tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1955075553109560719.post4823519896067914762..comments2024-01-30T02:19:32.434-08:00Comments on "Tweedland" The Gentlemen's club: Maggie Smith at 80: 'a walking, talking flame' / VÍDEO Gosford Park (2001) - Maggie Smith : "It must be hard to know when it's ...Jeeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14386587138188870792noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1955075553109560719.post-49960794526787830962015-01-28T13:55:25.323-08:002015-01-28T13:55:25.323-08:00I've never actually seen the film version of O...I've never actually seen the film version of Olivier's Othello so can't really say whether it's unwatchable. However, I did see his stage version in the early 60's which was the precursor of the movie, and it was without question one of the most powerful and memorable stage plays I've ever seen. Olivier was the best Othello I've ever seen and Frank Finley who I think was Iago was also memorable. The makeup issue never really registered although it was perhaps a somewhat less PC age, but not enormously so in 60's Britain. The problem with the makeup issue is that we're effectively saying that Othello can never again be played by a Caucasian. In the same era I also saw a memorable production in Victorian dress of the Merchant where Olivier also gave a knockout performance as Shylock. Will this role be limited to Jews in the future? I saw Olivier in several productions and he just dominated the stage in a way that was if not totally unique was very rare. Smith is a wonderful actor with tremendous range (from a dowdy Dublin Spinster to British aristocrats) but I honestly can't remember whether she was Desdemona in the stage production. She probably was since she was a member of the national theatre company at the time. She was married to an excellent actor called Robert Stephens who unfortunately had a bit of a booze problem and she ultimately split. Brummagem Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00998868549766033751noreply@blogger.com