21-Theater and the Movies
Duration 8m 55s
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This episode asks why I can't think of a single "great" film based on a play.
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I own O'Toole's version and rented Howard's verion. My heart...goes to O'Toole, my Lawrence.
The way you talk about his excess is interesting. I remeber I was immediately charmed by Peter O'Toole but it took me repeated viewing to finally conclude that his "facial acting" in the "no prisoners" sequence is characteristic of Lawrence. Then when I watched "How to Steal A Million", I could not help hoping he would go all wild on screen. It somehow became a pity to see him "tamed".
One extrodinary thing about O'Toole and Hepburn is that their chemistry is so strong that sometimes it works against them. Sometimes I feel that they are very very fond of each other but have to pretend to hate each other to "play games".
Horward, on the other hand, is not that "playful" and he is not attracted to his Qeen at all. Horward is more sensible,older and wiser (O'Toole does act like a tricky little child in the movie occassionally).
You make a good point about the delivery of lines.As far as I know, there are minimum changes in the dialogues. But I pick up the lines of the recent version better. Actors in the old version speak so fast that I sometimes simply miss the whole sentence!
Since English is not my first langugue, I reckon the deliver of the recent version is probably closer to "modern delivery".
Conclusion? Watch it again someday.
The way you talk about his excess is interesting. I remeber I was immediately charmed by Peter O'Toole but it took me repeated viewing to finally conclude that his "facial acting" in the "no prisoners" sequence is characteristic of Lawrence. Then when I watched "How to Steal A Million", I could not help hoping he would go all wild on screen. It somehow became a pity to see him "tamed".
One extrodinary thing about O'Toole and Hepburn is that their chemistry is so strong that sometimes it works against them. Sometimes I feel that they are very very fond of each other but have to pretend to hate each other to "play games".
Horward, on the other hand, is not that "playful" and he is not attracted to his Qeen at all. Horward is more sensible,older and wiser (O'Toole does act like a tricky little child in the movie occassionally).
You make a good point about the delivery of lines.As far as I know, there are minimum changes in the dialogues. But I pick up the lines of the recent version better. Actors in the old version speak so fast that I sometimes simply miss the whole sentence!
Since English is not my first langugue, I reckon the deliver of the recent version is probably closer to "modern delivery".
Conclusion? Watch it again someday.
Oh yes, O'Toole's performance is certainly excessive. I can't help enjoying it for exactly that excess. Whether Harvey should be blamed/credited for the actor's histrionics is a tough one to call.
Actually, what I like most about The Lion in Winter is the sheer nastiness of it. Much of the dialogue really isn't that witty, but delivered so well, it makes me laugh over and over again. (Probably my favorite line in the movie? When Prince John whimpers that if he went up in flames, there's no one who would piss on him, Hopkins/Richard's response: "Let's strike a flint and see." Absolutely, calculatedly bitchy humor at its best. It's almost enough to make you think James Goldman was British.)
Actually, what I like most about The Lion in Winter is the sheer nastiness of it. Much of the dialogue really isn't that witty, but delivered so well, it makes me laugh over and over again. (Probably my favorite line in the movie? When Prince John whimpers that if he went up in flames, there's no one who would piss on him, Hopkins/Richard's response: "Let's strike a flint and see." Absolutely, calculatedly bitchy humor at its best. It's almost enough to make you think James Goldman was British.)
I am not a professional and might use the wrong words. I guess I am not very comfortable with the frequent extreme closes-ups (angels of camera?)director Harvey used to service Peter O'Toole. O'Toole shouts in my face a lot and I find it a bit excessive.
I can imagine if I see O'Toole/Hepburn version in a theater, I will appreciate it more. This realization confirms my feeling that both Harvey and O'Toole are reluctant to break away from the stage play mode.
Sorry, Mr Harvey,since you are the director, I will hold you responsible for Peter O'Toole even though O'Toole was the one who initiated the project at the first place.
I totally agree with your comments on Lean's cameral movement and editing style. Escpecially in the first half of LOA, I simply flow with the desert crossing (slow and enchanting, hardly noticing anything else.
Interestingly, the most talked-about cuts in Lean's works are deliberate ones: the blow-of-match-to-red-sky and the sound-ahead-of-the-next-scene. The match cut strikes me for the beauty and vastness of the sky rather than the switch of location. As for the latter, I first noticed this technique in "Farewell My Cumcubine", a film by a famous Chinese director Chen Kaige. He used it on several occasions in the film and sometimes not to the best effect IMO. I only find out recently that Chen Kaige's favourite director is-David Lean and his favourtie film is - LOA.
I can imagine if I see O'Toole/Hepburn version in a theater, I will appreciate it more. This realization confirms my feeling that both Harvey and O'Toole are reluctant to break away from the stage play mode.
Sorry, Mr Harvey,since you are the director, I will hold you responsible for Peter O'Toole even though O'Toole was the one who initiated the project at the first place.
I totally agree with your comments on Lean's cameral movement and editing style. Escpecially in the first half of LOA, I simply flow with the desert crossing (slow and enchanting, hardly noticing anything else.
Interestingly, the most talked-about cuts in Lean's works are deliberate ones: the blow-of-match-to-red-sky and the sound-ahead-of-the-next-scene. The match cut strikes me for the beauty and vastness of the sky rather than the switch of location. As for the latter, I first noticed this technique in "Farewell My Cumcubine", a film by a famous Chinese director Chen Kaige. He used it on several occasions in the film and sometimes not to the best effect IMO. I only find out recently that Chen Kaige's favourite director is-David Lean and his favourtie film is - LOA.
