The Entertainer [DVD][1960]

Your family are not just a backdrop for your fancifulness, aspirations and projections. If you want to see what it's like to be utterly lonely and alone in middle age, slap bang in the middle of people who love and care for you, this is a great film. It's painful in places, but needs to be. It's Oliver's favourite film, and I can well see why. It his most earthy, realistically-played part to my mind. But there are also other great actors playing great supporting parts.

77uk The Entertainer by Tony Richardson (1960, 96')As some people, typically those disagreeing with my views (like on Taxi Driver or the Graduate), have earlier complained that I quote other reviews (easy job, they say) and that I do not delimit my quotations clearly (cheat, they mean), I am trying to here be ultra lucid. Let me further reiterate another point: Not all film reviews have exactly the same objective. (i) For a film like today's, hundreds of reviews exist. So do not expect a detailed plot summary (get it elsewhere in the net); (ii) I write because I think my point, viz how well the film - part of the British New Wave - has lasted its fifty years may interest some readers.>>>>The Entertainer is a 1960 drama film directed by Tony Richardson, based on the stage play of the same name by John Osborne. It starred Laurence Olivier as a failing third-rate music hall stage performer who tries to keep his career going even as his personal life falls apart. The story is set against the backdrop of the dying music hall tradition, and this has usually been seen as symbolic of Britain's general "post-war decline": loss of Empire, power and cultural confidence and identity.<<<< end quote Wikipedia.Screenplay work is vital input, with Top British Playwrights of the Sixties like John Osborne, Harold Pinter, Joe Orton, Peter Shaffer, Tom Stoppard, David Storey. Novels and short stories that were adopted came from Stan Barstow, John Braine, Alan Sillitoe and others. The films were termed British New Wave or Free Cinema.Notable films: Look Back in Anger (1959), Room at the Top (1959), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), Hell Is a City (1960), The Entertainer (1960), A Taste of Honey (1961), A Kind of Loving (1962), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), Billy Liar (1963), This Sporting Life (1963), Tom Jones (1963) A Hard Day's Night (1964), The Knack ...and How to Get It (1965), Kes (1969), "If...." (1968).Notable directors: Lindsay Anderson, John Boorman, Jack Clayton, Basil Dearden, Clive Donner, Bryan Forbes, Richard Lester, Ken Loach, Joseph Losey, Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson, Nicholas Roeg, Ken Russell, John Schlesinger, Peter Watkins, Peter Yates.Notable actors: Alan Bates, Tom Bell (actor), Dirk Bogarde, Richard Burton, Julie Christie, Tom Courtenay, Albert Finney, Richard Harris, Malcolm McDowell, Oliver Reed, Rita Tushingham.When asked about realism in an interview of his dvd version of The Pianist (2000), Roman Polanski made the major point that he could not make a film (rather than a documentary) about history without telling a story. The point, in its unmistakable clarity and implication, could have been made by Bert Brecht, the great German playwright of the twenties and beyond, himself a great realist. What fascinates us about Osborne/Richardson's Archie Rice is exactly this understanding of realism about the decline of post war Britain, as illustrated by one family's story.The Entertainer as a movie (1960) is part of the New British Wave, on which I have given a few who-is-who quotes above for further reference and orientation, some of which were already given elsewhere and will continue to be used in future when relevant. The British New Wave peaked slightly earlier and was over much sooner than the French Nouvelle Vague, and on the whole was less playful and innovative, more social and class aware - hence, apart from calling it Angry young men, the near-parallel use of the term Kitchen sink realism.But the New Wave has produced some of the best movies ever to come out of Britain (I am deliberately excluding the David Lean and likes' sand dune, exotic river and winter steppe epics). Though much of it is shot outside in English summer weather (sic), the interior scenes remain quite theatrical, well-carpented, but otherwise gray and drab - like in Room at the Top (1959) and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960). This is not airy, sunny Paris, nor high ceiling apartments with louvre windows, nor anything like the Provence or the Riviera; the Gulf Stream only reaches the Isles as a tangent.Counter to most review practice, I am ending both giving a full list of cast and staff. In the lead, Laurence Olivier's performance nearly defies description, even deep at the shallowest end of a near self-parodic role. He never overdoes his acting, and always lets his partners play out rather than simply sketch their roles. Accordingly, there are no weak actors, and young Shirley Anne Field even plays better in Archie's arms than later in Albert Finney's in Saturday Night! Joan Plowright, who perhaps is the only one to see altruistically through and suffer from the fragility nobody is willing to repair - has a near tragic, delicate role for which she deserves a big hug. But then, they are all damn good!!!Cast: Laurence Olivier (Baron Olivier) - Archie Rice, Brenda De Banzie - Phoebe Rice, Roger Livesey - Billy Rice, Joan Plowright (later Lady Olivier) - Jean Rice, Alan Bates - Frank Rice, Daniel Massey - Graham, Shirley Anne Field - Tina Lapford, Thora Hird - Mrs Lapford, Albert Finney - Mick Rice.Production: Directed by Tony Richardson, Produced by Harry Saltzman, Screen-play by John Osborne, Nigel Kneale, based on the play by John Osborne, Music by John Addison, Cinematography by Oswald Morris, Editing by Alan Osbiston, Studio Woodfall Film Productions, Filmed on location in the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe.British New Wave or Free Cinema Internet references were use for Top British Playwrights, Novels and short story writers, Notable films, Notable directors, Notable actors.77uk - 18/5/2012

A solid print of a great film that isn’t quite up to the stage version but is still most impressive. The evocation of a period seaside resort is spot on and the acting, if a little OTT at times with some characters, is superb with the leads, Olivier, Bates and Plowright. Extras are very relevant too. So, all in all, this is a first rate purchase. Highly recommended.

What will Deedee make of this, I wonder? Deedee is my consultant cinéaste who keeps me up to date with modern trends. Anything before 1980 will rank as history to her.Personally, I only give five stars to films that I can revisit time after time and this gem from half a century ago draws me back again in so many ways.An outstanding performance by Olivier; strong support from a glittering cast; the English seaside in its heyday (I love the seaside); the dying fall of the music hall (I was their at its end), a debut cameo from Finney (I had been spellbound by his performance as Billy Liar in the West End months before appearing in this film); Osborne's kitchen sink ambiance that had transformed theatre (this is a very stagy film but none the worse for that); Richardson's direction (still in its early brilliant phase); a story of struggle against failure (Glengarry Glen Ross, Death of a Salesman) all these add up to a very personal five stars, but what will Deedee make of it, I wonder?

what a great film! from start to finish the power of the story within never fails to deliver.An excellent cast and a story of a man seemingly hellbent on self destruction as he battles with the demons of self delusion and the end of the vaudevillian actor. On stage as Archie Rice, Laurence Olivier delivers sadness and cynicim with one breath. He is determined to elude the Inland Revenue,engage in affairs with teenage wannabees, and even persuade his old father to appear on stage with him.His marriage is on the rocks and his daughter seems resigned to father's illusions. It travels a rocky path, and provides a fascinating insight into the world of early 1960's seaside theatre.It is one of Olivier's masterpieces and was one of his personal favourites. Watch it and enjoy the journey from illusion to ruin.

Laurence Olivier singing and dancing! Despite the cover sleeve being on colour, this is a gritty black and white film set in the north of England, Morecambe to be exact, which shows many aspects of the town that, sadly, no longer exist. It is somewhat dated but for those who want to look back on what a northern seaside resort looked like with its throngs of holiday makers, piers, theatres and a great array of British film stars then this is the film to watch.

A superb study in loneliness and getting in over your head. Larry makes Archie reprehensible and sympathetic at the same time, quite a feat.Just take a look as well at the faces of people in the background. Early, very early, sixties Morecambe brought to life again and as fresh on blu-ray as if it was filmed yesterday.

This tells the story of Archie Rice (Olivier) a star on the music hall circuit, television is becoming more popular so "old fashioned" entertainment is dying out. His daughter Jean (Joan Plowright) returns home because of a personal crisis. Archies second wife Phoebe is aware of her husbands many affairs. One of his sons (Albert Finney) is fighting in the Suez. whereas his other son Frank (Alan Bates) helps with the show. Despite his unflagging optimism a serious of tragic events unfold.