriptures themselves. It was one of those productions with numerous stalwarts of British and American theater, television, and film, but Olivier made the most of his scenes as Nicodemus.

[Matilda]

3. And there was also his superb narration of The World At War.

I don't know whether it played in the U.S., but it was an excellent documentary series in itself and gained immeasurably from Olivier's crisp diction, not to mention his ability to create emotional power when needed.

It was made back in the 80s I think, and it still screens on the History channel from time to time - the video has faded badly, but the voice is still crystal clear. I think it was a classic series and deserves to be remastered.

[Matilda]

4. 22nd May was also the birthday of Richard Wagner.

That Taurus/Gemini cusp certainly packs a punch!