Classic Film and Cinema Style
Claire Dodd came to my attention in Parachute Jumper (1933) starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Bette Davis. This being a Pre-Code movie, she was able to show off her flair with sophisticated dialogue and sexy scenes. This is one of the pin up style pics she posed for during her career in Old Hollywood. Here’s another:
I’ll be reviewing Parachute Jumper (1933) soon, watch a video clip:
(Image: famousfix.com)
Garbo talks! I’ve heard her speak in talkies like The Painted Veil and Grand Hotel. Before that, she worked her magic in silent films such as the wonderful A Woman of Affairs.
I have a few more Greta Garbo photos to share today. These two shots are promotional photos for A Woman of Affairs. Garbo’s acting is amazing but she also has incredible style. Throughout the movie she sports a series of smart little hats and her coat collar is always turned up in a way that’s nonchalant cool…
Just in time for autumn, here are two striking portraits of Garbo wearing a sweater (and one of her in a hat…nobody wore hats like Greta Garbo!)
(Images: The Movie Stills Database)
I’ve loved Greta Garbo ever since I was a young girl watching old black and white movies on my grandmother’s television. When I was a teenager, I spent hours poring over vintage photos of stars like Garbo and Dietrich in glossy books about the great Hollywood portrait photographers.
August has been such a hectic month for me, but I’m glad I found the time to record the Garbo film A Woman of Affairs during the recent Greta Garbo day on TCM. Today’s “Photo of the Day” is a stunning 1925 portrait of Garbo taken by Arnold Genthe, known for his celebrity portraits.
You can browse the Genthe Collection at the Library of Congress. His work is so incredible! I enjoy looking at his shots of antiquities, travel, architecture, dance and his portraits.
(Image: Wikimedia Commons, loc.gov)
I can’t believe that autumn is almost here. The summer really flew by! August 15 was Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. day on Turner Classic Movies, and one of the featured films was Union Depot starring Fairbanks and Joan Blondell. In honor of that movie, this pinup style magazine cover of Joan Blondell is our “Photo of the Day.”
August is a great time to look for late summer swimwear sales! Retro swimsuits are hot and this is the time to hunt for bargains. Here are a few stylish swimsuits I like:
Images: Joan Blondell via Wikimedia Commons, swimsuit product photos via Polyvore.com for these merchants:
BodenUSA.com
SaksFifthAvenue.com
Topshop.com
ShopRuche.com
LandsEnd.com
ModCloth.com
If you’ve always wanted to own a vintage movie poster from your favorite film, I’m amazed at the huge selection available at eBay.com. Today on eBay I saw a vintage poster for the Grace Kelly movie The Swan. It’s one of my favorite Grace Kelly movies, click here to read my review.
I love the vivid colors in this vintage poster. I’m thinking about decorating with movie posters and photos to inspire me as I write my movie reviews. Since I was a little girl I’ve been fascinated by old movie magazines, vintage movie posters, film stills and autographs of classic performers. I’m going to start looking around at the many flea markets and antique shops in the mid-Hudson Valley and see what I can find!
I also like to browse sites like eBay and Etsy.com for jewelry, craft supplies and movie memorabilia.
Click here for vintage movie posters on eBay.
Click here for Grace Kelly movie memorabilia.
You can find great deals on beautiful reproduction film posters at: Allposters.com, HollywoodMegastore.com, wbshop.com, and shop.tcm.com.
Happy collecting!
“Somebody once called fidelity a fading woman’s greatest weapon and a charming woman’s greatest hypocrisy. And you’re very charming…” –Rupert of Hentzau, from the film The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
I love a good swashbuckling adventure, done up in romantic 30s celluloid style. As a girl, I adored young Cary Grant in Gunga Din, which starred another beautiful actor who caught my eye, the dashing Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. When The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) also starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was playing on TCM, I tuned in to see Doug. I’m so glad I did, as this film has it all: talented and charismatic actors, a well crafted script, stylish costumes and sets, breathtaking action sequences and a wry sense of humor.
Then why is The Prisoner of Zenda overlooked and underrated?
The film’s plot revolves around the power struggle for the throne of an unnamed European kingdom. As the movie begins, English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll (played by Ronald Colman) goes on a fishing trip where he encounters Fritz (David Niven) and Colonel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith), two aides to the about to be crowned King Rudolf V (also played by Colman).
The men are astounded by the striking resemblance between the king and Rassendyll (who turns out to be King Rudolf’s distant cousin). The night before the coronation, King Rudolf is drugged by his half brother Michael (Raymond Massey), so Fritz and Zapt convince Rassendyll (the doppelganger) to be crowned in King Rudolf’s place, impersonating the king until the rightful royal can be restored to the throne.
All sorts of complications arise, as black hearted Michael schemes to eliminate King Rudolf, seize the throne for himself, and marry King Rudolf’s intended bride the Princess Flavia (Madeleine Carroll). When Michael’s henchman Rupert of Hentzau (the delicious Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) kidnaps the drugged King Rudolf and hides him in Zenda Castle (where he’s now the “Prisoner of Zenda”), Rassendyll must find a way to penetrate the castle, free the king, and fend off Hentzau, in one of the most thrilling sword fights ever filmed…
There have been several filmed versions of the popular “Prisoner of Zenda” story, but this 1937 movie is the best, due to the pitch perfect casting and excellent performances.
Much of the film’s success hinges on the work of Ronald Colman, who’s a pleasure to watch as he handles the dual role of Rudolf Rassendyll/King Rudolf with ease. Rassendyll’s amused, sardonic air keeps the film from becoming too heavy handed.
The same can be said for two supporting players, David Niven and C. Aubrey Smith. The Prisoner of Zenda was a breakthrough role for Niven and he relishes all the dialogue and comedic bits he is given throughout the movie. C. Aubrey Smith is always a welcome sight; he’s an old hand at performing, the ultimate character actor, and a treasure. These British actors bring such flair and elegance to the film that it’s hard to imagine Zenda without them.
British actress Madeleine Carroll, another underrated and all but forgotten performer, exudes star quality as Princess Flavia, the woman destined to marry King Rudolf but who falls in love with his twin, Rassendyll. She’s not an accomplished actress; she doesn’t have to be, she’s a natural.
Carroll, one of the most beautiful silver screen actresses, doesn’t need to “act” the purity, morality, and radiance of Flavia, she simply embodies it, gracing the film with her presence in sweet love scenes with Rassendyll. The camera loves her, and when she gazes up while wearing a glittering crown, I get chills. It’s an unforgettable classic cinema moment.
The other female lead, Mary Astor (playing the role of Black Michael’s mistress Antoinette) always impresses me with her beauty, range, warmth and intelligence. Astor’s character is described as a “woman of the world” who is hopelessly in love with Michael, imploring him to marry her instead of seeking the throne and a marriage of convenience with Flavia.
I admire Astor’s versatility. In Red Dust, she played the ingenue like Madeleine Carroll, but here she makes the most of a small but significant role. She must be a gifted actress to make us believe her knowing, mysterious character could be so devoted to a dud like Michael (played by Raymond Massey, the film’s only lackluster performance).
The amazing Mary Astor behind the scenes with Ronald Colman
In classic films, I notice “good girls” and “bad girls” and a woman had to choose a side. Astor falls into the latter category; she wears a lot of dark clothing and veils and hangs around murky castles conducting clandestine meetings, rebuffing Hentzau’s advances (he wants to come to her room…) Quite a contrast to the “good girl” Princess Flavia, who wears white a lot and is referred to as an “insipid flaxen haired doll.”
I love both the ladies in this film. Carroll is breathtaking but in my opinion, Mary Astor almost steals the show from Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as Hentzau. In fact, I’d love to see a movie starring the two of them, all about their Zenda characters!
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. is the best thing about The Prisoner of Zenda. His Rupert of Hentzau is one of the great cinema villains, all epaulets, white gloves and cigarettes.
Fairbanks, Jr.’s performance is vital to the film; without him, Zenda wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun.
He’s delightfully mercurial, steel wrapped in velvet, romancing Mary Astor’s character one minute, menacing Rassendyll the next, keeping us off balance, always wondering what his evil henchman will do next.
Every girl’s crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man…
And he looks amazing too! With his lithe dancer’s body and urbane manner, Doug displays incredible, swashbuckling style. He was born to wear all the Zenda costumes. What a matinee idol, something to dream on! (One of the most beautiful men ever…)
Fairbanks, Jr. creates such a multidimensional villain that it’s unsettling: he confuses our sensibilities by making a morally reprehensible character so seductive and appealing.
(What does it say about us if we’re secretly attracted to Doug as Hentzau? What if we find him more desirable than Rassendyll? Maybe characters like Rupert of Hentzau and films like Zenda allow us to explore our shadow side in a safe, cinematic way…)
I’m amazed at how Fairbanks, Jr. comes up with so many layers that aren’t in the wonderful script. The subtly exaggerated eye rolling and body language are reminiscent of the old days of silent film, but he makes it all work. Rupert seems sweet enough on the surface, always laughing, smoking, throwing barbs and trading quips, but don’t cross him or he will strike! Hentzau’s sunny side makes his heinous deeds seem all the more dastardly, because we simply don’t expect them from such a dashing, beautiful man.
It’s unfair that Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. didn’t receive more acclaim for playing Rupert of Hentzau and for his entire body of work. Maybe it’s because he makes it look so easy! He’s so good looking and personable and joyful that all his hard work seems effortless.
Some actors in the celluloid vault are unsung performers who don’t always get the credit they deserve (stars like Monty Clift, Kay Francis, and I could go on and on…) One of the joys of Celluloid and Lipstick is celebrating my favorite overlooked performers.
I hope as new audiences discover Zenda, it will shine a light on Doug and he will be remembered as one of the great actors of the Golden Age of Cinema.
We don’t have films like The Prisoner of Zenda these days. In Zenda, everything is heightened, like Shakespeare’s classics, and more theatrical than modern, realistic films.
In the digital era, we get our thrills from car crashes, explosions and computerized special effects, and don’t have the patience for something as lyrical and poetic as The Prisoner of Zenda.
In the celluloid age, it took a lot more skill, subtlety and subtext to communicate danger and Zenda did it in such a refined, classy way, through the performances, the dialogue, and the atmosphere. I appreciate the beauty and romanticism of films like The Prisoner of Zenda, qualities often lacking in the digital age.
Watch The Prisoner of Zenda for Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.’s performance as Hentzau, one of the best villains of all time. This movie offers such fine acting, writing and storytelling; I’ve often wondered why it’s not better known. On a cold winter night or a balmy summer evening, escape with me to Zenda, and get swept away to a land of castles, beautiful damsels, mythical kingdoms and handsome gentleman. Give this film a chance and I think you’ll agree: The Prisoner of Zenda is great entertainment and an underrated masterpiece.
(Images: Wikimedia Commons, The Movie Poster Database, The Movie Stills Database, lobbycards.net, and fanpix.net.)
August is Summer Under the Stars on TCM. Turner Classic Movies features movie marathons during the 31 days of August, highlighting the work of one particular movie star each day.
I’m really excited about August 15: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. day!
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. films aren’t on TCM that often. He’s one of the actors we love at Celluloid and Lipstick, so I’m glad they included him in Summer Under the Stars.
Today’s photo of the day is from The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). It’s an underrated masterpiece! I wonder why The Prisoner of Zenda is not better known, as this film has everything: great acting, incredible style, beautiful actresses, dashing lead actors, a witty script, an interesting storyline and amazing sets.
And there’s a sword fight too!
So much to love about The Prisoner of Zenda. This is a portrait of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as Rupert of Hentzau…the villain of the film…
He’s so good when he’s bad…
Here are the other featured stars in the TCM lineup for Summer Under the Stars 2015:
*Celluloid and Lipstick favorites…don’t miss them! xo
(Image: The Movie Stills Database)
Montgomery Clift is my acting hero. From the moment I first caught a glimpse of him seducing Shelley Winters and romancing Elizabeth Taylor in A Place in the Sun, I was hooked, forever a Monty Clift fan.
It was a hot, sweltering summer day I saw him on celluloid; how apt, as he made everything so delightfully steamy.
Since that afternoon, I vowed to watch every Montgomery Clift film I could get my hands on. So imagine my excitement when I stumbled across a Monty Clift movie day on Turner Classic Movies. It was Montgomery Clift movie marathon madness! Over twelve hours of Clift films running all day on TCM.
With all that Monty in the summer heat, a girl could get a little flustered!
Unfortunately, I missed the first half of the marathon, and I’m disappointed I didn’t get to watch A Place in the Sun again. On the bright side, I was able to record three Clift films: I Confess, Indiscretion of an American Wife, and The Defector. These movies aren’t as well known as A Place in the Sun, but still worth your time, to experience three varied and intriguing characters created from the heart and soul of Montgomery Clift.
Much has been made of Montgomery Clift’s tortured life; some have called his final years a “long suicide.” You can discover details about his personal life by searching online or find out more by reading biographies, such as the book by Patricia Bosworth.
These capsule movie reviews focus on his incredible acting and storytelling, his amazing energy and personal magnetism.
I have a passion for Clift’s work and study his acting for clues about technique; I feel an affinity with him as a kindred spirit. The greatest actors inspire this kind of soul connection, allowing us to identify with their characters and step into their shoes during a performance.
When acting is truly authentic, there’s transference of emotion, a transcendence of experience and a suspension of space, time, and often, disbelief. We are thrust into the story, living vicariously through the actors who become a channel or vessel for the human experience. Through the actor’s craft we are propelled skillfully into places that can be joyful, cathartic or revealing. It’s a wild ride, that journey, but so illuminating when we are under its spell.
In this way, acting as art exposes what it’s like to be human, in all our pain and glory, embracing the shadow sides and the light.
Monty Clift was a true artist and one of the best actors of all time, arguably our greatest actor.
Through his authenticity, his unflinching honesty, insight and sensitivity, and the courage to bare his soul while disappearing into each role, he draws us so deeply into the world of his characters that we feel we are living the story with him.
This is when acting is being.
After his initial success in Hollywood as a box office sensation, Clift could have settled, cranking out a series of predictable hits that cashed in on his charm and good looks, but his dedication to the craft of acting led him to make some interesting career choices.
Montgomery Clift started acting at the tender age of thirteen. After ten years on Broadway (acting onstage with the likes of Lunt and Fontanne!), he headed out to Hollywood, where he was cast in films like Red River with John Wayne and The Search (which earned him his first Academy Award nomination).
I Confess (1953) represents a moment in celluloid time, before Monty’s car accident and subsequent personal decline. The early 50s were the height of his popularity and great physical beauty and energy immortalized in films like A Place in the Sun (1951) and From Here to Eternity (1953).
Although he was adored for playing the romantic lead in films like The Heiress and marketed as a Hollywood “heartthrob,” Clift signed on to portray a priest in I Confess. That unexpected choice seems a bit unusual for a celluloid sex symbol, but Montgomery Clift was the antithesis of the cookie-cutter Hollywood star, and his theatre background and commitment to acting made him quite selective about roles.
Monty made a great decision to play this character, as he is amazing in this film. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, I Confess is the story of Father Michael Logan, Catholic priest at a Quebec church where Otto Keller is employed as caretaker. Keller kills a man he is trying to rob, then confesses to Father Logan. When the priest comes under suspicion for the crime, the story turns on whether or not Logan will disclose the secrets of the confessional in order to prove his own innocence.
This movie can’t hold a candle to Hitchcock’s better known films (like my personal favorite Notorious.) The killer is exposed so early on that it ruins any hope of mystery; instead, we are left with a gripping psychological character study of Father Logan, and that is what makes the film remarkable.
As much as I’ve enjoyed Clift in his earlier sensual and romantic roles in Hollywood, I find him wholly believable as he tackles the part of an anguished priest with utter conviction. It’s a treat to see Hitchcock’s camera linger on Monty’s face in close ups that reveal the nuances of Logan’s struggle.
Anne Baxter and Karl Malden are also worth watching. Baxter is the woman Logan had a romance with before he joined the priesthood, and she brings a little soul to the prototypical “Hitchcock blonde.” Malden is also well cast as the determined Inspector.
I Confess should be required viewing for admirers of Montgomery Clift and Alfred Hitchcock. At the very least, you’ll have bragging rights. While other Hitchcock fans rave about North by Northwest and Strangers on a Train, you’ve experienced I Confess!
Montgomery Clift portrait as Giovanni in the film Indiscretion of an American Wife (also known as Terminal Station)
In 1953, Monty starred in I Confess, Indiscretion of an American Wife and From Here to Eternity. Indiscretion of an American Wife, also known as Terminal Station, is a showcase for Montgomery Clift’s handsomeness and acting talent, capturing him at his peak, in those years right before his devastating car accident.
Directed by Vittorio De Sica and co produced by David O. Selznick, this is one of the more obscure films in the Clift canon. Indiscretion of an American Wife: love it, hate it, or have you even heard of it? This relatively unknown little film seems to provoke strong positive or negative reactions in the few people who have seen it.
Jennifer Jones is Mary (aka Maria), an American housewife visiting Rome who falls head over heels for Giovanni, a sexy Italian played by Clift. The title Terminal Station encapsulates the mood of the film, as her marriage and child mean the lovers are trapped in a hopeless affair with nowhere to go but the end of the line.
I’ll admit this movie has script problems and can’t quite figure out what it wants to be: a gritty, realistic tale about love and relationships or a soapy, overwrought melodrama.
However, I really enjoy the movie, because the strength of the picture rests in the hands of Monty Clift and Jennifer Jones, who rise above the trite material to deliver two heartfelt performances.
I’ve always liked Jennifer Jones, especially in a film called Good Morning, Miss Dove. She has a gravity and authentic beauty that doesn’t rely on artifice. I sense she had a huge inner life also, and this bleeds into her portrayal of Maria. Indiscretion of an American Wife was shot entirely in Rome’s Stazione Termini (train station); the way the light plays off Maria’s face and captures her expressions is luminous and adds to the film’s haunting quality.
You must watch this film for Montgomery Clift, who effortlessly changes gears from Catholic priest to hot blooded Italian lover. He has sizzling chemistry with Jennifer Jones; in their scenes together, the heat almost leaps off the screen. Clift the actor communicates so much with subtle touches and gesture. As he walks away at the end, the way he moves his body reveals more about character than dialogue ever could.
Monty as Professor Bower in The Defector (aka L’Espion!)
The Defector 1966 is perhaps my favorite of the three films I’ve talked about today, and I’m not totally sure why it strikes such a deep chord with me. Maybe it’s because this is Montgomery Clift’s last film before his untimely death at age forty-five (in 1966).
During the filming of Raintree County in 1956, Monty left Elizabeth Taylor’s house after a dinner party and fell asleep at the wheel, crashing his car into a telephone pole. He needed plastic surgery for his face and increasingly turned to alcohol and pills to numb the pain. The crash had a catastrophic effect on his life and career. He was never the same after the accident.
His close friend (or should I say his soul friend) Liz Taylor gave him the opportunity to work together again in the film Reflections in a Golden Eye, offering him a chance to revive his Hollywood career, but first, he had to perform in The Defector.
And what a cool little Cold War spy thriller it is! The Defector stars Montgomery Clift as Professor Bower, an American physicist and art expert blackmailed into helping the CIA obtain secret microfilm from a defecting Russian scientist.
When Bower goes undercover in East Germany then tries to make a daring escape back to the West, he is aided by an unlikely friendship he forms with fellow physicist and German secret agent Heinzmann (the excellent Hardy Kruger). The bond that develops between the two opposing agents gives this spy movie its unique twist.
Although Monty wasn’t in good health and died of a heart attack only a few months after shooting the movie, he’s terrific as the Professor, swimming in a cold river and doing all of his own stunts, gracing the role with his signature authentic behavior: when Bower crawls under a bridge to hide during his escape, Clift’s face and body language totally express his terror of being discovered (and shot) by German guards.
And then there are his eyes…
Those enormous gray orbs framed by dark heavy eyebrows seem even bigger now against his slender form; those eyes look, but what do they see?
His gaze is riveting, searching, conveying the confusion, isolation and trepidation of being a reluctant spy on the run (and the pain of being Monty?)
Monty Clift is the main reason to see The Defector and fans will definitely want to catch his final movie.
I Confess, Indiscretion of an American Wife and The Defector are good but flawed films elevated by the passion of Montgomery Clift, his artistry and commitment to the craft of acting.
A Place in the Sun and From Here to Eternity are his quintessential films and essential viewing for Monty fans. However, don’t overlook the three movies mentioned above, worth watching for the magic and mystery of these fascinating Monty Clift performances.
(Images: The Movie Stills Database, famousfix.com, The Movie Poster Database, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, LobbyCards.net)
This summer, I stumbled upon a Montgomery Clift movie marathon on TCM and recorded a few films for later viewing. I’m really enjoying watching these diverse Clift films and plan to review them for the blog.
It’s hard to believe that Montgomery Clift (also known his whole life as Monty Clift) has been dead for almost fifty years.
His acting is timeless.
On July 23, 1966, at the age of forty-five, Clift died of a heart attack in his Upper East Side townhouse. This was a tragic end to a brilliant career that included Broadway acclaim and classic films such as A Place in the Sun and From Here to Eternity.
Montgomery Clift is my favorite classic film actor and we’ll be talking about him a lot.
RIP Monty Clift, brief candle…do you know what film this haunting portrait is from?
(Image: The Movie Stills Database)
It’s hard to believe that a little girl growing up in New York’s rural Hudson Valley would become so besotted with a group of British actors, but that’s my story.
The stars I remember the most fondly from my youth are actors who starred in films like Chariots of Fire and TV shows like Masterpiece Theatre.
In the days before cable television, my family only had access to a few basic TV channels, like the major networks, a channel that played old black and white films, and the local public television station. I’ve always been intrigued by everything about the UK, and consider myself to be a true Anglophile, so it’s no surprise that at a young age, I gravitated toward Jane Austen novels and the many British dramas on PBS.
There are so many British actors I came to admire from those early days watching British television and movies. Here’s a tribute to five great British actors who defined my youth.
One day in my formative years I happened to see a bunch of dashing young British men run majestically across the beach in the film Chariots of Fire, and my life changed forever! Chariots of Fire only deepened my love for British drama, and I became interested in the work of one of the stars of the film, a young actor named Nigel Havers.
Chariots of Fire was quite a sensation during the early eighties; however, this blockbuster film did not launch Nigel Havers and co-stars Ian Charleson and Ben Cross to much deserved Hollywood superstardom.
I continued to follow Nigel’s career, and when he turned up on Masterpiece Theatre, I was in heaven. My favorite Nigel Havers Masterpiece Theatre performances include A Perfect Hero and the sublime miniseries The Charmer (Oh Nigel, you play the cad and scoundrel so well!)
Nigel Havers remains a beloved British television star. In addition to his celebrated Masterpiece Theatre roles, he has starred in popular shows like the comedy Don’t Wait Up and appeared in Downton Abbey and Coronation Street. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Nigel had guest starred as Sally Field’s love interest in Season 3 of ABC-TV’s Brothers and Sisters (how did this slip by me? I’ll have to rent it on DVD).
Along with Chariots of Fire, other notable Nigel Havers films include The Whistle Blower, Empire of the Sun and A Passage to India.
Nigel’s been quite active as a respected theater actor; a few years ago his role as Maxim de Winter was a hit in a UK stage run of Rebecca, he starred in a recent West End revival of The Importance of Being Earnest and on top of all that, you can often catch him on stage doing holiday panto!
Nigel Havers certainly has had an illustrious career, and if you’re interested in learning more about his life and work, his autobiography Playing with Fire was published a few years ago.
This list of influential British actors is in no particular order really, but I have to confess that Peter Davison is pretty much one of my all-time favorite British performers (sharing top honors with Nigel Havers). I’m discussing Peter Davison with Robert Hardy, because it’s hard to think of one without the other, as they were both co-stars in All Creatures Great and Small, one of my favorite television series of all time.
When I was a young girl, I discovered the All Creatures Great and Small books by James Herriot, and I loved the stories about a veterinarian living and working in England’s rural Yorkshire Dales. In the PBS adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small, Peter Davison and Robert Hardy played the Farnon brothers, the colleagues of hard working vet James Herriot.
These two portrayals, Peter Davison as the young happy-go-lucky veterinary student Tristan Farnon, and seasoned actor Robert Hardy as his older brother (and Herriot’s employer) Dr. Siegfried Farnon, were simply unforgettable for me. I spent many joyful hours reading the “All Creatures” books and watching the series on my local PBS affiliate, and I’ve followed the acting careers of Peter Davison and Robert Hardy ever since.
Hardy is quite a distinguished, versatile actor in the UK, going on to play such varied roles as Winston Churchill and Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter films. I revere Robert Hardy and in my mind, he’ll always be Siegfried!
Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small
Peter Davison went on to much acclaim as one of the actors who portrayed Doctor Who, and he has starred in a variety of popular British TV shows, like the Campion mysteries. (I always think of Peter Davison as Tristan!)
Peter Davison as Campion
I can’t seem to find some of the things I collected in my childhood on some favorite shows and performers. But one piece of memorabilia remains. A few years ago, my sister and brother in law attended a Sci-Fi convention and there was Peter Davison, appearing as Doctor Who! My sister asked Peter to sign a picture for me and he was very kind and gracious, signing it to “Allison from Peter Davison.” I still keep this on a shelf in a closet, a reminder of my little girl wishes for an acting career upon the British stage, and longed for trips to England (it’s a nice memento of my childhood dreams).
One day during my girlhood, a tall, dark and handsome Irishman rode across my television screen on horseback, and he made quite the impression on me. This young man turned out to be actor Pierce Brosnan, starring in his breakout role in the miniseries The Manions of America, which he followed with a role on Masterpiece Theatre’s Nancy Astor (which also starred a very young Nigel Havers).
Evidently, young Pierce made a deep impression on a lot of other people also, because it wasn’t long before he was starring with beautiful Stephanie Zimbalist in the hot NBC TV show Remington Steele. Playing the title role of Remington Steele, Pierce Brosnan was part Cary Grant, part James Bond, and it was in this role that Pierce really made a name for himself.
When it was time to cast a new James Bond in the nineties, Pierce Brosnan seemed a natural for the part, and his Bond had less brawn and brute force, more suaveness and style (similar to Roger Moore’s Bond).
Pierce is probably the most well-known of this entire list I like to call “Allison’s British Actors” and he’s the only one to achieve major cinema stardom. I still enjoy Pierce Brosnan and keep up with his movies, but I’ll always have a soft spot for him as playful, goofy and oh-so-debonair Remington Steele.
Ah, Ian Charleson…just the name makes my heart skip a bit (because I’ve always loved Scottish actors!) Chariots of Fire was definitely one of the defining films of my youth, and Ian Charleson starred in this film along with Nigel Havers and Ben Cross. In my youth I watched Chariots of Fire countless times, and I was always inspired by the writing and acting, the amazing score by Vangelis and lovely cinematography.
I also enjoyed Ian Charleson very much in a television miniseries he did called Master of the Game, based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon (a typical eighties potboiler miniseries!) Ian Charleson was also an accomplished British theater actor who tackled the challenging role of Hamlet several times.
I was busy for a few years and lost touch with what Ian Charleson was working on, and when I discovered one day that he had died of AIDS in 1990 at age 40, I felt so sad. I felt like the world had lost such a wonderful man and a great actor, whose promising career was cut short by his untimely death. I still think of Ian (who would have turned sixty-six this summer) and whenever I see Chariots of Fire, or think back to my younger days of admiring fine British actors, I am reminded of his immense talent and charisma.
There are many other great British actors I enjoyed watching at various stages of my youth and adulthood, like Ben Cross, Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Kenneth Branagh, Colin Firth, and the list goes on and on. And there are so many iconic British actresses who had a profound influence on me, like Alice Krige (of Chariots of Fire), Judi Dench, Peggy Ashcroft, Diana Rigg and Jane Seymour, to name just a few.
In my opinion, British shows broadcast on American TV these days, like the modern incarnation of Masterpiece Theatre, are not quite the same as they were in earlier decades.
However, in the glory days of British TV shown on American television, there were so many memorable programs and performances. Fortunately, some of the classic British shows from the old Masterpiece Theatre are available to be enjoyed on DVD. Also, check out timeless British films like Chariots of Fire to see the work of outstanding British performers like Ian Charleson and Nigel Havers.
If you have the opportunity, definitely seek out the work of my favorite British actors mentioned above; you’ll be glad you did!
(Images: famousfix.com, Wikipedia and The Movie Poster Database)