I can talk movies all day long. You want to talk contemporary film, I can do that, although my fave era is that of the black and white film. Bogart, Bacall, Hepburn, Tracy. Flynn, Turner, Stewart, O'Hara. Grant, I can go on for a lot longer. I tend to give directors more importance in film over the last 20 years than I do prior whereas I tend to celebrate the celebrities of the b&w picture over today's picture. So, let me celebrate yet another film star of ago, Charles Laughton. Bigger than life, a ham if you will. Overbearing, loud, boiling, somehow convincing. As I sat watching "Witness for the Prosecution" a few nights ago I was amazed at how much Laughton overshadowed the other actors. No easy feat considering the stars were Marlene Dietrich and Tyrone Power. His portrayal of Captain Bligh in "Mutiny on the Bounty" can never be duplicated. He was/is Captain Bligh (sorry Sir Anthony Hopkins). More of a character actor than a leading man, Laughton starred in a variety of genres and never looked out of place in any of them.
4 comments:
I can say with tempered enthusiasm, "Never heard of him!"
In his day he enjoyed a healthy helping of celebrity. Not the glamour of Grant of course, but he was a player. Perhaps along the lines of a Sydney Greenstreet of "The Maltese Falcon" fame.
*knock, knock* Hello?
Still kicking, Snay.
Post a Comment