Scott on "Venus"
"As Venus moves casually along, a deep sadness starts to gather around its edges, casting a shadow over the mischievous good humor that is Maurice's default mood. His mortality portends a larger loss, the eclipse of an approach to life and art that the great British actors of the mid-20th century, from Laurence Olivier to Michael Caine, embodied with such ease and charisma. It is not easy to define that special, paradoxical glamour that Peter O'Toole wears like a well-worn, perfectly tailored jacket -- he is a self-made aristocrat, a genuine pretender, a selfless narcissist -- but whatever it is, he still has it. Seeing a picture of the young Maurice -- the young O'Toole -- in a newspaper, someone exclaims, 'He were gorgeous.' Indeed he were, and so he is." -- from A.O. Scott's N.Y. Times review of Roger Michell's Venus.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 21, 2006 at 3:32 PM
comment #1
dobbsy
says ...
Glad to see one of the gems of the season recognized by Scott and so eloquently too. He really captures what is special about O'Toole's performance and the elegiac, but celebrative tone of the film.
Here's hoping no one mistakes it for "Grumpy Old Actors" and that there's an audience for this sensitively-wrought, beautifully crafted, heartfelt drama with fresh insights.
As for Oscar, well, yes, please....just give it to Peter O'Toole. For this remarkable performance and for Ruling Class and Lawrence and Stunt Man and Lion in Winter and Rogue Male and even for "Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell" which wasn't technically an Oscar-eligible film, but why quibble?
Posted by dobbsy
at December 21, 2006 8:05 PM
comment #2
Hallick
says ...
It's sad that movies like Rogue Male don't just show up on TV anymore. Back when there were like what, 30 channels, stuff like that would come on all the time on A&E or even a local broadcaster. Now I've 300 channels and the depth is plain gone. It's scary how much I took for granted 15 years ago is now gone for good from general circulation. TV was better when nobody knew what they were doing and would throw everything in the vaults on after midnight.
Posted by Hallick
at December 22, 2006 2:39 AM