The Entertainer 1960

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What a fantastic movie!

I screened this yesterday and all last night I was thinking about it. It's a devastating experience, like watching a series of car crashes in slow motion. The basic story is about a down at the heels music hall performer in a seaside carnival town in Britain. The world is changing around him and he is incapable of change, dragging everyone around him down with him. If you crossed Death of a Salesman with Sunset Blvd, this is the kind of movie you'd end up with.

The location shooting and cinematography is stunning. Every scene is drenched with atmosphere. And the acting is spectacular. Not a single performance in the whole movie that doesn't nail it. But the center of the film is Laurence Olivier's portrayal of Archie Rice, the title character. He simultaneously exudes confidence and complete desperation. His character is peeled back layer by layer like an onion, revealing how he used his family and friends and complete strangers in a futile attempt at stardom.

This film is very uncomfortable to watch. For a middle aged man, it's as uncomfortable as watching Rock Hudson unravel in Seconds. I blind bought this on the strength of the cast, which includes Alan Bates, Albert Finney and Joan Plowright, and the director Tony Richardson, (The Loved One, Tom Jones). I can see why this film isn't talked about a lot. It's depressing as hell. But wow, what film making!

If you are interested in bravura acting and imaginative cinematography this is for you. As a bonus, the blu-ray includes numerous vintage short films showing the seaside resort scene through the years. The one called Luna Park is a knockout.

I recommend this one. Image quality is fantastic. Sound can be a bit difficult to understand at times because of the speed of the delivery and the British accents, but you can follow it easily enough.