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Subject: Charles Laughton Author: Susan [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 20:52:05 01/05/06 Thu In reply to: Susan G. 's message, "Re: WHY???" on 07:56:42 12/20/05 Tue I agree with you, Bob *is* far more attractive in "Vessel of Wrath"--probably at his most handsome ever! But--looks being entirely incidental to the reason I admire him ;-)-- I still prefer him in the lead role. (And, yes, coming from the "superficial" TV generation, I much prefer seeing him in color!) It's nothing against Charles Laughton; I just think Newton was far more charismatic in the role. Honestly, I've only ever seen Laughton in the few films he's done with Robert Newton. (I vaguely remember seeing him in some other movie in which he played a judge, in which he seemed adequate.) Unfortunately, my first (most lasting) impression of him is from Jamaica Inn, and (being a huge fan of the book) I feel that he ruined that film. Reading behind-the-scenes tales of his being impossible to work with, which resulted in Hitchcock's near-abdication as director and the author's complete denunciation of the film, and knowing that it was Laughton's production company which held creative control, hasn't done much to improve my opinion of him. On the other hand, seeing his work in "I, Claudius," thanks to the footage that appeared in the documentary "The Epic That Never Was," I do think he would have been quite good in the role had the film been completed, which might have happened if he'd had a more agreeable director. In that documentary, Emlyn Williams, another actor I adore, defends Charles Laughton quite convincingly, along with his reputation for being difficult. Also, I believe Robert Newton was a friend of his and admired his work. Maureen O'Hara, whose career he helped to launch, always speaks very highly of him and with great affection, so he must have been a decent person. But, alas, none of that makes his scenes any more watchable for me in Jamaica Inn! I guess I need to see more of his films in order to cancel out that first impression. (BTW, I thought he was fine in the Beachcomber, just not as good as Bob in that role.) [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> [> Subject: Vessel of Wrath Author: Susan [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 23:30:12 01/05/06 Thu I don't think Michelle said she disliked Charles Laughton either, per se, only that she didn't care for that version of the movie. So I'm curious, what didn't you like about it, Michelle? How about a review? :-) [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Vessel of Wrath Author: Lois [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 09:49:26 01/06/06 Fri Charles Laughton films that you ought to have a look at:- "The Private Life of Henry VIII" GB, 1933 "Mutiny on the Bounty" US, 1935 "Rembrant" GB, 1936 "Hunchback of Notre Dame" US, 1939 Plus his appearances in "Les Miserables" 1935 starrring the superb Freddy March! And despite his tiny role in "The Paradine Case" 1947, he was excellent (he was so unbelievably creepy - ugh!) From the snippets of "I, Claudius" (from "The Epic that Never Was") he would have been spellbinding. It is such a shame that the film was never realised - not that Sternberg was totally to blame, neither was the fault all Laughton's, but a combination of forces. I note that the documentary was very polite over the termination of the film production when the whole thing did get quite nasty. (BTW, isn't Dirk Bogarde a dish!) [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Vessel of Wrath Author: Susan [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 15:04:44 01/06/06 Fri Thanks for the tips. I'll try to check those out. (I don't think I saw "Mutiny on the Bounty," but somehow I can hear Laughton's voice in my head shouting "Mr. Christian!" As we know with Bobby, he must've done something right with the role if so many people have imitated him. There's also a great imitation of him in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, when Bugs is forced to serve him Hasenpfeffer.) "The Paradine Case"--I think that's the other one I saw him in. (I was eventually going to put a mention of that movie in the section at the bottom of my reviews, "The Robert Newton Movies That Never Were," but, like, three years later, I still haven't got around to it. (You should see my To Do list for this site! I could make a full-time job out of it, really.) Anyway, Alfred Hitchcock had desperately wanted RN for the role that Louis Jourdan eventually got. So, of course, I watched it trying to picture Bob in the role. Can you imagine two more different actors in the role? (It's like the difference between Sean Connery and Roger Moore as James Bond!) Polite? Oh, yes, Emlyn Williams is very polite ... but he certainly gets his very sharp point across. (Just judging from that interview, he was a master of subtle yet biting sarcasm. I love the part where he deadpans: "Mr. Sternberg--oh, excuse me, Mr. *Von* Sternberg ..." FYI, for anybody who doesn't speak German, which Williams did fluently, "Von" is a nobility title. So his "accidental" slip and the way he corrected himself gives you a pretty clear summary of what he thought of Mr. *Von* Sternberg. Ouch!) Yes, there definitely seems to be a bit of repressed anger there! Dirk Bogarde never did anything for me, but, yes, he is rather suave! (I can't think of him without hearing the Adam and the Ants song, "Dirk Wears White Socks," which is ostensibly about him.) [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Vessel of Wrath Author: Lois [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:37:46 01/08/06 Sun QUOTE: FYI, for anybody who doesn't speak German, which Williams did fluently, "Von" is a nobility title. So his "accidental" slip and the way he corrected himself gives you a pretty clear summary of what he thought of Mr. *Von* Sternberg. Ouch!) Yes, there definitely seems to be a bit of repressed anger there! UNQUOTE Another bit of trivia: Of course Josef von Sternberg added the von - he was not of noble blood - he did it because Erich von Stroheim did! Of course by the 1930s the von was academic as all titles were abolished. It was used as an affectation - Paul Heinreid who did have noble blood chose not to use it! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]